Suitability of capacitor allocation methods in different kinds of distribution networks

Abstract

In the context of power systems with “a high percentage of renewable energy” and “a high percentage of power electronic equipment”, reactive power capacitors are demanded to support the voltage and keep the economic operation of the distribution network. Reasonable configuration of reactive power compensation including capacitor location and compensation capacity can keep the system voltage at a reasonable level, improve the system voltage stability, and reduce the network loss. In this paper, a reactive power optimization model based on three capacitor allocation methods, namely the reactive power sensitivity method, the active power loss method, and the voltage stability method, was established. Considering the stability and economy of distribution network operation, the suitability of the different methods in different kinds of distribution networks was evaluated in terms of the indicators of minimizing the network loss, minimizing the voltage offset, and minimizing the system operation cost. The simulation results show that the active power loss method is the most suitable for reducing voltage fluctuations and network losses.