DG location and capacity optimization considering several objectives with cloud theory adapted GA.

SUMMARY How to decide the location and the capacity of distributed generators (DGs) in the distribution network is a complex and hard work. In this paper, several technical indexes involving energy loss, voltage quality and stability, and line loadability are considered to optimize DG capacity and location. It is an optimization problem wherein both discrete and continuous variables are involved, and cloud theory adapted genetic algorithm (CAGA) is employed to avoid search exploration and long time search. The weights of the indexes are decided by judgment matrix. DGs in a 28-node distributed network are employed to be optimized quickly to improve the indexes aforementioned to demonstrate the CAGA developed in this paper. Meanwhile, the optimization results are compared with traditional GA. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]