A Comparative Performance Evaluation of Distributed Generation and D-STATCOM for Power Loss Reduction and Voltage Profile Improvement of Addis West 8 Feeder

Abstract

The electric power system is concerned with the process of generating, transmitting, and utilizing electrical energy. The need for electrical power is increasing from time to time as people's living standards change. As a result, distribution feeders that transport power from the substation to the customer face several problems, including power loss, low voltage profiles, frequent and prolonged power interruptions at customer locations, and the lowest voltage levels at system nodes. Addis West Distribution Feeder similarly faces this kind of problem. Major issues of the feeder are the high frequency of interruptions, power losses, and voltage drops. This thesis used the optimal sizing and placement of distribution static compensators (D-STATCOM) and solar based distributed generation (DG) in the Addis West distribution system's (F-8) distribution feeder to reduce power loss and voltage variation. The Addis West (F-8) distribution system comprises 80 branches and 81 buses. The distribution feeder's load flow analysis was simulated in MATLAB using the backward/forward sweep algorithm to calculate power loss and voltage deviation. The existing system's actual and reactive power losses are 803.5806KW and 623.5872KVAr, respectively. The particle swarm optimization algorithm was used to solve a multi-objective optimization issue involving total real power loss, total reactive power loss, and voltage variation for optimal DG and D-STATCOM siting and sizing. The simulation results were tested by considering base case (case -I), Only DG integration (case II), and only D- STATCOM integration (case III). The simulation result indicates that active power loss reduction percentages were 66.97% and 34.911% for cases II and case III. Similarly, reactive power loss reduction percentages were 67.03% and 34.99% for the same scenarios. Additionally, the minimum voltage level in the base case improved from 0.9215 p.u. to 0.9782 p.u, 0.9882 p.u. Therefore, based on the results, DG units such as solar panels reduce active and reactive power loss more than DSTATCOM, while DSTATCOM mitigates voltage profile and improves system stability more than DG. in terms of cost, DG investment cost is 3,301,592 $, while DSTATCOM's cost is 49,537.03$ with less payback period as compared to DG but DG can generate electricity, alleviating the burden on the distribution line, and also sale its energy.