Effect of Large-scale PV Integration onto Existing Electrical Grid on Harmonic Generation and Mitigation Techniques

Abstract

Power quality issues can arise in an electrical grid due to various factors, and one of the most common issues is harmonic distortion. Harmonics are essentially sinusoidal signals at frequencies that are multiples of the fundamental frequency, and they can occur when nonlinear loads such as variable speed drives, electronic ballasts, and computer power supplies are connected to the grid. The integration of large-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems into the electrical grid has led to an increase in harmonic distortion, which can affect the stability and reliability of the grid. In this paper, we use ETAP software to analyze the impact of large-scale PV integration on the harmonic distortion in the grid. A model of the PV system is created in ETAP, and a harmonic analysis is performed to determine the harmonic content of the system. The results show that the large-scale PV system generates significant levels of harmonic distortion. To mitigate the impact of the harmonics generated by the PV system, various mitigation techniques are analyzed. Passive filters were sized, implemented in the electrical network, and tested using ETAP as well as capacitor banks to mitigate the resonance impact.