Capacitor Optimization for EV and Renewable DG Integration

The global transition towards clean energy is characterized by an increased number of renewable distributed generators (DGs) and electric vehicles (EVs). However, the integration of renewable DGs and EVs in distribution systems introduce significant strains on power grids. In this paper, a practical capacitor optimization method is proposed to address these adverse operational and economic effects. The proposed optimization method sizes and allocates capacitor banks in a distribution network with EV loads and renewable DGs by evaluating power losses, voltage violations, and total costs. Stochastic analysis is developed to model wind DG and EV uncertainties. To evaluate the performance of the proposed optimization method, three-phase unbalanced load flow analysis is carried out for a real 13.8 kV, 134-bus distribution network before and after optimization to calculate system losses, node voltages, and associated costs. Simulation results show that the optimal integration of capacitors reduce power losses and voltage deviations of the modeled network by 28% and 35% for the heaviest loading condition.