Sizing of renewable energy sources to support resilience in distribution networks

Abstract

Microgrids may help researchers to analyze the performance of scaled electrical systems. The paper uses Unigrid to maximize the resilience of the unbalanced distributions network through optimal sizing and location of renewable energy sources. Unigrid is a scaled-down standard IEEE 13 microgrid built to analyze the behavior of electrical systems. The research methodology consist in evaluating the penetration of non-conventional renewable energy generation to the distribution network in different nodes and different injected power values. The first scenario is the connection of the microgrid with the power system of Providencia (Colombia), a low inertia network; the second scenario is the connection with La Guajira network, a high inertia included in the National Interconnected System (NIS). The connection of generators with non-conventional sources allowed to identify the percentage of non-conventional penetration sources of the modified IEEE 13 network in two scenarios in Colombia. The results lead that the candidate nodes to connect renewable sources are 632 and 671. In conclusion, the low inertia systems require a higher penetration than the high inertia system.