Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
The Coordination and control of smart inverters utilizing Volt-VAr and Volt-Watt in low voltage networks, and opportunities for South Africa
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
| Published: |
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2022
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867614080927268864 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Xavier, Ria |
| author2 | Bekker, Bernard |
| author_browse | Bekker, Bernard Xavier, Ria |
| author_facet | Bekker, Bernard Xavier, Ria |
| author_sort | Xavier, Ria |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/124574 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:21.556Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/124574 The Coordination and control of smart inverters utilizing Volt-VAr and Volt-Watt in low voltage networks, and opportunities for South Africa Xavier, Ria Bekker, Bernard Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. UCTD Photovoltaic power generation Low voltage integrated circuits Energy resource management systems Distributed generation of electric power Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Increasing photovoltaic (PV) penetration in the low-voltage (LV) distribution network leads to grid-interconnection issues for electric utilities. These issues include voltage violations, equipment overloading and frequency instability. To mitigate these problems, advanced smart inverter functionality is becoming increasingly popular in states and countries with high renewable energy penetration levels. Although smart inverters have a wide range of benefits for the utility, these benefits are limited to the local level due to autonomous inverter control. This research investigates the benefits of coordinated inverter control in mitigating voltage violations in LV feeders due to increasing PV penetrations. A critical literature review on the grid interconnection requirements and smart inverter functionality guidelines informs on the gaps that need to be addressed to allow for increased smart inverter deployment in South Africa. The literature review also explores the benefits of distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) and virtual power plants (VPPs), and the requirements for each platform. Based on the literature review’s findings, a simulation has been conducted to investigate the benefits of coordinated smart inverter voltage regulation control, particularly Volt-VAr and Volt-Watt, to increase hosting capacity in LV networks. The proposed methodology considers the feeder-wide voltage conditions instead of local point of connection (PoC) conditions using sensor measurements, and the fairness of voltage regulation and active power curtailment among customers on a feeder. This proposed methodology can be used as an intermediate solution for coordinating smart inverters without the use of extensive communication infrastructure and advanced aggregating platforms. The simulation results show an improvement in voltage profiles using coordinated Volt-VAr and Volt Watt inverter control and feeder-wide awareness. The improved voltage profiles can accommodate higher levels of PV penetration and thus increase hosting capacities in LV feeders. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toenemende fotovoltaïese (PV) penetrasie in die laagspanning (LV) verspreidings netwerk lei tot probleme vir die elektrisiteitverskaffer. Hierdie kwessies sluit spanning skendings, oorlading van toerusting en onstabiliteit in frekwensie in.Gevorderde slim-omsetter funksionaliteit word gebruik om hierdie probleme te verlig en raak dus al hoe meer gewild in state en lande met ʼn hoë opname van hernubare energie. Alhoewel slim omsetters 'n wye verskeidenheid voordele vir die kragstelsel inhou, is hierdie voordele beperk tot die plaaslike vlak as gevolg van outonome omsetter-beheer. Hierdie navorsing ondersoek die voordele van gekoördineerde omsetterbeheer om spanningskendings in LV-netwerke te minimeer. 'n Kritiese literatuuroorsig in netwerkverbindingsvereistes en riglyne vir slim-omsetter funksionaliteit lig uit die leemtes wat opgelos moet word om 'n groter implementering van slimomsetters in Suid Afrika moontlik te maak. Die literatuuroorsig ondersoek ook die voordele van verspreide energiehulpbronbestuurstelsels en virtuele kragstasies, en die vereistes vir elke platform. Op grond van die bevindinge van die literatuurstudie is 'n simulasie uitgevoer om die voordele van gekoördineerde slim-omsetter spanningsreguleringsbeheer, veral Volt-VAr en Volt-Watt, in LV-netwerke te ondersoek om gasheervermoë te verhoog. Die voorgestelde metodologie neem in ag die toevoer-wye spanningstoestande, die billikheid van spanning regulering, en die aktiewe kragbeperking onder kliënte. Hierdie voorgestelde metodologie kan gebruik word as 'n intermediêre oplossing vir die koördinering van slim-omsetters sonder die gebruik van uitgebreide kommunikasie-infrastruktuur en gevorderde samevoegings platforms. Die simulasie resultate van om die gekoördineerde Volt-Watt-omsetterbeheer en netwerk-wye bewustheid te gebruik, toon 'n verbetering in spanningsprofiele. Die verbeterde spanningsprofiele kan hoër vlakke van PV-opname akkommodeer en dus gasheer kapasiteit in LVnetwerke vergroot. Masters 2022-03-02T05:07:07Z 2022-04-29T09:20:22Z 2022-03-02T05:07:07Z 2022-04-29T09:20:22Z 2022-04 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/124574 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 135 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | UCTD Photovoltaic power generation Low voltage integrated circuits Energy resource management systems Distributed generation of electric power Xavier, Ria The Coordination and control of smart inverters utilizing Volt-VAr and Volt-Watt in low voltage networks, and opportunities for South Africa |
| title | The Coordination and control of smart inverters utilizing Volt-VAr and Volt-Watt in low voltage networks, and opportunities for South Africa |
| title_full | The Coordination and control of smart inverters utilizing Volt-VAr and Volt-Watt in low voltage networks, and opportunities for South Africa |
| title_fullStr | The Coordination and control of smart inverters utilizing Volt-VAr and Volt-Watt in low voltage networks, and opportunities for South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Coordination and control of smart inverters utilizing Volt-VAr and Volt-Watt in low voltage networks, and opportunities for South Africa |
| title_short | The Coordination and control of smart inverters utilizing Volt-VAr and Volt-Watt in low voltage networks, and opportunities for South Africa |
| title_sort | coordination and control of smart inverters utilizing volt var and volt watt in low voltage networks and opportunities for south africa |
| topic | UCTD Photovoltaic power generation Low voltage integrated circuits Energy resource management systems Distributed generation of electric power |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/124574 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xavierria thecoordinationandcontrolofsmartinvertersutilizingvoltvarandvoltwattinlowvoltagenetworksandopportunitiesforsouthafrica AT xavierria coordinationandcontrolofsmartinvertersutilizingvoltvarandvoltwattinlowvoltagenetworksandopportunitiesforsouthafrica |