Optimal Allocation of Reactive Power Compensation in a Distribution Network with Photovoltaic System Integration

This article aims to introduce a complete design for a solar photovoltaic (PV) system integrated with a distribution network. According to the nature of solar power generation, the designed PV system would be able to supply the load only through day hours and the additional power needed for the rest of the day can be obtained from the grid. The growing level of penetration of solar power generation requires reactive power compensation to ensure the security and reliability, voltage profile and high efficiency of the system. This can be achieved through two stages. At first, backward forward sweep method (BFS) is used to calculate active and reactive power losses and the voltage profile. Secondly, particle swarm optimization technique (PSO) is applied to find the optimal ratings and locations of reactive capacitors by considering single and multi-objective functions. The proposed algorithm is applied on the 33-bus IEEE test system. The results show the capability and efficiency of this algorithm.