CIRED Workshop - Lisbon 29-30 May 2012

Paper 0234

ACTIVE INTELLIGENT DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS - COORDINATED VOLTAGE

REGULATION METHODS FOR NETWORKS WITH HIGH SHARE OF
DECENTRALISED GENERATION

D. GEIBEL, Dr. T. DEGNER, Prof. B. ENGEL, Dr. J.P. DA COSTA, W. KRUSCHEL,

T. REIMANN Dr. T. BÜLO Dr. B. SAHAN, Prof. P. ZACHARIAS
Fraunhofer IWES – Germany SMA Solar Technology AG – Germany KDEE – Germany
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Voltage band limitations

ABSTRACT
Concerning the integration of DER units into LV networks
This paper describes several voltage regulation the current challenge is to stay within the allowed voltage
approaches and strategies for distribution networks for band. Figure 1 shows characteristic voltage profiles for a
achieving a cost-effective integration of high shares of load case (blue) and a feed-in case (green) starting at the
distributed generation by an optimal utilization of already substation between the transmission and the distribution
available network capacities. network, moving along the Medium Voltage (MV) feeder
The voltage regulation methods are examined by their over the MV/LV transformer to the most afar connection
theoretical potential using an approach with generic point within the LV network.
networks in a first step. Afterwards case studies for their In the past distribution networks have been designed with
application in a real rural low voltage (LV) network with regard to the load case. Nowadays the feed-in of
different scenarios for the installation of new photovoltaic distributed generation, mainly wind in MV and PV in LV,
(PV)-systems are carried out. leads to a voltage rise within the distribution network.
Information about the pilot test phase applying these Only 2% in the MV network and 2-3% in the LV network
voltage regulations methods is provided as outlook. are assigned to this voltage rise, although the available
voltage tolerance band is ± 10%.
INTRODUCTION This is a limiting factor for a further broad and fast
expansion of distributed generation. It has to be removed
The strong increase of installed distributed energy
by applying new voltage regulation methods in order to
resources (DER) has a major influence on network
avoid costly network reinforcement, since network
behavior. At the end of 2011 more than 65 GW of
elements such as cables and transformers are by far not
renewable generation had been installed in Germany, only
used up to their full capacity yet.
PV being 24.8 GW. With regard to the voltage level, the
predominant number of PV-systems is connected to the
LV network (about 85% at the end of 2009). VOLTAGE REGULATION APPROACHES
Since the traditional dimensioning of distribution networks AND STRATEGIES
had not considered high feed-in, major challenges Today, voltage regulation within the distribution network
regarding the network integration of DER units occurs, is mainly limited to the on-load tap changer (OLTC) of the
especially concerning voltage band limitation. HV/MV transformer. Hereby, the voltage at the MV
terminals of the transformer can be adapted to current
INTEGRATION OF DER UNITS IN network conditions in order to keep the voltage withing
DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS permissible limits.
However, the effectiveness of this control method is
General Issues affected by several reasons (voltage level of the
In general several points have to be considered due to the transmission network is not controllable by the DNO,
integration of decentralized generation into distribution volatile feed-in of wind and PV, spread of voltage profile
networks. On the one hand the operation conditions of the of the distribution network due to feeders dominated by
network have to be followed and power ratings of any load or generation). This implies that new voltage
components involved (e.g. cables or transformers) must regulation methods in addition to already existing ones are
not be exceeded. On the other hand compliance with needed. Due to the high number of LV networks
power quality parameters as well as network protection distribution network operators are interested in cost-
has to be ensured. effective solutions with long lifetime and low maintenance
For a relevant share of DER units the contribution to effort.
network stability and network ancillary services becomes Following description of strengths and weaknesses of
essential. This implies that even smaller DER units currently available and newly developed voltage
connected to the distribution network must fulfill regulation methods and strategies shows possibilities how
requirements concerning frequency and voltage support to apply these approaches systematically in an optimal
[1]. way with regard to the network’s characteristic and
topology.

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Figure 1: Voltage profiles in the distribution network (MV+LV) for different load and feed-in cases.

