The emphasis of this article is on the power aspects of Distributed Generation, and only a cursory description of the relevant issue with the technologies is given. Also, the Internet contains a multitude of resources on Distributed Generation. A word of caution- As with all things on the Internet, it is good to maintain a healthy scepticism of any material [...]
The main types of electrical system interfaces are: 1. Synchronous Machines 2. Asynchronous (Induction) Machines 3. Electronic Power Inverters. Type # 1. Synchronous Machines: Even though synchronous machines use old technology, are common on power systems, and are well understood, there are some concerns when they are applied in grid parallel Distributed Generation applications. They are the primary type of [...]
Deploying generation along utility distribution systems naturally creates some conflicts because the design of the system assumes only one source of power. A certain amount of generation can be accommodated without making any changes. At some point, the conflicts will be too great and changes must be made. In this article, several of the operating conflicts that can result in [...]
The service transformer used for interconnection can have a great influence on the impact that Distributed Generation will have on the power quality. The advantages and disadvantages of the common three-phase transformer connections are: 1. Grounded Wye-Wye Connection: It is favored because of its reduced susceptibility to ferroresonance on cable-fed loads and fewer operating restrictions when being switched for maintenance. [...]
The main power quality issues affected by Distributed Generation are: 1. Voltage Regulation 2. Sustained Interruptions 3. Harmonics 4. Voltage Sags. Issue # 1. Voltage Regulation: This is often the most limiting factor for how much Distributed Generation can be accommodated on a distribution feeder without making changes. It may initially seem that Distributed Generation should be able to improve [...]