Optimal PV Inverter Control for Network Voltage and Power Factor Regulation

Increasing the installation of photovoltaic systems (PV) in the distribution network poses challenges for maintaining grid stability. In the case that the PV power is higher than the load, reverse active power flow causes the network voltage to rise. The reverse flow also affects the power factor ( $pf$ ) in any bus connected to a load. To keep the voltage and $pf$ within limits and maximize the active power of PV systems, a decentralized power dispatch control (DPDC) design is shown. This control strategy utilizes the reactive power of the PV system to keep the voltage and $pf$ at an allowable level while not exceeding the PV capacity and reactive power limits. The method is validated by a MATLAB simulation and is compared to a simple on/off overvoltage control (OVC).