Hereby, the allowable voltage rise due to the feed-in of

Active DER units DER units would increase from currently 3% up to 8-10%
In current LV distribution networks, grid-connected PV- (cp. orange voltage curve in Figure 1). The usage of this
systems are the dominating DER units. According to [2], wider voltage band allows such a high increase of DER
since January 2012 PV-plants in Germany have to provide units that a restriction of new installation is no longer
reactive power as a function of the injected active power caused by voltage band limitations but by the exceeding of
in order mitigate the voltage rise in distribution networks. the ratings of existing network elements. Additionally,
Reactive power can also be supplied according to a Q(V)- since 10% of the voltage band is still reserved for the load
characteristic [4] or with a constant power factor. case, feeders dominated by loads are not negatively
Drawbacks of the feed-in of reactive power are additional influenced by this voltage regulation method.
losses in the DER unit and network losses due to the This concept requires some more effort at the substation
additional reactive power flow. due to the OLTC and the measurements, but works
Another possibility to reduce the voltage rise is to reduce without any communication to units in the LV network.
the active power. This is of course the less favorable
option, as it lowers the amount of PV-energy used in the Smart Substation
power system. According to [2] and [3] respectively, DER The active and reactive power feed-in of the DER units
units have to reduce the feed-in of active power when the can also be controlled remotely, e. g. by sending control
frequency exceeds 50.2 Hz or the DSO sends a signals from the smart MV/LV substation depending on
corresponding control signal (depending on the rated measurements at the substation itself or using
power of the PV-system). measurement information of the DER units. This kind of
central control results in a higher flexibility, but also in
Active Substation higher effort due to the required communication
A very effective way of controlling the voltage can be infrastructure between the DER units and the substation.
provided by an active substation which features an OLTC
in the substation of the MV/LV transformer. The voltage Active and Smart Substation
level at the LV bus bar of the transformer is no longer The active and smart substation combines the possibility
dependent of the fluctuating voltage level at the MV side, of influencing the voltage level at the substation as well as
but it is controlled within a certain control range around a at the connection points of the DER units. Voltage and
set-point due to the variable transformation ratio. power measurements of the DER units can be used to
The dimensioning of commonly used transformers influence the set-point of the OLTC. Also the P/Q-set-
(±2x2.5%) has to be adopted in such a way that a voltage points of the DER units can be varied according to
set-point of about 100% can be assured at the LV measurements at the substation. Additionally measurement
terminals of the transformer over the whole operating values of certain characteristic network points can be used
range of the MV network (19kV – 21.4kV). for the optimization of the voltage regulation.

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Electronic Voltage Controller (EVC) a factor of 1.5 up to 2. This underlines the importance of
Another approach for influencing the voltage profile of a reactive power capability for PV-inverters.
LV network is to use power electronic units which are able In long feeders however the voltage regulation by reactive
to inject an additional series voltage into a feeder. As power provision is relatively limited. In this case
described in [5], such an EVC can be based e.g. on the controllable MV/LV transformers are preferred. Herewith,
concept of the Unified Power Flow Controller. EVCs are an increase by a factor of about 2.7 is reached. This factor
able to control the voltage of a feeder steplessly and can is dependent on the dimensioning of the transformer taps
be integrated into a network either as part of the substation but nearly independent of the network data at the network
or as distributed equipment in LV feeders. Therefore, one connection point as long as constraints of the network
advantage of this approach is the possibility to install an assets do not apply.
EVC in a specific feeder without necessarily affecting the LV network Case-Study
whole network. This can be more favourable than a smart
Figure 3 shows a simplified network diagram of the
substation in case of networks where some feeders exhibit
studied LV network with currently already 236 kW of PV-
a high penetration of DG while others are dominated by
systems installed. Within this LV network a case study is
loads.
carried out, in order to examine the potential for additional
PV-systems applying afore mentioned voltage regulation
ASSESSMENT OF VOLTAGE REGULATION strategies. At first additional PV-systems are distributed
METHODS randomly within the network area. In a second case study
The different voltage regulation methods are evaluated the application of an EVC in a long branch of the network
with regard to the possible increase of the hosting capacity with a high feed-in at the end of the feeder is evaluated.
of the LV network. At first generic networks are being Sk“ = 250 MVA
Psik = 69,2°

used. In a next step, the methods are applied to a real PV 18,8 kW PV 34,0 kW

German LV network located in north of Hesse. PV 30 kW PV 8,4 kW PV 78,6 kW

SrT = 630 KVA
uk = 6%
Bus 1 Bus 4
PV 18,45 kW

Generic networks
Bus 3

EVC
A homogeneous 4-feeder network with NAYY 4x150mm² PV 16 kW
Bus 2

cables is considered, with a voltage of 106% at the MV PV 19,4 kW

side of the transformer (630kVA, uk = 4%). Furthermore it
is assumed that 5 PV systems are connected in each
Legend

