Using a smart grid laboratory to investigate battery energy storage to mitigate the effects of PV in distribution networks

This paper shows how a high penetration of PV generation in LV distribution networks can generate voltage problems, such as voltage rise and voltage unbalance. High resolution solar irradiance data from representative days is used in a network model along with real demand profiles. To reduce the voltage problems, excess power from PV sources need to be managed. A lab based battery energy storage system interfaced through a three phase power amplifier to a Real Time Digital Simulator using “power hardware in the loop” has been used to reduce the voltage problems generated by PV generation. This shows how storage is used in real time to effectively reduce voltage problems.