Impacts of distributed generation on power system transient stability

TLDR

Increasing amounts of small‑scale, non‑synchronous distributed generation are expected to connect to power systems, potentially influencing transient stability at high penetration levels. The study investigates how distributed generation technology and penetration level affect system dynamics. The authors analyze a test system’s dynamics under varying distributed generation technologies and penetration levels. The effects of distributed generation on system dynamics strongly depend on the technology of the distributed generators.

Abstract

It is expected that increasing amounts of new generation technologies will be connected to electrical power systems in the near future. Most of these technologies are of considerably smaller scale than conventional synchronous generators and are therefore connected to distribution grids. Further, many are based on technologies different from the synchronous generator, such as the squirrel cage induction generator and high or low speed generators that are grid coupled through a power electronic converter. When connected in small amounts, the impact of distributed generation on power system transient stability will be negligible. However, if its penetration level becomes higher, distributed generation may start to influence the dynamic behavior of the power system as a whole. In this paper, the impact of distributed generation technology and penetration level on the dynamics of a test system is investigated. It is found that the effects of distributed generation on the dynamics of a power system strongly depend on the technology of the distributed generators.