Analysis of Distribution Network Performance under Different Penetration Levels of Solar PV

摘要

The research undertaken to date in the area of impact of PV on the grid has identified possible issues that may arise, particularly under high penetration of solar PV. These issues include generation/demand mismatch, voltage regulation, power quality in terms of total harmonic distortion (THD), dynamic response to grid faults, contribution to fault currents and protection (of the grid and of the PV system). With increasing penetration of PV at residential level and with plans for demand side management and smart grid implementation, it is necessary to analyse the interaction of the PV system with the grid and better understand the performance under different operating conditions. This paper considers a representative UK residential power network under different PV penetration levels and identifies the power factor variation and possible approaches for its improvement.