1

Research on Distributed Generation

Technologies and its impacts on Power System
F.H. Guan, D.Ｍ Zhao, X. Zhang, B.T Shan, Z. Liu

Abstract-The traditional energy structure of our country is

II. DISTRIBUTED GENERATION TECHNOLOGIES
single and the environmental pollution is serious. To a certain Distributed power generation is not a new concept, the early
extent, it impeded the sustainable economic and social small hydropower, small thermal power also belong to
development of China. With the energy problems increasing distributed generation, nevertheless, because technical and
seriousness, distributed generation growing is growing a wide
range of applications for the merits of small investment,
economic performances were not good, and eliminated
environmental protection, clean, reliable power supply and gradually.
flexible generation manner, and so on. However, a large number
A. The definition of distributed generation
of distributed power poured into the grid change the grid’s
structure increase the randomness of system running, and Generally, Distributed generation (DG) or Distributed
impede the power system seriously. This paper introduces the Resource (DR) refers to the small generating units (DG) and
definition, types and technical characteristics of distributed the joint energy storage and power generation systems (DR =
generation technology, and analyzes the impacts on various Distributed Generation (DC) + Energy Storage (ES))) installed
aspects of power system, finally, points out the research
directions of DG.
in the user side, which meet specific user needs, and their
scale generally are not big, about a few dozen kilowatts to tens
Index Terms-power system; distributed generation; distributed of megawatts. The common DC adopts some environment-
power; distributed network friendly energy, such as natural gas, hydrogen, solar energy,
wind energy and so on. Hence, this technology is a multi-use
I. INTRODUCTION energy technology. Additionally, in order to improve the

P resently, central power generation, long distance power energy efficiency and reduce costs, it often uses Combined
transmission and power grid interconnection are main Cooling, Heat and Power, (CCHP). This generation
modes of the electrical energy production, transmission and technology is a very promising technology for power
distribution, supplying for more than 90% power loads of the generation from the point of view of energy use, energy saving
world. However, the requires to energy, power supply and environmental [2].
reliability, quality and safety are increasing nowadays. B. The types and technical characteristics of DG
Meanwhile, the world-wide energy crisis, electricity crisis and
In different areas, classification of DG is different.
large scale power outages also exposed the deficiencies of
Generally, there are three classification methods: 1) According
central power generation to a certain extent [1]. For the merits
to the type of technology, DG can be divided into wind power,
of small investment, clean and environment protection, power
solar photovoltaic, small hydropower, fuel cells, micro-
supply reliability and flexible power generation methods,
turbines, and so on; 2) based on the use of primary energy, DG
Distributed Generation (DG) is becoming a hot research
can be divided into renewable energy and Non-renewable
increasingly. Distributed generation combined with
energy; 3) in accordance with the interface to power system,
centralized power generation methods will be the development
DG can be divided into directly associated (electromechanical)
of power systems.
and through the inverter connected system. The technical
characteristics of DG are shown in Table I.

F.H. Guan is M.S. student in power system and its automation at North
China Electric Power University, 102206,Beijing,China (email:
[email protected])
D.M. Zhao is a professor of the School of Electrical Engineering, NCEPU,
102206,Beijing,China (email: [email protected])
X. Zhang is a teacher a Ph.D. in power system and its automation at North
China Electric Power University, 102206,Beijing,China (email:
[email protected])
B.T Shan and Z. Liu are M.S. students in power system and its automation
at North China Electric Power University, 102206,Beijing,China(email:
[email protected] and [email protected])
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TABLE I. THE TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DG

