Evaluating the effect of reactive power injection on power factor and system losses reduction in an optimally sized PV grid-connected solar photovoltaic system

Abstract

Although rooftop grid-connected solar PV systems (RGCSPVS) play a crucial role in the global energy transition to mitigate climate change, reactive power imbalance remains a significant power quality challenge, intensifying as the system approaches its optimal penetration limit. This study examines the amount of reactive power an optimally sized GCSPVS can accommodate without exceeding voltage limits. A Python-based dynamic programming approach placed optimally, shunt capacitor (SC) targeting high loads, voltage drops, and losses nodes. The Conditional New Adaptive Foraging Tree Squirrel Search Algorithm (CNAFTSSA) otherwise applied to determine the most effective SC injection locations. In the high-load scenario, 46.20 kVAR of SC injection reduced system losses from 72.36 % to 82.87 %, improving the power factor from 0.51 to 0.69. The high-voltage-drop scenario introduced 10.27 kVAR, reducing losses from 71.57 % to 73.03 % and enhancing the power factor from 0.53 to 0.55. For high-loss nodes, 66.73 kVAR reduced losses from 68.21 % to 82.27 % and improved the power factor from 0.31 to 0.68. The CNAFTSSA scenario injected 65.70 kVAR, reducing losses from 68.34 % to 82.88 % and improving the power factor from 0.31 to 0.67. These results highlight SCs’ role in minimizing losses and enhancing power quality, with the CNAFTSSA approach demonstrating superior performance.

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