Voltage Regulation in Low Voltage Distribution Networks Using Reactive Power Capability of Photovoltaic Inverters (PV) and PID Consensus Algorithm

The dominant measures taken in distribution networks to solve the problem of voltage instability include feeder reconfiguration techniques, allocation of capacitor banks, use of tap changers, etc. However, these traditional methods suffer from numerous problems. Many studies have been carried out to solve these problems in recent years. Compared with traditional methods, reactive power control (RPC) of photovoltaic (PV) inverters does not require additional investment, and given that PV inverters often function at a capacity below their rated value, the excess capacity can be utilized to assist in supplying reactive power to the grid. However, achieving voltage regulation in imbalanced distribution networks via RPC is a complex issue. Hence, the primary objective of this work is to utilize the reactive power capacity of photovoltaic inverters to achieve decentralized regulation of effective voltage of the network using a consensus algorithm and PID controller in two stages.