Reactive power compensation sizing and location

Partners: ETHZ (FEN)
Duration: 03/2020 - 07/2020
Funding: Swiss utility
Project Leader: ETHZ (FEN)
Project Team: Dr. Turhan Demiray

Determine the optimal reactive power compensation for a Swiss distribution utility considering different design-relevant grid use-cases (variants) in order to

keep the voltages within the limits, and
remain within the free "Q energy band" in terms of reactive power at the feed-in points to the Swissgrid transmission grid according to the "voltage support concept 2020"

Substation voltages are already above the limits during off-peak periods
The semi-active role in Swissgrid's new "voltage support concept 2020" sets incentives for a compliant reactive power exchange with the transmission grid.

Developping the AC optimal power flow model for the utility network
Formulating the AC-OPF problem
Determining the optimal reactive power compensation (location and size) using in-house tool: FlexOPF

Figure: Overivew of data preparation and optimisation steps — Overview of data preparation and optimisation steps for the evaluation of the reactive power compensation.

Figure: Compliant reactive power exchange for semi-active participants — Compliant reactive power exchange for semi-active participants