Article ID: | iaor20119568 |
Volume: | 39 |
Issue: | 10 |
Start Page Number: | 6280 |
End Page Number: | 6290 |
Publication Date: | Oct 2011 |
Journal: | Energy Policy |
Authors: | Passey Robert, Spooner Ted, MacGill Iain, Watt Muriel, Syngellakis Katerina |
Keywords: | electricity, optimal control, intelligent grid |
Distributed generation is being deployed at increasing levels of penetration on electricity grids worldwide. It can have positive impacts on the network, but also negative impacts if integration is not properly managed. This is especially true of photovoltaics, in part because it's output fluctuates significantly and in part because it is being rapidly deployed in many countries. Potential positive impacts on grid operation can include reduced network flows and hence reduced losses and voltage drops. Potential negative impacts at high penetrations include voltage fluctuations, voltage rise and reverse power flow, power fluctuations, power factor changes, frequency regulation and harmonics, unintentional islanding, fault currents and grounding issues. This paper firstly reviews each of these impacts in detail, along with the current technical approaches available to address them. The second section of this paper discusses key non‐technical factors, such as appropriate policies and institutional frameworks, which are essential to effectively coordinate the development and deployment of the different technical solutions most appropriate for particular jurisdictions. These frameworks will be different for different jurisdictions, and so no single approach will be appropriate worldwide.