ASSESSMENT OF PROSUMER PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATION IMPACT ON VOLTAGE VARIATIONS IN LOW-VOLTAGE NETWORKS

Abstract

This paper addresses the impact of the increasing penetration of renewable solar photovoltaic (PV) in the power distribution grids. A collaborative project between the university and the local power distribution grid-s operator (PDO) led to this assessment, which addressed the operator-s specific concerns about how renewable energy-based generators might affect the power quality (PQ) in its grid system. There was evaluated the interaction between PV prosumers' installations and the hosting low voltage (LV) network, specifically the variations in voltage produced or amplified by prosumers, as well as the events experienced by these ones. For the purpose of the analysis, one-weekinterval PQ measurement have been processed at the outputs of real PV prosumers located in the LV network, as well as at the LV buses of the supplying substations. The behavior of different solar inverter technologies in the power grid is also examined. The bi-directional prosumer-grid influence is analyzed and the origin of PQ events are estimated. Measurements-based observations revealed a shared responsibility between PV generation conditions, solar inverter operation, and the hosting power grid. Lastly, general conclusions about measurement, analysis, and mitigation are provided.