Abstract

Distributed generation is one of the most accepted strategies to attend the increase in electrical demand around the world. Since 2014, Colombian government agencies have enacted laws and resolutions to promote and regulate the introduction of different generation technologies into the country’s electrical system. The incorporation of distributed generation systems into conventional distribution networks can cause problems if technical studies are not previously carried out to determine the consequences of the start of the operations of these new generation technologies. This scenario represents a new challenge for distribution networks operators because they must ensure that their systems can integrate these new generation sources without affecting the correct operation of the grid. In this article, the IEEE 13 nodes system is modified by incorporating the load curves of the three types of consumers in the Colombian electricity market into the model. Additionally, distributed generation systems from non-conventional sources of energy are integrated into two system nodes in order to perform a quasi-dynamic analysis of the different electrical variables, which can be used to determine the impact of these new technologies on a local distribution system. The voltage profiles and active and reactive power do not show considerable changes in the behavior of the electrical network; however, in the simulation scenarios where distributed generators are operating, the system exhibits a considerable increase in lines losses. There are two alternatives to manage these unusual levels in the operation of the nodes with distributed generation: (1) operating these new DG nodes in islanded mode or (2) strengthening the local distribution system through the implementation of new distribution lines in the network.

Authors and Affiliations