Radial distribution systems performance enhancement through RE (Renewable Energy) integration and comprehensive contingency ranking analysis

Abstract

This research focuses on restructuring medium-level voltage (MLV) distribution systems by integrating distributed renewable energy resources (DER) at multiple feed points. It examines the impact of incorporating renewable energy and evaluates system performance metrics such as robustness, static voltage stability, line carrying capacity, utility grid effectiveness, and losses within the conventional radial distribution framework commonly used in educational institutions. The contingency ranking of the real-time radial distribution system (RTRDS) for a typical educational institution consisting of N buses was conducted. Parameters such as the Voltage Performance Index (PIV) and Flow Performance Index (PIF) were evaluated. The results support the integration of distributed renewable energy sources within the existing radial distribution grid infrastructure. This research proposes enhanced contingency analyses through a straightforward reconfiguration process involving an additional tie line (N + 1) for the existing N bus radial distribution system (RDS). Load flow analysis of the RDS with distributed renewable energy resources (DER) for both N bus and N + 1 bus systems was conducted using the Gauss-Seidel and Newton–Raphson methods. Simulation results indicate that baseline loading is consistently maintained by grid sources and DER sources connected at multiple feed points. The proposed configuration of the N + 1 bus system for the existing RTRDS was evaluated for voltage performance and compared with the Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) algorithm. The results indicate that the N + 1 bus configuration modeled using the MiPower tool performed comparably to the GWO results. Additionally, the contingency ranking for the proposed N + 1 configuration was validated using the IEEE 10 and 30 bus system.