Transient stability investigation of a grid integrating solar and wind energies: a case study of southern Algeria

Abstract

The primary goal of electricity producers is to ensure the efficient operation of the electrical grid and the reliable delivery of electricity to individual households. Strengthening the electricity network with the integration of micro-power plants such as wind farms and photovoltaic power plants, as in the case of Algeria, contributes to improving the quality of electricity supplied to consumers. This work presents a simulation study of the electrical network of the Adrar region using ETAP program, to show the influence of the insertion of photovoltaic and wind power plants on the electrical network. The results showed good tolerance of the grid to the integration of wind energy, while the integration of photovoltaic energy needs more requirements and technical challenges to overcome, because, as shown by the results of simulations, the integration of photovoltaic energy makes the network more vulnerable to disturbances. The primary reason for this phenomenon is the lack of mechanical inertia, enabling the system to minimize perturbations. Where wind turbines are unique in their ability to withstand load variations and respond quickly to disruptions. They return to their initial value in 20 seconds, while solar power systems signal return to their initial value after 45 seconds due to their lack of mechanical inertia. Owing to the limitations of the electrical network, the majority of test scenarios demonstrate that wind farm structures can sustain a steady voltage and frequency of 50 Hz. On the other hand, there are momentary fluctuations in voltage and frequency in structures that have photovoltaic systems installed.