Integration of DG sources for compensation of unbalanced loads in the power grid

Abstract

Nowadays, it is a high trend to increase the electricity production using Distributed Generation (DG) technology based on renewable energy resources (RERs) such as photovoltaics and wind power. If these systems are not properly controlled, their connection to the power grid can provoke many problems on the grid side. Therefore, considerations about power generation, safe running and grid connection must be done before connecting DG units into the power grid. This paper is mainly dealing with the grid connection of DG units to the power grids and compensation of the unbalanced loads. The proposed technique provides compensation for active, reactive, unbalanced, and harmonic current components of unbalanced loads. High performance of the proposed technique is obtained through Matlab/Simulink, guaranteeing balanced overall grid currents, injection of maximum available power from DG resources, power factor increase of the utility grid, and a reduction of total harmonic distortion (THD) of grid current, under the proposed operating conditions.