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Increasing numbers of very small generators are being connected to electricity distribution systems around the world. Examples include photovoltaics (PV) and gas-fired domestic-scale combined heat and power (micro-CHP) systems, with electrical outputs in the region of 1 to 2 kW. These generators are normally installed within consumers' premises and connected to the domestic electricity supply network (230 V single-phase in Europe, 120 V in North America). There is a growing need to understand and quantify the technical impact that high penetrations of such generators may have on the operation of distribution systems. This paper presents an approach to analyzing this impact together with results indicating that considerable penetrations of micro-generation can be accommodated in a typical distribution system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solutions recommended by international roadmaps and technical reports on smart metering refer to interval metering with time resolutions higher than 15 min to 1 h as traditionally used. Based on the characteristics of the users’ power patterns in distribution networks, this article shows that in practical cases the resolutions of the traditional metering are not sufficient to assess peak power and network losses effectively. Effective interval metering solutions should have resolutions of one minute or less. Moreover, this article shows the advantages of assessing the average power peak (amplitude and duration) and estimating the network losses through innovative solutions beyond interval metering, based on event-driven energy metering. The use of EDM significantly enhances the quality of pattern representation and reduces the amount of data required with respect to high-resolution interval metering. Based on the Pareto analysis of conflicting objectives, a novel procedure to set up the EDM thresholds is presented. The applications shown use real data and refer to a single user, some users connected to a distribution network feeder, and many users connected to a large distribution system. The EDM benefits are quantified using specific indicators that consider energy losses and peak power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]