Active Power Curtailment-Oriented Operation Strategy for PV Penetrated Distribution Networks

The increasing prevalence of renewable energy sources (RES), specifically within the distribution network, has emerged as a prominent strategy to address and reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from energy production. However, the increased penetration of RES can introduce challenges such as overvoltage, thermal overloading and power quality issues etc., requiring effective control of distributed generation to ensure compliance with grid operational constraints. This study aims to minimize curtailed active power while maximizing photovoltaic (PV) penetration under these operational limitations. To achieve this objective, a new Key Performance Indicator (KPI) called mean active power curtailment ratio (MAPCR) is introduced, which quantifies the proportion of curtailed power across all buses throughout the day relative to the total power generated by PV systems. This KPI allows for the proportional assessment of curtailed power, providing meaningful information without the need for additional details. The optimization problem is formulated as a Mixed-Integer Quadratically Constrained Program (MIQCP), considering line and inverter losses. The problem is solved using a combination of Active Power Curtailment (APC) in coordination with Reactive Power Control (RPC). The impact of high PV systems penetration, along with APC and RPC, on bus voltages is comprehensively analysed, and the results are compared. The analysis based on MAPCR clearly demonstrates that the proposed algorithm, integrating both APC and RPC, achieves a significant reduction in power curtailment.