diesel natural gas
natural gas fuel
technique Type reciprocating reciprocating Micro-turbine fuel cell Solar wind power
turbine
generator generator
30kW 30kW 30 0.5 100 1kW 600kW
capacity
-6+MW -6+MW -400kW -40+MW -3000kW -1MW -2500kW
installation cost 600 700 1200 400 4000 250
6600
（$/kW） -1,000 -1,200 -1,700 -900 -5,000 -312.5
power efficiency
30-43% 30-42% 14-30% 21-40% 36-50% 6%-19% 2%-34%
（LHV）
total operation
80-85% 80-85% 80-85% 80-90% 80-85% 45%-60% 40%-78%
efficiency
total operation 0. 005 0. 007 0.008 0.004 0.0019 0.001 0.0125
cost（$/kW） -0.015 -0.020 -0.015 -0.010 -0.0153 -0.004 -0.025
Uncertain ， Uncertain ，
site area .22-31 .28-.37 .15-.35 .02-. 61 .9 depending on depending on
the size of the the size of the
power power
pollution level（ NOx:7-9 NOx: 0. 7-13 NOx:9-50ppm NOx:<9-50ppm NOx:<0.02 Nothing Nothing
gm/bhp-hr） C0:0. 3-0. 7 C0:1-2 C0:9-50ppm C0:<15-5Oppn C0 :< 0. 01
no operation
reliability level higher higher higher high not high not high
experiment
Residential,
Back-up unit for power supply
Residents’ commercial
industrial, Generator-driven in remote
main application install electricity and
commercial, cogeneration plant CHO peak clipping areas and
fields electricity, power supply
public Plateau zone
CHP in remote
institutions
areas
not not
schedulable schedulable schedulable schedulable schedulable schedulable
schedulable schedulable
installation
position unlimited limited unlimited limited unlimited limited limited
limitation
1 installation costs in accordance with the size of the installation power, the location of the installation, networking fee and other fee changes;
2 the efficiency taking into account of the heat efficiency of the role of the CHP; the impact of DG on power system

