Review on the PV Hosting Capacity in Distribution Networks

Abstract

The increasing penetration of Photovoltaic (PV) generation results in challenges regarding network operation, management and planning. Correspondingly, Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) are in the need of totally new understanding. The establishment of comprehensive standards for maximum PV integration into the network, without adversely impacting the normal operating conditions, is also needed. This review article provides an extensive review of the Hosting Capacity (HC) definitions based on different references and estimated HC with actual figures in different geographical areas and network conditions. Moreover, a comprehensive review of limiting factors and improvement methods for HC is presented along with voltage rise limits of different countries under PV integration. Peak load is the major reference used for HC definition and the prime limiting constraint for PV HC is the voltage violations. However, the varying definitions in different references lead to the conclusion that, neither the reference values nor the limiting factors are unique values and HC can alter depending on the reference, network conditions, topology, location, and PV deployment scenario.

Enhancing PV Hosting Capacity Using Voltage Control and Employing Dynamic Line Rating

“…According to the literature, the thermal limit (ampacity) of cables is the second leading major bottleneck after voltage infringement for the maximum PVHC. Furthermore, it was discovered that the cable overloading restriction is more stringent than the transformer overloading limit in an LVDN [27]. In [28], a risk-based study is performed to estimate the PVHC of 50,000 distinct LVDNs in the southeast of Brazil while taking voltage limitations, conductor thermal limits, and a few other limiting variables into account.…”

Enhancement of Hosting Capacity with Soft Open Points and Distribution System Reconfiguration: Multi-Objective Bilevel Stochastic Optimization

“…Renewable energy integration has been crucial in recent decades to limit the effect of green-house gases on the environment [1][2][3]. Various strategies have been adopted in the modern smart grids to increase their capabilities to accommodate the intermittent renewable resources [4][5][6]. Hosting capacity (HC) is the mathematical expression that represents the ability of a distribution system to host distributed generation (DG) without violating its operational limits [5][6][7][8].…”

“…Various strategies have been adopted in the modern smart grids to increase their capabilities to accommodate the intermittent renewable resources [4][5][6]. Hosting capacity (HC) is the mathematical expression that represents the ability of a distribution system to host distributed generation (DG) without violating its operational limits [5][6][7][8]. Many methodologies for improving HC [5][6][7][8] have been proposed in the literature, including power quality (PQ) enhancement, network reinforcement, distribution system reconfiguration (DSR), static var compensators (SVCs), energy storage systems (ESS), and soft open points (SOPs), among others.…”

“…Hosting capacity (HC) is the mathematical expression that represents the ability of a distribution system to host distributed generation (DG) without violating its operational limits [5][6][7][8]. Many methodologies for improving HC [5][6][7][8] have been proposed in the literature, including power quality (PQ) enhancement, network reinforcement, distribution system reconfiguration (DSR), static var compensators (SVCs), energy storage systems (ESS), and soft open points (SOPs), among others. The maximum DG penetration was determined in [9] for the 18-node and 33-node distribution systems, considering the IEEE 519 allowable voltage harmonic limits.…”

Convex Model for Estimation of Single-Phase Photovoltaic Impact on Existing Voltage Unbalance in Distribution Networks

“…As local power generation becomes more accessible to wider masses of customers, more single-phase devices are connected to networks, causing VU. As the latest review indicates [1], the VU limits nearly fifth of the cases of photovoltaic (PV) integration. The unbalance problem becomes more severe in sparsely populated areas, and becomes a major limiting factor of solar energy integration in rural distributed networks.…”