Impact of Introducing Small Scale Distributed Generation on Technical Losses in a Secondary Distribution Network

Abstract

System losses are important metrics for power utilities. The addition of distributed generation (DG) in the network can either improve or worsen system losses depending on the network configuration, placement of the DG or other factors. The impact that the integration of Small Scale Distributed Generation (SSDG) has on the losses in a low voltage distribution network in a highly residential has been presented in this paper. The model has been drawn in DIgSILENT Power Factory® using actual network parameters, load profile and photovoltaic (PV) generation data. The transformer losses and losses in the low voltage cables make up for the losses in the low voltage network and these components have been observed separately with increasing penetration of SSDG. The key contribution of this paper is the determination of that penetration of SSDG which results in the most optimum effect on network losses.