Potential solutions to voltage control issues for distribution networks containing independent generators

Even in a climate of falling energy prices there is a continued drive towards the development of renewable energy schemes. Indeed, the UK Government has stated that it would like to see 10% of the electricity market derived from renewable sources by the year 2010. Legislation may also cause a return of interest in CHP should the Government provide fiscal incentives through the requirement for energy efficiency and lower environmental emissions. Therefore, the number of connections will continue to rise. The existing electrical distribution system in the UK was not designed for connection of local generation and a number of technical problems exist that require a solution include: voltage control/voltage rise; fault level increase in the network; impact on power quality; and island operation. The aim of this paper is to examine the effect of independent generation upon traditional network voltage control and suggest possible solutions to the technical problems encountered