Impact of high-penetration PV on distribution feeders

This paper predicts the effects that high levels of photovoltaic penetration will have on the voltage magnitude and power flow on five actual North American feeders. The studies are based on EPRI test feeders, and simulations are conducted using EPRI´s OpenDSS computer simulation program. Results for the five feeders studied, using PV penetration levels of 50% of total load, show that the voltage flicker due to shadow movement will be approximately in the range of 0.5% to 2%.