Discussion on advantages and disadvantages of
distributed generation connected to the grid
Honghai Kuang 1.2, Shengqing Li 1, Zhengqiu Wu 2
1. Hunan University of Technology, School of Electrical and Information, Zhuzhou, China
2. Hunan University, School of Electrical and Information, Changsha, China
Abstract:With people attention to sustainable development and
environmental pollution, distributed generation(DG) technology
with its unique environment and economy raises more and more
concern. The rapid development of DG technology results in
large-capacity distributed power connected to the grid, but DG
affected by natural conditions will can not output power
continuously and stably. And DG usually is incorporated into the
electric power system at the distribution networks side, which
will cause the system stability problems increased. In order to
fully play the role of distributed power, avoid the adverse effects
of its existence, it is necessary to study in-depth on DG and the
technology of its connected to the grid. In this paper it is
researched and analyzed for problems brought by DG connected
to the grid and put forward the corresponding solution.
Keywords: distributed generation; stability; connected to the grid
I. INTRODUCTION
The requirements for quality and reliability of energy and
power supply are increasing in today's society, while in the
process of electricity industry development towards large
power grid, Large unit model, it is inevitable exsiting
shortcomings of system instability, local incidents easily
expands a large area network incident, it has a serious impact
on important user power supply [1].
With electricity load increased, transmission capacity of
long-distance transmission lines is increasing, and the
dependence of terminal power grid on foreign power grid is
also increasing, it is necessory for us to build certain capacity
power plants at terminal power grid and load centers, so as to
reduce the large power transmission and transfer, to reduce the
losses of transmission and distribution, to support the local
power grid, to enhance system stability. Therefore, under a
large grid pattern in the country, distributed generation(DG)
should be developed properly.
With people attention to sustainable development and
environmental pollution, DG technology with its unique
environment and economy raises more and more concern. In
recent years, rdistributed generation technologies are
developing rapidly, becoming an important area of energy
research direction. the rapid development of DG has caused its
large-capacity distributed power incorporated into the grid, and
the penetration of distributed power in the region grid is
increasingly high.
II. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DG
INCORPORATED INTO THE GRID
DG as a new form of clean energy generation provides
flexible power supply support for electric power system, it has
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170
E-mail:khhzyz@163.com
a positive meaning for improving electric power system
stability and power quality, so more and more attention is
atracted all over the world.
But DG capacity generally is smaller, lower voltage levels,
and it is incorporated into electric power system at distribution
network side. Therefore, DG incorporated into electric power
system has brought many unprecedented problems, DG has a
negative effect on power system stability, power system
control and protection [2]. So DG faces many technical or
non-technical barriers, and being questioned. How to eliminate
negative effects, how to clear these barriers of distributed
energy and renewable energy incorporated into the grid, how
to fullly play advantages and potential of DG have become a
focus of scholars from various countries attention and study.
A. Advantages of DG
DG is a competitive power generation in the future
electricity market. Application of DG brings the following
advantages to electric power system operation [3] [4] [5]:
1) DG is a useful addition for a large power grid: as the
implementation of networking, the emergence of AC/ DC
hybrid transmission system and electricity market reforms, the
loss of accident caused by a major power system blackouts has
a great relationship with a reasonable and feasible "Black
Start" program. In DG the hydro and gas turbine with easy
start and fast recovery characteristics, can be used as black
start power supply.
2) DG can be used for military and humanitarian tasks:
electrical safety is an important component of national
security. Large power grids are vulnerable to the destruction of
war or terrorism or catastrope, it will seriously endanger
national security. Such as the Kosovo War and the Gulf war.
after "911 event", many experts proposed developing DG is an
effective means to solve these electrical safety issues, such as
from the support of Isolated small villages to the support of
entire large operational plan can take advantage of DG.
3) DG can make up the deficiency of large power grids
stability: When electric power system is failure, it can provide
emergency power support, making use of local DG technology
which can launch to gradual recovery important load of local
power grid in a short time, then it will ensure electricity supply
of important users, but also will prevent system accident to
expand. It not only increases power grid flexibility, and
improves power quality, increases reliability [3].
4) Need not build power transformer and distribution
station: With the development of social, Load fluctuations is
increasing, for short-term peak load, the investment of bulding
power plants is large and economically inefficient, but a great
deal of nearby supply power reduces transmission and
distribution investment, and line losses is small. Reduction of
transmission and distribution lines can reduce outlet corridor,
reduce electromagnetic pollution of high voltage transmission
lines.
