Advanced Planning of PV-Rich Distribution Networks Study
- $203k Funded by ARENA
- $497k Total project cost
Summary
This project will develop analytical techniques to assess residential solar PV hosting capacity of electricity distribution networks by leveraging existing network and customer data. This project will also produce planning recommendations to increase solar PV hosting capacity using non-traditional solutions that exploit the capabilities of PV inverters, voltage regulation devices, and battery energy storage systems.
How the project works
The project will perform detailed studies on distribution networks with different residential solar PV penetrations to capture the correlations between customer data and corresponding penetrations. Results from these studies will be used to define analytical techniques to rapidly estimate the hosting capacity of networks. The techniques will be validated using smart meter data from networks where PV penetrations are known. Planning methodologies that include the use of PV inverter capabilities, voltage regulation devices and battery systems will be developed and demonstrated through detailed network studies. The corresponding findings will be used to draw planning recommendations to cost-effectively increase the hosting capacity of distribution networks.
This project consists of:
Project reports- ARENA media release 11/02/19
- Advanced Planning of PV-Rich Distribution Networks – Deliverable 1: HV-LV Modelling of Selected HV Feeders
- Advanced Planning of PV-Rich Distribution Networks – Deliverable 2: Innovative Analytical Techniques
- Advanced Planning of PV-Rich Distribution Networks – Deliverable 3: Traditional Solutions
- Advanced Planning of PV-Rich Distribution Networks – Deliverable 4: Non-Traditional Solutions
- Cost Comparison Among Potential Solutions
- Final Report Advanced Planning of PV-Rich Distribution Networks
Learn more
Report: Final Report Advanced Planning of PV-Rich Distribution Networks
This report consolidates the findings from the “Advanced Planning of PV-Rich Distribution Networks” project.
Report: Cost Comparison Among Potential Solutions
This report presents a cost comparison among potential solutions that can be used by DNSPs to increase residential PV hosting capacity.
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Report: Deliverable 4: Non-Traditional Solutions
This report investigates the adoption of non-traditional solutions in combination with traditional solutions to increase the solar PV hosting capacity of PV-rich Distribution Networks.
Report: Deliverable 3: Traditional Solutions
This report investigates the adoption of traditional solutions such as change of off-load and on-load tap changer positions and/or network augmentation to increase the hosting capacity of PV-rich distribution networks.
Report: Deliverable 2: Innovative Analytical Techniques
This document presents a smart meter-driven analytical technique proposed by The University of Melbourne to estimate PV hosting capacity in distribution networks
Report: Deliverable 1: HV-LV modelling of selected HV feeders
This report first presents the process adopted by The University of Melbourne in collaboration with AusNet Services to select the HV feeders that will be modelled and used throughout the project.
Area of innovation
The growing uptake of residential solar PV in Australia is bringing significant challenges to DNSPs as there are many unknowns around their networks’ ability to cope with the voltage and thermal impacts from high PV penetration. The novel analytical techniques developed by this project will make it possible to quickly estimate how much PV a network can host. Also, the planning recommendations resulting from studies that investigate non-traditional solutions will help DNSPs make use of their assets in a cost-effective way, and define suitable strategies to increase PV hosting capacity.
Benefit
Developing analytical techniques will help distribution network service providers (DNSPs) to rapidly estimate the hosting capacity in their networks without the need for complex, time-consuming network studies or the adoption of generic assumptions. These techniques are expected to accelerate the processing of connection requests to encourage widespread adoption of solar PV systems.The planning recommendations from this project will also provide foundations for planning approaches (and potentially tools) that can be used by DNSPs to ensure the quick and cost-effective integration of residential solar PV across Australia.
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