Field investigation of voltage quality issues in distribution network with PV penetration

The interest for installation of solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems in the distribution network has been increasing due to their declining cost and high electricity price from the utilities. On the downside, the PV power generation is sensitive to the variation in solar irradiation, which can cause potential challenges in the low voltage network in terms of voltage quality and management. In this research, voltage quality issues caused by PV systems integration and their operating characteristics have been analyzed. The study has been carried out on the real grid-connected PV system located at the University of Queensland (UQ), St. Lucia campus. The field measurements for various solar irradiation patterns at PV inverter and various nodes of the network were recorded using Power quality analyzers. The collected data has been analyzed for voltage rise, fluctuations and flickers. Further, a clustering method has been applied to estimate the probability of flicker severity in the network. Results show that the voltage quality concerns in the university network are currently complying with the limits specified by AS/NZS standards.