Research and development of real-time voltage control and loss minimization method in power distribution grids using micro-PMU and distributed reactive power generation

Enbala Power Networks Inc., a Canadian leader in distributed energy resource management, and the University of British Columbia, Okanagan have teamed up to develop real-time voltage control and loss minimization method for power distribution grids integrating large-scale renewable energy sources. The proposed method uses micro-Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) and distributed reactive power control to achieve real-time voltage control and transmission loss minimization. The proposed method will be implemented in Enbalas industrial control platform Symphony Control, and will be tested using OPAL-RT real-time simulator in UBCO power lab. It is expected that the proposed real-time voltage control method will improve voltage quality and grid efficiency when large-scale non-dispatchable renewable energy, e.g. solar and winding generations, are integrated in power distribution grids. The research and development efforts will help Enbala maintaining its leadership in distributed energy resource management and smart grid technologies.

Faculty Supervisor:

Liwei Wang

Student:

Brittney Kerns

Partner:

Enbala Power Networks Inc

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Energy

University:

Program: