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Summary: Identifying maximum penetration level (MPL) of Solar Photo‐Voltaic Generation (SPVG) in the distribution system is crucial for system planners and network operators to keep the system parameters within the acceptable limits. This paper provides a systematic and extensive procedure for evaluation of MPL of SPVG and its enhancement methods in distribution systems. More importantly, it illustrates a novel algorithm for affixing the penetration cap of Solar PV. The methodology initially derives a new stability index for locating SPVGs in the system, including both active and reactive power support from SPVGs. The study shows the utility of redefining MPL of SPVGs by considering the reactive power injection through solar inverters also. Deviating from the practice of considering the conventional constraints of voltage rise and maximum loading for MPL estimation, the paper considers loss minimization as the major constraint. The algorithm has potential to identify distributed integration scenario of SPVGs compared to the limited number of placements in the extant algorithms. This paper provides a novel algorithm to evaluate of maximum penetration level (MPL) of solar photo voltaic generation (SPVG) and its enhancement methods in distribution systems. The utility of redefining the MPL of SPVG by considering the reactive power injection through solar inverter is illustrated. The algorithm has distinct advantages over the extant algorithms in identifying a distributed integration scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The continuous increase of the distributed energy resources (DERs) penetration levels leads to voltage stability problems in the distribution system. One of the approaches for the mentioned emerging challenge is the proper placement of automatic voltage regulators (AVRs). This paper investigates the optimal placement and sizing of AVRs in a distribution network by presenting a new modification of the teaching‐learning‐based optimization (TLBO) algorithm. The objective functions consist of minimizing the distribution system voltage deviation, energy generation cost, and electrical losses. The modification improves the convergence velocity and accuracy of the TLBO algorithm using the combination of mutation technique and quasi‐opposition‐based‐learning concept. This paper compares the performance of the proposed algorithm with other famous evolutionary algorithms. The test distribution system contains installed DERs that work more efficiently after the placement of AVRs based on the mentioned objective functions by the proposed optimization algorithm. The simulation results display the best optimization algorithms for AVRs placement with a significant level of less than 0.10 (ie, probability‐value). The proposed multiobjective optimization algorithm's considerable merit is the accuracy and convergence velocity in solving this specific optimization problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper proposes a two‐stage planning approach for the efficient utilization of distributed generation (DG) and capacitor banks (CBs) for the simultaneous grid‐connected and islanded operations of the balanced distribution networks. The first stage determines the optimal installation locations and capacities of DGs and CBs using an improved variant of the Jaya optimization algorithm (IJaya) to minimize the power losses and voltage deviation during the grid‐connected operation of the distribution network. The second stage identifies the optimal operating point of the DG and CB combination to carry the maximum load during the islanded network operation under power supply‐demand imbalance conditions. For the second stage, an analytical approach is proposed to identify the best operating power factor for the DG‐CB combination, calculating the power loss, and under‐utilization of the installed real‐reactive power sources. Simulation results on the IEEE 33‐bus grid‐dependent distribution network demonstrate that the proposed IJaya significantly improved the network performance and outperforms various existing optimization methods. In addition, during the network's islanded operation, maintaining the network power factor equal to the source power factor (pfsource) makes the DG‐CB combination operate at their rated capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vigorous development of renewable energy has induced multiple sources connected to regional distribution networks. However, the high impedance ground fault that appeared in the distribution network can induce an intermittent arc accompanied by extinction and reignition, which may damage renewable energy generation devices severely. Therefore, the detection of arcing faults is profoundly necessary for practice, but the high impedance arcing fault is easily confused with switches of motor or capacitor bank. In order to solve high impedance arcing fault detection, this paper proposes a high impedance arcing fault detection method that combines complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN) and Teager energy operator (TEO). Firstly, CEEMDAN algorithm is used to extract the intrinsic mode function (IMF) of transient zero‐sequence current (TZSC). According to the correlation coefficient and waveform similarity, which can select maximum correlation coefficient value as the characteristic component of TZSC; Then, TEO is utilized to track the change of signal in real‐time, meanwhile, wavelet singular entropy (WSE) is applied to calculate the characteristic component of TZSC. In particular, high impedance arcing fault (HIAF), motor switching (MS), and capacitor bank switching (CBS) can be effectively identified by comparing WSE. The effectiveness of CEEMDAN‐TEO detection method is verified by simulation, which owns advantages in extraction accuracy, calculation efficiency, and detection accuracy of feature components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Positive feedback (PFB) based anti‐islanding schemes have gained wide popularity in islanding detection. However, the disturbance injected by the PFB methods can easily cause the destabilization of the grid‐connected distributed generation (DG) system. Therefore, how to effectively balance the normal operation of the grid‐connected system and the effectiveness of the islanding detection is essential. Purpose: In this study, the trade‐off design of the PFB control gain is given, where the requirements of grid‐tied control and islanding detection are simultaneously considered. Design/Method: Firstly, the small‐signal models are established to investigate the stability of a DG system in both islanded and grid‐connected mode. Meanwhile, the minimum and maximum PFB gains are obtained by root loci method, thus, the PFB gain can be accurately determined without trial and error. Additionally, the Sensitivity analysis is conducted for the DG system. Factors such as grid impedance, phase‐locked loop (PLL) bandwidth, proportional‐integral (PI) controller gains, inverter output current rating, and load quality factor are thoroughly taken in account, which provides the guideline of the PFB gain design. Finally, simulations and experiment tests are performed to confirm the theoretical analysis. Results: This paper presents a trade‐off design of the PFB control gain for a DG system from the essence of the PFB algorithm. The essence of PFB as well as the cause of the interconnected system instability are revealed. In addition, the minimum and maximum PFB gains are obtained by the stability analysis. Conclusions: A high PFB gain will contribute to the islanding detection but deteriorate the grid‐connected system stability. Further, it is found that 1) the maximum PFB gain decreases with the grid impedance increasing, 2) the increase in PLL bandwidth and the integral gain in current loop lead to a decrease in the maximum PFB gain, 3) the minimum PFB gain which reflects the islanding detection capability of the VPF scheme is not affected by the load quality factor, 4) when the inverter output current is large, a reasonable PFB gain may not be found as the islanding detection and the normal operation of the grid‐connected system cannot be balanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Distributed generation (DG) systems are small-scale power generation technologies that offer better reliability of supply, reduced transmission, and distribution losses and cost. The benefits of DG greatly depend on their placement and size. Most of the existing analytical methods developed so far are applicable for single DG installation only. Further, in meta-heuristic-based methods, location and sizing problem of DG were dealt separately in which optimal locations are identified with sensitivity-based methods, and optimal sizing is obtained using meta-heuristic algorithms which may lead to incorrect location and suboptimal sizing. In this paper, a novel method that employs harmony search algorithm with differential operator is proposed to install multiple DG units optimally in distribution system with an objective of minimizing active power loss and improving voltage profile. The proposed method is tested on 33-bus and 69-bus radial distribution systems to demonstrate its performance and efficacy. Results show that the proposed method is superior to existing methods in quality of solution. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]