Assessment of Photovoltaic Penetration Impact on Voltage Profile for Distribution Networks in Egypt

Abstract

Small Scale photovoltaic (ssPV) rooftop installations are increasingly penetrating the low voltage (LV) networks across the Egyptian utilities. This is driven by the continuous cost reductions of the ssPV technology and the governmental policies and regulations to encourage the reliance on renewable resources. Widespread installation of rooftop ssPV in LV networks poses several technical challenges that should be addressed during interconnection study stage, via (a) feeder hosting capacity, (b) power factor, and (c) voltage control within safe operating limits especially during the morning hours with low load conditions. Studying the impact of connecting ssPV network should be applied before ssPV station structure to maintain the technical parameters within acceptable ranges. This paper proposes an effective tool to determine the maximum ssPV capacity allowed at various locations in the LV grids considering acceptable voltage and power factor. The tool provides heuristic curves for quick decision which is useful for network operator. Case studies of actual feeders are used to verify the accuracy of the tool. The tool is adaptable to accommodate different technical requirements of the Egyptian code for connecting ssPV systems to low voltage distribution network (ssPV code) and Electricity Distribution Code (EDC). The tool used DIgSILENT PowerFactory software and DPL programming language.