A sustainable approach for integrating distributed solar PV generation into Sri Lankan electrical grid

Abstract

Sri Lanka is an island with many accessible renewable energy resources. But the poorpenetration of these resources to generate electricity, has continued the use of conventionalpower generation, resulting continuous emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.Therefore, high penetration of renewable energy could lead to minimizing the greenhousegas emissions and petroleum dependency of a country. To achieve this, a sustainableapproach is required which considers both economic and technical aspects in the long term. In this research, a sustainable approach for integrating renewable energy into an electricalgrid is proposed by using Sri Lankan electrical grid as a case study. First, the renewableenergy integration models in the literature is revised and selected a suitable model for thisresearch. Then, an economic analysis is performed by using Hybrid Optimization Model forElectric Renewable (HOMER) legacy version 2.68 to obtain the best system configurationconsidering cost optimization. After that, the HOMER chosen system configuration is testedfor its technical compatibility. To perform the technical analysis, Open Distribution SystemSimulator (OpenDSS) software is used. However, solar resource is used as the onlyrenewable energy resource in this research, due to the easiness to perform technical analysis.In the technical analysis, a real distribution feeder in Sri Lanka is modelled and tested thefeeder for voltage violations while penetrating rooftop solar systems into the feeder. Also, acriterion based Photovoltaic (PV) hosting capacity is defined to the feeder as an importantfinding by the technical analysis. The outcome of this research is a sustainable approach for integrating renewable energy intoan electrical grid, more precisely to the distribution network of Sri Lankan grid. Thisapproach is sustainable because it is economically and technically sustainable. Such that, thisapproach could be adopted to plan renewable energy integration models in long run.