A continuous-time voltage control method based on hierarchical coordination for high PV-penetrated distribution networks.

[Display omitted] • A continuous-time sub-hourly central optimization method is proposed. • A continuous-time hierarchically-coordinated inverter model is proposed. • Bernstein polynomials are extended to the modeling of any time interval. • Properties of Bernstein polynomials are proposed for solution space transformation. The photovoltaic (PV) integration brings both fast photovoltaic generation (PVG) variations and a large number of PV inverters to the distribution networks (DNs). The management of the PVG variation and the PV inverter is an urgent problem. The discrete-time model can't describe PVG variations during the schedule interval and the regulation potential of the PV inverter is limited by a fixed dispatching value. This paper proposes a continuous-time voltage control method based on hierarchical coordination for high PV-penetrated DNs. In the central schedule, based on the Bernstein polynomial method, continuous-time models of PVGs are established and reference values of local inverter control curves are dispatched as continuous-time functions in a sub-hourly timescale. In the local control, reactive power and active power curtailment of PV inverters are set as the reference values, i.e., the corresponding values of the continuous-time functions, every 30 s to optimize the central dispatching objective under the voltage constrains, and deviate from the reference values according to both the local control curve and voltage measurement only when the real-time bus voltage violation occurs. In addition, the cooperation between inverter and mechanical equipment in the continuous-time framework is also considered, and the Bernstein polynomial method is developed to the continuous-time modeling of voltage control in DNs. The simulation shows that the proposed method has lower maximum voltage magnitude and lower energy loss compared with discrete-time central schedule method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]