Existing PV-systems

feeder. By varying the length of the feeder the short circuit PV 19,4 kW

power (Sk) as well as the network impedance angle (<k) is

New PV-systems PV 40,8 kW

influenced at the connection point. Electronic voltage

controller

EVC

In the case of voltage regulation by reactive power a

maximum permissible voltage of 109% and a minimum Figure 3: Sketch of the studied LV network.
permissible voltage of 96% is assumed in the LV network. Case Study: Voltage control for the entire LV
Here the maximum voltage rise caused by DER units is network
3%. The controllable MV/LV transformer is assumed to
have an OLTC with a range of ±2x2.5%. Figure 3 shows the results for the increase of the hosting
Figure 2 shows that voltage control by reactive power capacity within the LV network. Without any voltage
leads to an increase of the PV-system hosting capacity by regulation, new installations would be limited to about
80 15% of the currently installed rated PV-power.
therminal limit of cable NAYY 4x150mm²
Furthermore if only newly installed PV-systems provide
70
reactive power, an increase of about only 24% could be
60
cos phi = 0,9 underexited
reached. If in contrast all installed PV-systems would
provide reactive power, the increase would rise up to 83%.
P_PV / Sk in %

50
switchable MW/LV transformer
An even higher share of PV-systems can be reached with a
Factor 2.7
40
P_PV > SrT transformer controllable MV/LV transformer; an increase of up to
30 160% becomes possible. As the potential for new PV-
Factor 1.5 - 2
systems has been limited by the voltage rise in the case of
20
cosM = 1 reactive power, now the limitation is reached due to the
10 power ratings of the network components.
45 40 35 30 25 20 15
Network impedace angle in °
Furthermore it is found that a combination of controllable
MV/LV transformer and reactive power provision does
Figure 2: Maximum permissible installed capacity.
not increase the hosting capacity, since the additional
Indicated points refer to feeder length 100m, 300m,
loading through the reactive power reduces the capacity
600, 900m. Sk and <k refer to the weakest point in the
for active power injection.
network.

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3.5 1.03

Voltage [p.u.]
Hosting capacity restricted by limits of the network components
Hosting capacity of LV network in relation to

bus 4
already installed active power in kW/kW

3
1.02 bus 2 Additional
Hosting capacity limited by voltage rise (3%) 617 kW 595 kW 588 kW PV 34kW
2.5
Existing PV-systems 1.01
2 434 kW

1.5 1.00
294 kW
270 kW
236
1
0.99
0.5

0.98
0 bus 3
Existing PV- New PV-systems New PV-systems All PV-systems Active substation Active substation Active substation
EVC (Du= -4%)
systems
with cos φ = 1
with cos φ = 1 with cos φ = 0.90 with cos φ = 0.90 with dU = 10% with dU = 7.5% with dU = 5.0%
0.97
All PV-systems New PV-systems New PV-systems 0 200 400 600 800
with cos φ = 1 with cos φ = 0.90 with cos φ = 0.90 Distance from the substation [m]
Figure 4: Increase of hosting capacity using different voltage Figure 5: Voltage profile of long feeder with
regulation methods in a real LV network EVC installed at bus bar 3

reactive power provision and controllable MV/LV

Case Study: EVC in long feeder transformers are the most promising strategies.
Figure 5 shows the result of a simulation of the LV Furthermore, it is shown that EVCs can improve the
network with an EVC installed at bus bar 3 (see Figure 3). voltage profile especially in long feeders of a LV network.
By decreasing the voltage by 4% at this bus bar, an
additional PV-system with 34kWp can be installed at the ACKNOWLEGMENT
end of the long feeder. Therefore, the EVC makes it
possible to increase the hosting capacity of the feeder by a We acknowledge the support of our work by the German
factor of 1.8. Ministry for the Environment, Nature and Nuclear Safety
and the Projekträger Jülich within the project “Aktives
FIELD TEST intelligentes Niederspannungsnetz” (FKZ 0325202).
Only the authors are responsible for the content of the
At the moment the project partners are preparing a field publication.
test in the LV network of Felsberg-Niedervorschütz,
which has been used in the case studies, in order to test REFERENCES
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