reduce the dependence of distribution network on the large-

III. THE IMPACT OF DG ON POWER SYSTEM scale power plants and transmission, and the feed power flow
With the improvement of the distributed generation characteristics of the original unidirectional power also
technology and costs reduced, the ratio of the distributed change. The types of DG units and the diversification of
generation system installed is increasing year by year, which energy used make it an urgent need to address how to make
bring a lot of problems to the power system planning, sure a reasonable power structure in distribution network and
operation and protection, etc. The impacts on power system how to coordinate and effective use various types of power. In
are mainly in the following ways. addition, national energy policy and energy planning have a
direct impact on the decision-making of process power system
A. The impact on power system planning [3]-[6]
planning [7].
The main tasks of Distribution Network planning are to
study the developing scale and speed of the distribution B. The impact on power flow and loss
network; plan and design according to the outcome of the load Power flow is the most important and most basic tool to
forecasting in planning period and the existing distribution study operations, planning and safety analysis of power
network and frame structure; propose reform package through system. Power flow in the traditional radial distribution
analysis the weak links of the grid. So that the entire power network is unidirectional from the power to the user, but the
system realizes optimum and provide a reliable, high-quality inputs of DG into distribution system make the structure of the
power to the city's economic development and people's living network change and power flow not unidirectional from the
standard. However, the random input and withdrawal of a substation bus to Loads. There may be reflux and complex
large number of DC from the grid increase the uncertainty of voltage changes. Consequently, the power flow of the
power system load forecast, so that it is difficult to accurately distribution network does subsequent adjustment.
the growth of forecast load for planners; distribution network The losses of grid depend largely on power flow, DG
planning is a dynamic programming problem, whose attributes impacts on power flow distribution, and are also bound to
closely related to the distribution network nodes. The affect the loss of grid. DG may increase or reduce losses,
distribution network nodes is very much, the system increases depending on the location, capacity of DG and the relative size
a large number of distributed generators nodes, so that it more of load quantity, as well as the network topology and other
difficult to find the best network layout program from all factors. The impact of DG on power flow and loss is divided
possible structure of the network. The inputs of DG gradually into the following three conditions:
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1) All load quantity at the load nodes are greater than the 2) The support effect of DC on voltage in the same node
amount of the DG nodes output, the direction of power flow is should be less than that in a number of nodes, whose
invariable , all the lines losses reduce; penetration Level is the same.
2) At least one load capacity of the nodes is less than the 3) In steady-state case, the transmission power in the feeder
amount of DG output, but the total load quantity of system is reduces and the output of reactive power support, the load
greater than that of the DG, there may be reflux ,and the losses nodes voltages along the feeder are driven up.
of some lines increase ,but the overall line losses may reduce;
E. The impact on Power Quality
3) At least one load capacity of the nodes is less than the
amount of DG output, and the total load quantity of system is DG is built on the basis of power electronics technology. A
greater than that of the DG, if the total quantity of all DG is large number of power electronic converters increase the
less than twice the total load, the impact is the same to the number of non-linear loads, which will cause the waveform
situation. distortion of current, voltage, harmonic pollution of the power
4)Otherwise, the line loss of distribution network will grid. DG affects Power Quality in the two main ways:
increase. 1) voltage flicker. The factors caused voltage flicker by DG
include: a large-scale distributed units start-up, the drastic
C. The impact on power short-circuits current and relay change of the distributed unit output, as well as adverse effects
Although, there are power relays installed in the distribution brought by the interplay of the DC unit output and voltage
network side in many cases, when the distribution network feedback control equipment in system.
operates normally, there isn’t inject grid power, but when 2) The introduction of a large number of harmonics. A large
failure, there will be transient DC current injecting power grid, number of power electronic devices used in DG will inevitably
which increase short-circuit current level of the distribution bring a large number of harmonics to the system; the
network switches and may exceed standard. As a result, when magnitude and order of harmonics are affected by the way, as
high power DC inject power grid, it is important to compute well as power converters work mode.
and analysis advance beforehand in order to determine the Although the introduction of DG can cause voltage flicker
impact level of DC on the short-circuit current of distribution and the introduction of a large number of harmonics, DG also
network. has the potential to improve power quality. When the load
80% of the faults are transient in distribution network, and paralleled power grid is large, DG can be quickly put into use,
the relay protection devices has already existed early ,whose as far as possible to reduce the system failures and improve
design is based on the structure of single power radial the the stability of the entire power grid, thus ensure power
network [4],[8]-[9]. After DC is injected, the structure will quality.
change, so that the size, direction and duration of short-circuit
F. The impact on power market
current will change. Thus, DG produces a greater influence on
the original relay in the distribution network [10]: The deregulation of power industry and the rise of the power
1) the run-time of DC may lead to failure of the relay. market make all kinds of DG ways fair exchange on the
2) The relay may misoperation. The feeder may trip, which is unified and open market transactions to supply the users a
adjacent to the feeder fault and operating normally. variety of choices [13]:
3) It change the fault levels the of distribution network. The 1) Different electricity suppliers;
raise or decrease of the level depends on the amount and types 2) Different periods of electricity;
of operating DC, the raise request to upgrade the switching 3) Different quality of power;
equipment; the decrease could cause problems to over-current 4) Different measurement methods;
protection. Thereby , if the capacity of DC is very large, which 5) Different rate structure;
causes great fault current changes; it must improve its capacity 6) Different payment forms;
and upgrade the circuit protection device. 7) Different management plans in the user side;