5) High efficiency and environmental protection: DG's
environmental protection performance is excellent, it has high
energy efficiency up to 65% to 95%. DG also makes study of
using clean energy and renewable energy to generate
electricity possible. Fuel cells, solar photovoltaic, Solar
thermal collectors power, wind power will be effectively
applied.
6) can break the power monopoly: In recent years, China
has continuously carried the electricity market reform, the
intent is to introduce competition, lower costs of power
production and supply, optimize resource allocation. DG can
contribute to the realization of these purposes. Because DG
investment is small, construction time of installation is short,so
it is conducive to investment of independent power producers,
which can realize the power industry market
7) can promote the sustainable development of China's
economy: In order to support sustainable development of
China's economic growth, China need to increase power
capacity, expand power production. If using the traditional
power generation mode, it will pose a great threat to energy
supply in China. Another constraint can not be ignored is
serious environmental pollution caused by the large number of
fossil energy consumption and large amounts of greenhouse
gas emissions. Active using renewable energy and developing
DG can ensure sustainable economic development.
8) can achieve load power demand in remote areas:
Remote area load is too far away from the existing power
system, it is too much investment to built transmission and
distribution systems; and because of natural conditions are too
harsh, from the existing power system to user's transmission
line is fully impossible to set up or after the completion it will
often fail. Using DG mode such as small hydropower, wind
power, solar photovoltaic and biomass power generation is an
effective method to solve users electricity in remote areas .
B. The existing problems on DG connected to the grid
DG connected to the grid at the distribution side will
inevitably have an impact on power system stability. When the
large number of DG is connected to the grid, it will seriously
affect the distribution system design, control, operation and
protection, affect reliability and security of system. This
requires planning methods of traditional distribution network
make appropriate changes.
DG is usually connected to the grid at the distribution side,
there are mainly two aspects of DG connected to the grid
control and and power regulation. How to connected to the
grid and to minimize the impact on power system is Today's
research hotspot, many DG methods are randomness, System
input power is also random, it need to study on how to adjust .
1) The impact on system voltage: when DGr is connected to
power system, system structure will become from single power
radial network into weak-link network of Multi-distributed
power. When there are large capacity DG in Power system, the
introduction of DG will have a greater impact on system
voltage, short circuit current, active and reactive power flow
and other characteristics .
The traditional distribution network generally is radial,
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under steady state operation conditions, voltage along the flow
direction of the feeder is decreased. After introduction of DG,
because of decrease of transmission power on the feeder and
support of DG output reactive power, makes load node voltage
along the feeder be raised, how much voltage is raised has a
relationship with DG location and the size of the total capacity.
2) The impact on protection: Introduction of DG becomes
the radial passive distribution network into active network of
small and medium power source, thereby changes the size of
fault current, duration, the current flow no longer unilaterally
from the substation bus flows into the load, the failure
behavior of DG itself also will has a impact on system
operation and protection. The uncertainty of power flow will
increase a certain difficulty for power system protection set
and the setting of action value. Fundamental changes in the
distribution network makes various protection settings and
mechanism has caused profound changes, control and
management of distribution system has become more complex
[3] [4].
Existing IEEE Std1547 Statute, after a fault in the line DG
will be removed, but this violates the original intention of
installing, it is undesirable. at home and abroad the majority of
existing operating procedures based on DG connected to the
grid not affecting the work's principles work of original
distribution network protection control system is proposed,
these principles include: DG can not actively participate in
voltage regulation; when distribution system is failure, DG
must quickly exit so as to ensure the correct operation of the
distribution network protection. Although these procedures by
the greatest extent ensure power system safety, but to a certain
extent limit and even destroy DG normal operation, harm the
economic interests of DG generators and users, it is also a
disadvantage to improve the range and reliability of power
supply [3].
3) the impact on joint power system grid stability: it
depends on power level and power generation methods. The
introduction of a large number of power electronic devices and
capacitors, inductors will change the network topology of
traditional power system, thus affecting power flow
distribution, bringing uncertainty to the joint network stability.
External interference could lead to frequency and voltage of
the joint power grid not synchronization, which caused
collapse of the entire system, so after the joint power grid
operation, it will be an unavoidable, urgent research topic in a
variety of state when failure each other can be isolated and not
be affected, when faced with external disturbances each other
can mutually complete each other to ensure the system
stability.
4) the impact on grid planning: The emergence of DG
makes the emergence of the power system load forecasting,
planning and operation have a greater uncertainty than in the
past. A large number of users install DG to provide electricity,
it makes distribution network planners more difficult to predict
the growth of load, thus affecting planning. The dynamic
properties of planning problems are closely linked with its
dimensions, if many generator nodes reappear, it is more
difficult to find optimal network layout scheme in all possible
network structure.
