Full disclosure. I am ex utility and am asking the questions as devil's advocate for others that think the utility is being over conservative. The original question was whether there were real world examples to make the utility positions understandable.
Stevenal: Just went through the Sandia report. Now I read it I suspect that's the source of the utility concerns. As you say it is now 10 years old and much has changed in that time. I will try checking the references from DB but of course the ones that would be the most interesting would be...
So let's just follow that thread. Let's assume the issue is the quality of the interconnection protection and the cost. Can the protection in the inverters be upgraded to provide that functionality? They are made to standards but do the standards adequately reflect what utilities need?
There are a number of standards but IEEE 1547 is the benchmark. The point the utility makes is that the inverters are tested on their own not with other inverters or generation even though 1547 implies the anti islanding test simulates other inverters on the feeder. But whether it does or not...
When the solar PV generation industry talks to utilities about connecting projects the conversation sometimes seems to be about whether the internal protection of the inverters is adequate to detect faults or loss of supply on the utility grid even though the inverters are certified with...
Not bad actually. It would still need the mid feeder regulator but the intrinsic VAr consumption seems to settle the voltage down quite well.
Bit of a starting problem though. Would need some TLC to get it going without dragging the feeder voltage down.
But there must be a catch. What is...
I meant more figuratively rather than literally.
Actually I am using software and that's what alerted me to the problem and I'm pleased to report that when I model the suggestions above they work.
It goes something like this. If utility reduces taps to get their voltage down to 103% then at...
I want to thank everyone for their input. I am now newly converted to the notion of operating the generator underexcited and the absorption of VArs as one possible mitigation measure and a bi-directional regulator halfway along the feeder as another.
One thing to keep in mind with some of the...
David
That simple huh? My background is distribution where we did not have distributed generation so this DG is all new and adjusting to the notion of increasing VArs and increased losses just doesn't sit well. Guess I'll just have to get with the program.
If you got paid for all the great...
I am assessing the impact of a 1600 kW synchronous generator located approximately 15 kM out from a 13.8 kV substation. There is no regulation on the feeder and the utility maintains a fixed tap that maxes the voltage at the sub out at about 106% which results in 101% at feeder end at peak...