8) Own power generation or storage. The open distribution
D. The impact on voltage network introduced the electric power retail market [14]. The
The access of DC causes the structure change, and then competitions brought about business opportunities to company
causes the steady-state voltage change [11]. The original self-install power plants and the DC installed by the users in
voltage regulating scheme may not meet the requests of the retail electricity market. The users are facing with three
distribution network after DC access. Therefore, it must assess options:
the impact of DC on power system voltage, so as to ensure 1) Supply from the electric power grid;
that the applications of DC will not have adverse 2) Own generation, self-sufficiency;
consequences for users in a growing number of cases. The 3) Own generation and sell to grid. According to the
impacts of DG on distribution network voltage are as follows: information from generation competitive market and the
1) DC access will have a significant impact on the feeder’s demand of retail power market, the users can live with their
voltage in distribution networks, related to the size of the DC and let it play a bigger role, resulting in greater efficiency
capacity and the location of distributed power [12]. and supply for themselves or in the vicinity of users heating
and supply service. The establishment of retail electricity
market will radiate the power retail mechanisms. Any form
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power generation can provide power products to the retail information, which is going to implement. All these are
electricity market as electricity supplier fair exchange in the required re-validation according to DC grid connected
retail market. regulations, and finalize an agreement through the specific DC
grid connected protocol.
G. The impact on traditional control devices
Every traditional control device of distribution network is K. The Ferro-resonance problem.
designed for one-way flow. When DG is accessed to the When the DC connects with distribution network through
system, the direction of each flow relates with the concrete transformers, cable lines, switches and so on, once the
position and capacity of DG. As a result, how to choose a distribution network failures (such as single-phase short-
reasonable DG to adapt the original line, in other words, how circuit) and the switch in system side off, the switch in DC
to transform the existing control devices to adapt to the DG side will be disconnected also, supposing that the DC
will be the real problems we have to face. With further Transformer did not take the load at this time, the reactor of
practical of DG technology, new types of control and interface transformer and the large cable capacitance possibly cause
devices will emerge. The problem how to coordinate different Ferro-resonance and result in over-voltage, may cause large
devices and with the control and setting devices in traditional electromagnetic force, so that the transformer sends out noise
power grid has to be solved. or damage the transformer.
H. Reliability problem. L. Others problem.
Sometimes DC has a negative impact on the reliability, but In addition to the above-mentioned impacts, DC access still
sometimes has a beneficial role; it depends on the Specific exist some other problems to be further studied. For example,
situation and can not be generalized. with the rise of DG, it is necessary to establish appropriate
1) Adverse circumstances: when the big system power laws and regulations and industry Specification[15];
failure, the fuel of some DC will be suspended or auxiliary meanwhile, in order to achieve coordination between the DG
power supply to DC losses, DC outage will still be unable to systems as well as between the DG system and the distribution
upgrade the reliability of power supply at the same time. DC network and the dispatching of DC, it needs to research
can’t cooperate with the relay of distribution network well, so communication technology, GPS technology, DSP technology
that the relay may malfunction, lower reliability. Improper involved as well as the application of the dynamic
installation location, capacity and connection way will measurement and online detection of the power system in DG
deteriorate reliability of the distribution network. , and so on.
2) Favorable situations: DC may partly eliminate the
overload and plug of distribution network; increase the margin IV. THE FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS OF DG
of transmission distribution network. Under the appropriate Distributed generation, as a cutting-edge research field of
DC disposal and voltage regulator way, DC will help to ease power system, focused on how DG impact on power system.
voltage dip and improve the system voltage regulation In view of this, this paper expatiated on the future research
performance. Specially designed DC make itself keep running direction of DG from the following aspects:
when the big electricity transmission and distribution systems 1) The improvement of existing distribution generation
fail. These are conducive to improve the reliability level of the technologies and research and development of new
system. technology, such as the development of new electrolyte
materials and catalysts and the improvement of the
I. Power-effectiveness problem.
performance of fuel cells, service life, cost performance and so
DC Access may make some equipment idle or back-up. Such on.
as: when the DC runs, distribution transformers and cable 2) For the planning and operation of DG, the installation site,
lines connected with the power distribution system often light capacity and permeation limit of different types of DG in
load because of the small load, some of the equipments in the distribution network should be determined in order to ensure
power distribution system become back-up for DC, so that the the optimization of economy and security; Researching the
cost of distribution network increases and the effectiveness of probabilistic power flow model and algorithm of the DG
the supply bureau decline. Otherwise, the load forecasting of power system and voltage and reactive power control strategy
distribution system may also more difficult. of DG power network, as well as improving and enhancing the
J. The real-time monitoring, control and adjustment problems system's ability to bear the random power; researching
in distribution system coordination control method of the randomized generation
The real-time monitoring, control and adjustment problems power and conventional generation power, and the system’s
in original distribution system were unified complete by best operating point should be found.
power supply department. As the original source of the power 3) The modeling method of high permeability containing DG
grid is a radial network, information collection, the switch would be researched for a variety of ways and features
operation, the corresponding energy scheduling is relatively provided by DG of the power; researching on the change law
simple. The DC Access make it complicated, which needs to of solar and wind energy with the weather conditions;
increase information, such as monitor information or control establishing the models of random energy forecast, generated
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energy of power network, assessing the reliability of the VI. REFEREVCES

