Paper
Impact of solar photovoltaics on the low-voltage distribution network in New Zealand
Published Jan 14, 2016 · J. Watson, N. Watson, D. Santos-Martín
Iet Generation Transmission & Distribution
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Abstract
Residential rooftop-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) panels are being installed at an increasing rate, both in New Zealand and globally. There have been concerns over possible issues such as overvoltage and overcurrent. These PV systems are mostly connected at low voltage (LV). This study presents a case study of simulating the entire LV network from a single utility, comprising 10,558 11 kV-415 V transformers and their associated distribution feeders. These results are also presented by network type. Various solar PV penetration levels are added to the model and the power-flow results are presented. From these results, possible maximum limits of solar PV penetration are investigated and measures to alleviate overvoltage problems are simulated. The effect of using PV inverters with voltage regulation is simulated. Results show that some minor overvoltage problems can be expected in the future, particularly in urban areas. However, in most cases the overvoltage would not be much higher than the statutory limit of 1.06 p.u.
Highly CitedSolar PV panels may cause minor overvoltage problems in New Zealand's low-voltage distribution network, but most overvoltage issues will not exceed the statutory limit of 1.06 p.u.
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