Photovoltaic generation effects on distribution feeders

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:7079842

As the electric utility industry looks to diversify and expand its energy mix, more and more attention is being focused on alternate energy sources such as roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) generation systems. The principal objective of this research project is to determine if present designs for distributed photovoltaic generation equipment will operate without detrimental effect on either the utility system or the customer owned equipment. Grid-connected, roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) systems have been installed by the New England Electric system Companies on 30 houses in Gardner, Massachusetts. Each installation includes a 2 kW inverter to convert the dc output of the PV array to 240 V ac thus permitting a direct connection to the house electrical distribution panel. Selection of the houses comprising the Gardner Model PV Community was predicated on establishing a high saturation of inverters as may become typical on New England distribution feeders in the next century. Accordingly, all 30 PV houses are in one neighborhood on the very end of one phase of a 13.8 kV feeder. 19 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA); New England Power Service Co., Westborough, MA (USA); Ascension Technology, Lincoln Center, MA (USA); Electric Research and Management, Inc., State College, PA (USA); Worcester Polytechnic Inst., MA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: EPRI
• OSTI ID: 7079842
• Report Number(s): EPRI-EL-6754-Vol.1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
COMMERCIAL SECTOR
DIFFUSION
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUCTUATIONS
HARMONICS
HVAC SYSTEMS
IMPLEMENTATION
INSTALLATION
INTERFACES
INVERTERS
IRRADIATION
MASSACHUSETTS
MEASURING METHODS
MONITORING
POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
PROBABILITY
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
ROOFS
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SPECIFICATIONS
TRANSIENTS
VOLTAGE REGULATORS
AC SYSTEMS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
FEDERAL REGION I
NORTH AMERICA
OSCILLATIONS
POWER SUPPLIES
POWER SYSTEMS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
USA
VARIATIONS
140600* - Solar Energy- Photovoltaic Power Systems
240100 - Power Systems- (1990-)
296000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Electric Power
320106 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Building Equipment- (1987-)