Planning of low voltage networks considering distributed generation and geographical constraints

Abstract

Due to the increasing number of distributed generation, the planning of low voltage networks are facing new challenges. In some German rural networks, the installed generation capacity exceeds the maximum load of these networks. Therefore, the load flow direction could be bidirectional and the low voltage networks feed into the medium voltage networks. In order to growing number of distributed generation in the low voltage networks, it is necessary to consider distributed generation in the planning of these networks. Due to the small supply area of low voltage networks, the planning of these networks are more restricted by geographical constraints than networks with a higher voltage level. Therefore, the network planer could consider street maps to ensure these constraints. This paper presents a network planning approach, which considered street maps in the planning process of low voltage networks with a high amount of distributed generation.