system, and economy of the system. [1] YANG Wen-yu,Yang,Xu-ying,ANG Jun-jie. The Impact of Distributed
4) For the protection and control of power system which Power Supply System on Power System.Northeast Electric Power
Technology, vol.24,pp. 4-6,2006.
containing DG, the research on relay protection of multi-
[2] Hu Xue-hao. Distributed Generation (Distributed Resource) technology
terminal power should be carried out; researching the and its problems incorporating into power network Electrotechnical
influence on network stability and reliability by DG in various Journal, vol.10,pp.1-5,2004.
conditions and a variety of network structure, and the [3] WANG Min; DING Ming. Distribution Network Planning Including
Distributed Generation. Proceedings of Electric Power System and
corresponding control strategy, as well as the effect on Automation, vol16,pp5-8.,2004.
FACTS in power systems and control devices, and also the [4] ]MO Ying-tao. Distributed Generation and its impact on system
control strategy; researching the control method of planning .zhejiang: zhejiang university, 2006.
[5] ZHENG Hai-feng. The random power flow of distribution system with
maintaining the power supply of isolated region after feeder Distributed generation .tianjin: tianjin university, 2006.
breaking when faults happenings. [6] PANG Jian-ye. The analysis of distributed power grid connected on
5) The operation of DG had strong independence for different distribution system .shandong:shandong university,2006.
[7] DING Ming; WANG Min. Distributed generation technology. Electric
owners, therefore, considering the independence and Power Automation Equipment，vol.24,pp.31-36,2004..
randomness, a new SCADA system should be established, [8] LI Pei, LI Xing-yuan. Distributed Generation Sources and Their Effects
which would achieve comprehensive monitoring, control and on Distribution Networks. International Electric Power For China,
scheduling of DG; a new type of power system control center vol.9,pp.45-49,2005.
[9] CHENG Kai. Distributed power optimization planning. tianjin: tianjin
containing DG would be researched. university,2006.
6) Researching on the features of interface device connecting [10] Dugan R C,McDermott T E.Operating Conflicts forDistributed
DG and power network, and further the integration DC Generation on Distribution Systems.In:Rural Electric Power
Conference.2001.
distribution network. With the mature of high-temperature [11] Scott N C,Atkinson D J,Morrell J E.Use of Load Control to Regulate
superconducting technology and the lower prices of electronic Voltage on Distribution Networks with Embedded Generation.IEEE
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[12] WANG Zhi-qun,ZHU Shou-zhen,ZHOU Shuang-xi,etal.Impacts of
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problems should be solved are the integration DC distribution Profile.Automation of Electric Power Systems, vol.28,pp.56-60,2004.
network’s modeling method, planning and operation mode and [13] ZHAO Yu,YU Er-keng.Study on Retail Electricity Market(Part
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protection and control, and so on. Generation.Automation of Electric Power Systems, vol.27,pp.25-
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VII. BIOGRAPHIES
technology and the dynamic power system on-line monitoring
F.H Guan was born in Liaoning province, China,
and measurement technology, the dynamic monitor of on December 20, 1982. She received the B.S.
distribution network containing DG, flexible scheduling and degree from North China Electric Power University
tracking control would be realized. (NCEPU) in 2006. Now she is a master
postgraduate in power system and its automation at
9) Establishing a new relationship system between Power
NCEPU. Her main field of interest is the analysis,
Company and the users, properly researching and the making operation and control of power system.
related laws, regulations and industry standards of DG.
D.M Zhao was born in Heilongjiang Province,
V. CONCLUSION China, 1965. She received the M.S. and Ph. D.
degrees in power system and its automation from
With the establishment of the fair competition electricity North China Electric Power University (NCEPU) in
market, distributed generation will have more and more 1995 and 2004 respectively. Now she is a professor
of the School of Electrical Engineering, NCEPU.
market share, and form a highly efficient, flexible power Her areas of interest include power system analysis
system with the existing power system to improve the energy and control, artificial intelligent application to
efficiency, the security, stability and reliability of the whole power system, etc
power supply system. However, the access of a large number
of distributed generations had to bring huge challenges on X. Zhang was born in Shanxi Province, China, on
power system. Although the current situation in China is big Jan. 2, 1975. He received the M.S. degree in power
system and its automation from North China
centralized power grid, but the future direction of power will
Electric Power University (NCEPU) in 2005. Now
be distributed generation. The research is still in its infancy he is a teacher of Electrical and Electronics
stage, and how to shorten the gap and promote the research Engineering, NCEPU, and is a Ph.D. in power
and development should be seriously considered for every system and its automation at NCEPU. His main
field of interest is intelligence control and analysis
electrically scientific and technical personnel. of Power system.
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B.T Shan and Z. Liu are M.S. students in power system and its automation at
North China Electric Power University, 102206,Beijing,China(email:
[email protected] and [email protected])