Voltage profile and power losses of 11 kV Erbil city distribution power system incorporated with Solar Photovoltaic System

Abstract

The rapid growth in electricity demand in Erbil city due to the city's massive expansion has led to significant challenges in the distribution power system. This increase has resulted in various issues within the distribution power system, including voltage profile drops, power losses, and a decline in power quality. To minimize the losses and raise the voltage to acceptable levels, Renewable Energy Sources (RES), particularly solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, could be placed within the system in optimum locations. In this paper, the problematic points in the 11 kV system were identified, and a Solar Photovoltaic System with a capacity of 1 MW was incorporated into the 11 kV bus bars to reduce the power loss and increase the voltage profile in the locations that suffer from voltage drop, using the Electrical Transient Analyzer Program (ETAP) software. This implementation led to a significant improvement in voltage levels that are compatible with international standards and the Ministry of Electricity of the Kurdistan Region's objectives, which permits a ±10% voltage fluctuation in 11 kV distribution networks. In addition to the reduction in power losses by 5.18 % compared to the system without Solar Photovoltaic System integration. However, installing a 1 MW Solar Photovoltaic system requires a suitable area of lands. In cases where such space is not available, the best option is to utilize flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS) devices. While flexible alternating current transmission systems devices only work with reactive power, Solar Photovoltaic systems can control both active and reactive power, making it a more comprehensive option when possible.