PHIL Experimentation for Evaluating Advanced Volt/VAR Control Performance of BESS in Active Distribution Networks

The integration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems into distribution networks has brought about notable challenges concerning reliability and power quality due to their intermittent nature. The excessive penetration of these distributed resources significantly impacts voltage levels, necessitating the imposition of penetration limits. To address this issue and enable high penetration scenarios without compromising power quality and grid reliability, battery energy storage systems (BESS) have emerged as an effective solution. While BESS offers promising capabilities, the increasing prevalence of distributed energy resources (DERs) provides system operators with new opportunities. Volt/VAR control (VVC) is a key function that enables additional resources to synchronize with grid operations, enhancing the overall grid-friendly response by regulating system voltage. However, traditional VVC methods may exhibit limitations in certain scenarios, prompting the need for innovative solutions. This research paper introduces a novel adaptive-based Volt/VAR droop (VVD) control technique designed for local controllers aimed at mitigating rapid voltage fluctuations caused by uncertain solar power generation and load variations. To validate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed method, extensive power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) testing has been conducted using a real-time digital simulator (RTDS) platform. The results from the study conducted on the IIT Roorkee distribution system highlight remarkable improvements in voltage variations. These findings offer valuable insights into enhancing grid stability and accommodating high penetration of solar PV systems while maintaining power quality and reliability.