Integration of Hybrid Distributed Generation Units in Power Grid

Abstract

The use of renewable energy sources either as distributed generators in public AC networks or as isolated generating units supplying is one of the new trends in power-electronic technology. Renewable energy generators equipped with electronic converters can be attractive for several reasons, such as environmental benefits, economic convenience, social development. The main environmental benefit obtained by using renewable sources instead of traditional sources, is the reduction in carbon emission. Many countries have adopted policies to promote renewable sources in order to respect the limits on carbon emission imposed by international agreements. Moreover, renewable energies can be economically convenient in comparison with traditional sources, if the economic incentives for grid connected renewable sources are taken into account or in other particular situations to supply stand alone loads. In some cases, it can be more convenient to supply an isolated load with renewable local source instead of extending the public grid to the load or to supply it with diesel electric generators. In this case, in order to evaluate the economic benefits of renewable energy solution, It is necessary to take in account either the cost of the fuel and the cost of its transport to the load, that can be located in remote and hardly reachable areas. In addition to the economic benefits, the use of distributed renewable generation units contributes to decentralise the electrical energy production, with a positive impact on the development of remote areas. The exploitation of local renewable sources supports local economies and lightens the energy supply dependency from fuels availability and prices fluctuations. The integration in the electric grid of distributed power generation systems, located close to the loads, reduces the need to transfer energy over long distances through the electric grid. In this way several benefits are achieved, such as the reduction of bottle-neck points created by overcharged lines, the increase of global efficiency and the limitation of thermal stress on grid conductors. Renewable distributed generation units, if properly controlled and designed can improve the power flow management on the grid and reduce the probability of grid faults, so increasing the power quality of the energy supply. It’s important to evaluate also the possible drawbacks of the increasing number of renewable energy sources on the power-supply stability and quality, both in grid connected