DG connected to the grid will impact on planning, design,
operation, control and protection and other implications. To
maintain system security and stable operation, DG must be
able to accept scheduling, to achieve this goal, through its
power electronic devices to control and regulate. DG unit is
integrated into the existing distribution system, it not only need
to improve the existing distribution automation system but also
to manage the grid from passive to active.
DG unit types and the diversification of energy sources
used, so how to determine a reasonable power structure in
distribution network, how to coordinate and effectively use
various types of power supply has been an urgent problem to
be solved.
III. analysis and processing of DG connected to the grid
DG connected to the grid brings the problems above
mentioned on system operation, for the key issues of impacting
DG development, appropriate improvements and solutions are
proposed in the following.
A. confirmation of location and capacity on DG power
A essential condition to design a distributed system is
confirmation of location and capacity on DG power. Thus,
according to capacity required by the client terminal and
location of DG environment, comprehensive considering the
variety of measurable indicator, determining the DG method
used, Generation capacity not only to meet the energy required
when load normally operate, but also to have a certain
sustainability for unexpected events. the position of DG power
not only consider the surrounding energy, transportation,
geography and other factors, but also consider a reasonable
layout, makes line losses be as small as possible, so that
improves economy, reliability and flexibility of the system.
When the access position of distributed power is constant,
the voltage support is decided by total output of distributed
power, the more total output, the higher the ratio with load, the
greater the voltage support, the higher the overall voltage level.
when the total output of distributed power is constant, the
closer to system bus distributed power is, the smaller impact
on line voltage distribution, distributed power is concentrated
on the same node, the support effect was weaker than the
voltage distributed on multiple nodes.
If only from the perspective of system voltage support, in
certain circumstances, single small capacity inverter voltage
should be chose for connecting to the grid, first single capacity
is small, it can be widely distributed on the line, better the
effect is for supporting the voltage; Secondly, when the line is
failure, not immediately exit the system, still can continue to
stabilize the system voltage [5].
[6] discussed limit problem of DG incorporated into the
grid based on LCT and LDC of distribution network within the
adjustable, we propose two methods to determine the limits of
DG incorporated into the grid, namely the use of DG active
and reactive power equations and the use of DG active power
equation and power factor.
[7] proposed a rapid locating method of voltage control
equipment LDC and SVR considering the DG incorporated
into the grid. the problem is expressed as a combination
optimization problem in this paper, but the locating value of
voltage control equipment is treated as state variables. it
proposed a method to set parameters about transformers and
SVR with LDC functions, which considered a variety of load
conditions and a DG power output conditions with a good fast.
B. Improvement of relay protection
The distribution network is huge, it is unrealistic to
completely discard the existing protection and control system.
it will be very practical valueand DG can has been greatly
promoted, if reform is based on the existing protection and
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automation systems, and can well solve protection after feeders
incorporated into the grid.,
When distribution network is failure, DG impact on
protection have relation to DG type, quantity, connecting
location and volume. Before the existing protection is
improved, if the system can be classified on DG, it can
determine whether DG impact on system failure, so reduce
reform difficulty and increase economic efficiency. a) If each
distributed power is connected to the grid through the current
inverter, no matter what point of failure, because of the
electronic devices, DG will be out of the system, the protection
not need be changed b) if not through the current inverter,it
need analyse for specific location of DG is connected to the
grid through these non-current inverter in the system, when the
system is failure, injected short-circuit current from DG and
the short-circuit power flow also need be analyzed, and the
system is failure for the voltage support requirements to
choose DG removal directly or through the original system
once or twice to transform, so that these circuit breakers
associated with the power can in accordance with the "four"
requirements of protection to clear fault [4] .
when failure occur distributed power in the grid should be
cut off to ensure the protection correct action, it is proposed in
[5], But it will lead to related problems.
the digital distributed power protection equipment based
on the rate change of frequency is designed in [6], through
improving the response characteristics of sensitivity and time
to implement out of step protection between distributed power
supply and main power grid
C Power Electronic Conversion Interface
Interface energy conversion problems between distributed
power and the grid, the user, energy storage system should be
resolved for any form of DG, In recent years, power and
voltage of power electronic conversion devices, etc. has been
greatly improved, but still can not meet the equirements of
DG, so new power electronic conversion devices need further
be developed, , energy conversion of high-power high-voltage,
high-current systems will be achieved with low cost. Power
electronic interfaces used for DG mainly are DC-DC
converters, inverters, output filters and processors. Four types
of interfaces need a standard modular design, make it has a
lower cost, high reliability. according to the different
connection ways, Modular interface need adapt to DG systems
of different power and voltage level, it formats converter
topology and control strategy in practice and exploration, In
addition, power electronic interface circuits providing
supportive services for DG need be researched [ 1].
