A Tool for the Generation of Realistic PV Profiles for Distribution Grid Simulations

Abstract

The growing penetration of distributed generation based on renewable energy sources is changing the way electric distribution grids are operated. Smart monitoring, management and control are increasingly required to face the challenges brought by the transition to active distribution networks and to handle the intermittent behaviour of the renewable sources. Testing the designed automation schemes under realistic conditions is an essential step before their possible implementation on the field. For this reason, suitable tools are needed to emulate in a realistic way the operating conditions of future distribution grids. This paper presents a tool developed for the creation of realistic profiles of power generated from PV plants under different weather conditions. The tool allows emulating the intermittent behaviour of the PV generation under cloudy conditions and gives the possibility to test management algorithms through realistic simulations. In the paper, the mathematical framework at the basis of the developed tool is presented and examples of simulated PV generation are compared to real PV profiles to prove its trustworthiness.