Simultaneous distributed generation and capacitor placement and sizing in radial distribution system considering reactive power market

• Published in: Journal of renewable and sustainable energy Vol. 6; no. 4
• Main Authors: Rahiminejad, A., Aranizadeh, A., Vahidi, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melville American Institute of Physics 01.07.2014
• Subjects: Algorithms; Capacitor banks; Capacitors; Distributed generation; Electric power distribution; Energy management; Induction generators; Loss reduction; Machine learning; Maintenance costs; Markets; Particle swarm optimization; Placement; Power factor; Power loss; Radial distribution; Reactive power
• ISSN: 1941-7012; 1941-7012
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4893431

In this paper, Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) algorithm is used to determine the location and size of capacitor banks and Distributed Generation (DG) units simultaneously, in order to maximize the Benefit in regards to Cost (BRC). The benefits which are considered for DG units and capacitor banks are based on economic aspects. Therefore, for the DG units, the benefits are loss reduction, active power selling in the active power market, and energy not supplied reduction. On the other side, capacitor placement is performed to decrease the active power loss of networks, and reactive power selling (i.e., not purchasing reactive power as ancillary service from reactive power market). The DG units and capacitor banks are owned by distribution utility; consequently, their operation is controlled by the utility. The costs of DG units and capacitor banks include investment, operation, and maintenance costs. In addition, the cost of reactive power purchased for DGs is taken into account for non-unity power factor DG's (i.e., induction generator). The maximization process of BRC is performed using TLBO algorithm which has been selected from two alternative algorithms, i.e., particle swarm optimization and shuffled frog leaping algorithm. The study looked at a 69-bus radial distribution system. The results were reviewed, concluding that simultaneous DG and capacitor placement, considering the reactive power market, is a profitable way for loss reduction. Moreover, the strong performance of TLBO is shown.