Supporting LV Distribution Network Voltage Using PV Inverters Under High EV Penetration

Emmanuel Akakabota; Gobind Pillai; Michael Allison

doi:10.1109/UPEC.2019.8893498

Supporting LV Distribution Network Voltage Using PV Inverters Under High EV Penetration

Emmanuel Akakabota, Gobind Pillai, Michael Allison

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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Abstract

The growing popularity of Electric Vehicles (EV) as an alternative to fossil-fuel-driven vehicles has immense environmental appeal. Considering the effects on distribution networks, which were not designed to support such loads, several challenges are bound to be encountered in a future with purely EVs. One of such technical challenges is the effect of charging several EVs at the same time on distribution network voltage. While coordinated charging is one solution, reactive power compensation can be used to support voltage at the point of connection without the need for a centralised control. This paper explores the feasibility of using installed photovoltaic (PV) inverters as voltage compensation devices in Low Voltage (LV) distribution networks. A reactive power controller was developed in Simulink for PV inverters. The case study of a UK LV network for the winter season was used to investigate the feasibility. Results using a cumulative under-voltage index (CUVi) developed to quantify the contributions of the PV inverter reactive power compensation to network voltage support shows that for up to 30% EV penetration, the available PV capacity alone can completely eliminate under-voltage incidents.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	54th International Universities Power Engineering Conference
Subtitle of host publication	Proceedings
Publisher	IEEE
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Electronic)	9781728133492
ISBN (Print)	9781728133492
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/UPEC.2019.8893498
Publication status	Published - 7 Nov 2019
Event	54th International Universities Power Engineering Conference (UPEC) - Bucharest, Romania Duration: 3 Sept 2019 → 6 Sept 2019

Conference

Conference	54th International Universities Power Engineering Conference (UPEC)
Country/Territory	Romania
City	Bucharest
Period	3/09/19 → 6/09/19

Bibliographical note

© 2019 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works

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Cite this

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title = "Supporting LV Distribution Network Voltage Using PV Inverters Under High EV Penetration",

abstract = "The growing popularity of Electric Vehicles (EV) as an alternative to fossil-fuel-driven vehicles has immense environmental appeal. Considering the effects on distribution networks, which were not designed to support such loads, several challenges are bound to be encountered in a future with purely EVs. One of such technical challenges is the effect of charging several EVs at the same time on distribution network voltage. While coordinated charging is one solution, reactive power compensation can be used to support voltage at the point of connection without the need for a centralised control. This paper explores the feasibility of using installed photovoltaic (PV) inverters as voltage compensation devices in Low Voltage (LV) distribution networks. A reactive power controller was developed in Simulink for PV inverters. The case study of a UK LV network for the winter season was used to investigate the feasibility. Results using a cumulative under-voltage index (CUVi) developed to quantify the contributions of the PV inverter reactive power compensation to network voltage support shows that for up to 30% EV penetration, the available PV capacity alone can completely eliminate under-voltage incidents.",

author = "Emmanuel Akakabota and Gobind Pillai and Michael Allison",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2019 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works; 54th International Universities Power Engineering Conference (UPEC) ; Conference date: 03-09-2019 Through 06-09-2019",

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AU - Allison, Michael

N1 - © 2019 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works

PY - 2019/11/7

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N2 - The growing popularity of Electric Vehicles (EV) as an alternative to fossil-fuel-driven vehicles has immense environmental appeal. Considering the effects on distribution networks, which were not designed to support such loads, several challenges are bound to be encountered in a future with purely EVs. One of such technical challenges is the effect of charging several EVs at the same time on distribution network voltage. While coordinated charging is one solution, reactive power compensation can be used to support voltage at the point of connection without the need for a centralised control. This paper explores the feasibility of using installed photovoltaic (PV) inverters as voltage compensation devices in Low Voltage (LV) distribution networks. A reactive power controller was developed in Simulink for PV inverters. The case study of a UK LV network for the winter season was used to investigate the feasibility. Results using a cumulative under-voltage index (CUVi) developed to quantify the contributions of the PV inverter reactive power compensation to network voltage support shows that for up to 30% EV penetration, the available PV capacity alone can completely eliminate under-voltage incidents.

AB - The growing popularity of Electric Vehicles (EV) as an alternative to fossil-fuel-driven vehicles has immense environmental appeal. Considering the effects on distribution networks, which were not designed to support such loads, several challenges are bound to be encountered in a future with purely EVs. One of such technical challenges is the effect of charging several EVs at the same time on distribution network voltage. While coordinated charging is one solution, reactive power compensation can be used to support voltage at the point of connection without the need for a centralised control. This paper explores the feasibility of using installed photovoltaic (PV) inverters as voltage compensation devices in Low Voltage (LV) distribution networks. A reactive power controller was developed in Simulink for PV inverters. The case study of a UK LV network for the winter season was used to investigate the feasibility. Results using a cumulative under-voltage index (CUVi) developed to quantify the contributions of the PV inverter reactive power compensation to network voltage support shows that for up to 30% EV penetration, the available PV capacity alone can completely eliminate under-voltage incidents.

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T2 - 54th International Universities Power Engineering Conference (UPEC)

Y2 - 3 September 2019 through 6 September 2019

ER -

Supporting LV Distribution Network Voltage Using PV Inverters Under High EV Penetration

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