Analysis of Interconnection of Photovoltaic Distributed Generation

Rapid growth of grid-connected photovoltaic distributed generation (PV-DG) provides many benefits such as clean energy, reduced emissions and creation of new green jobs. However, given its intermittent nature, large scale penetration of PV-DG may challenge the quality and reliability of the grid. This paper evaluates the impact of PV-DG on distribution system voltages. The paper describes the models used for the study, discusses the impacts of PV-DG, and presents the results of detailed simulations. The results show that PV-DG can cause both steady-state and transient overvoltages along the feeder, and may create additional tap operations of line voltage regulators. Finally, the paper proposes a mitigation strategy to eliminate overvoltages, reduce additional tap operations, and validates the proposed method with simulation results.