Optimised voltage control for distributed generation

The supply of electrical energy is increasingly being sourced from distributed generators. Voltage management is a key feature of any power system and traditionally regulation on the distribution system is maintained to static set points. This paper highlights the inefficiencies of continuing to regulate voltage in this manner for a system with distributed generation. The generation hosting capacity is dependent on a number of factors, namely; thermal limitations, steady state voltage limitations, voltage fluctuations and voltage quality. All are threatened by the unnecessary flow of reactive power sourced from distributed units brought on by mismanaged secondary voltage control. This work presents a decentralised approach to regulating voltage and power flows on a distribution system that hosts both generation and demand using controllers local to transformers and distributed generators.