Analyzing the impacts of Distributed Generation on power losses and voltage profile

The structure of electric power system is under development process due to rapid increase in energy demands all over the world. With great advancements in technologies and concerns about environmental effects, utilities are moving towards interconnection of Distributed Generation (DG) in the distribution networks. Apart from environmental advantages, DG's can have significant impacts on the power system depending on type of DG unit and its interconnection with the distribution network. In this research paper, the impacts of DG on voltage profile and power losses are investigated on a practical radial distribution network with four cases of DG interconnection. With each case, the performances of interconnected DG in terms of voltage and power losses are analyzed through simulation in Electrical Transient Analyzer Program (ETAP). The location of coupling and size of interconnected DG is used as a parameter in order to verify the effects on these issues. Detailed simulations are conducted in order to explain and verify the results. It is found that there is significant improvement in bus voltages and power loss reduction depending on appropriate size and feasible locations of DGs interconnection