Assessment of Distributed PV Hosting Capacity in the IEEE 13-Bus Distribution Network Via Binary Search Algorithm

Abstract

In recent years, renewable energies have experienced exponential growth in power systems. However, an excess of renewable energy in a specific area can generate reverse power flows in transmission lines, overvoltages, and overloads. Therefore, analyzing the hosting capacity in distribution systems is essential to ensure the proper integration of renewable energies into the distribution network. Initially, an IEEE 13-Bus Distribution Network was selected and modeled using OpenDSS software, and through the integration of Python with OpenDSS, a binary search algorithm was applied to determine the hosting capacity at each node. The results show that hosting capacity decreases as the distance from the substation increases and is higher when closer to it. Additionally, they reveal that high levels of uncontrolled renewable energy penetration can compromise the reliability of the electrical grid by exceeding critical technical limits, such as the current-carrying capacity of conductors, transformer overloads, and over-voltages. Based on the proposed methodology, it is possible to increase the hosting capacity of distribution networks with a proper integration strategy by monitoring the growth of renewable energy.