D. DG combined with traditional grid
Currently, the combination of large power grids and DG
was recognized by many world energy, electricity experts as
the main mode of saving investment, reducing energy
consumption, improving power system reliability and
flexibility is the development direction of the 21st century
electric power industry. Traditional centralized large power
grids in a period of time will co-exist with the DG model,
complement each other. Combining traditional power grid with
the advantages of DG, integrating them reasonablely, specific
programs connected to the grid are: a) distributed power output
be convert from DC into AC output, and need maintain
absolute synchronization large power grids; b) after distributed
power output be convert to AC power output, it directly supply
certain load and play a complementary roles for large power
grids; c) distributed power will be isolated from large power
grids, become a separate system entirely.
E. Energy Storage System
Instability of DG system energy will result it can not run
continuously, therefore, energy storage system in DG system
has a very important role.
Most of DG are installed at load side, and powered by the
system alonely, which cause the system relatively large
affected by a single load power change, energy storage
devices will be needed to provide buffer; if the user is in
switching process of taking electricity from between the grid
and distributed power, it will need energy storage devices to
provide transitional power.
Energy storage problem is the power system does not
completely solve a problem aong time, the introduction of DG
will further accelerate the urgency of their development.
battery energy storage, supercapacitor energy storage,
flywheel energy storage, superconducting energy storage and
pumped storage and so on, energy storage technology has
been applied in the industrial field, and achieved good results,
but them are applied to DG, it need to make further
improvements.in storage capacity, reliability and economy
How to improve system storage capacity and ensure energy
storage system safely and timely absorbing and releasing
energy, will have a very important influence on security
stability and economic of the grid after jointly run.
F. DG with the ability to provide ancillary services
DG in certain conditions can achieve reactive power
compensation to maintain voltage stability, replace AGC to
achieve power loss tracking, control frequency to prevent loss
of step, adjust flexibly output to meet load changes, substitute
PSS and implemen dynamic braking and some auxiliary
functions. Achievement of DG these auxiliary functions will
replace a large number of power system ancillary equipment
to bring great economic benefits to the grid.
G. micro-power operation mode
Micro-grid is presented as a new distributed energy
organization and structure to integrate the advantages of DG,
weaken DG impacting on the grid and the negative impact,
Through integrating the relationship between DG units and
the distribution network, in a local area directly connect DG
unit, power networks with terminal users, it can easily
configure structure and optimize power dispatch, combine
with thermoelectric cooling alliance program, optimize and
improve energy utilization efficiency, reduce energy power
systems impact on the environment, promote distributed
power connected to the grid, reduce the burden of large power
grids, improve reliability and security, and promote social
development towards green, environmental protection, saving
energy.
Future electricity system will be a supply power system
combinated centralized with DG system, it can save
investment, reduce energy consumption, improve energy
efficiency, power system reliability, flexibility and quality of
power supply. However, micro-power research need to face
many technical and non-technical challenges. Such as how to
build intelligent automation system structure under the
premise of no affecting the existing system operation, to find
a suitable micro-grid operation mode, in order to make
distributed energy through micro-grid be fully integrated into
the regional distribution network operation, and play its
maximum performance.
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IV. Conclusion
Analysis shows that at present there are the following
problems in DG development.
1) the lack of appropriate laws and regulations. The
establishment of DG systems need to solve access problems
of DG equipment in power system, Need to constitute
appropriate technical standards and to establish relevant laws
and regulations, this is to avoid the development of DG
constrained by the interests of certain power enterprise in
power systems. In addition, we must constitute grid tariff of
DG electricity considered all parties interests. also have to
formulate relevant laws and regulations for related investment
and return.
2) the lack of previous research. In conventional
transmission system, power flow is stable, while DG will
make frequent of power flow change, so protection and
control of distributed power system need to satisfy the
corresponding requirements. Although there are a number of
related research and development of equipment at abroad, but
at the same time introduction of foreign technology, DG
technology and equipment suitable for China's national
conditions need to be developed.
Therefore, the development of DG an urgently need to
study and solve several basic problems:
• structure mode of micro-power and operation control
technology
• how to use DG and MG improving power quality and
supply reliability
• DG and MG how to be incorporated into the future
distribution network research, planning, design and
construction, how to absorb and accommodate the new
technology.
• the establishment of new power system analysis tools,
standards and corresponding management system is an urgent
problem to be solved.
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