Photovoltaic generation effects on distribution feeders

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 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
140600* -- Solar Energy-- Photovoltaic Power Systems
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
240100 -- Power Systems-- (1990-)
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
296000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320106 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Equipment-- (1987-)
AC SYSTEMS
COMMERCIAL SECTOR
DIFFUSION
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
FEDERAL REGION I
FLUCTUATIONS
HARMONICS
HVAC SYSTEMS
IMPLEMENTATION
INSTALLATION
INTERFACES
INVERTERS
IRRADIATION
MASSACHUSETTS
MEASURING METHODS
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
OSCILLATIONS
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
POWER SUPPLIES
POWER SYSTEMS
PROBABILITY
PUBLIC UTILITIES
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
ROOFS
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPECIFICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TRANSIENTS
USA
VARIATIONS
VOLTAGE REGULATORS