Analysis of Harmonics with Renewable Energy

Integration into the Distribution Network

1
GM Shafiullah, 2Amanullah MT Oo
1
School of Engineering and Information Technology, Murdoch University, Australia
2
School of Engineering, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Deakin University, Australia
1
Email: g.shafiullah@murdoch.edu.au

Abstract Integration of large-scale renewable energy (RE)
sources in particular, wind and solar energy into the grid
introduces current and voltage harmonics due to power
electronics devices as well as inverter connected into the RE
sources. Ensuring adequate harmonics in the line currents of RE
integrated power system is one of the biggest challenges today.
Therefore, this study investigates the potential impacts in
particular current and voltage harmonics causes due to large-
scale integration of RE into the Berserker Street Feeder,
Frenchville Substation under Rockhampton distribution
network (DN), Central Queensland, Australia. From the model
analyses, it has clearly evident that harmonics across the
network increases with the increase of RE integration and
causes uncertainties in the feeder as well as in the DN. This
study also explores possible mitigation measures and it has seen
that optimized STATCOM effectively reducing the adverse
harmonic impacts of integrating large-scale RE into the DN.
Index Terms Distribution network; Harmonics; Renewable
energy; STATCOM.
I. INTRODUCTION
The intermittent nature of renewable energy (RE) sources,
in particular solar and wind energy, has an impact on system
operations including voltage and frequency, harmonics and
power quality (PQ) in general, and influences the overall
performance of the power network as well as the distribution
network (DN). Inverters connected with RE sources, non-
linear customer loads and power electronics devices introduce
harmonics in the distribution network that causes overheating
of transformers, tripping of circuit breakers, and reduces the
life of connected equipment [1 - 4]. Therefore, harmonics is
one of the most dominant attributes that need to be kept in a
minimum level to ensure PQ of the network. Significant
research and development works are undertaken by various
agencies throughout the world to investigate and mitigate
harmonics in power system networks. The Gardner MA PV
project [5] explores four areas: the effect on the system in
steady state and during slow and cloud transients; responses of
concentrated PV under fast transients; harmonic effects on the
PV system; and the overall performance of distribution
system, in which the total impact of high penetration of PV
was evaluated. Results showed that 37% penetration of PV at
Gardner was achieved without any significant problems.
Asano et. al. [6], analyzed the impact of high penetration of
PV on grid frequency regulation which responds to short-term
irradiance transients due to clouds. It was shown that break-
even cost of PV is unacceptably high unless PV penetration
reaches 10% or higher. Therefore, PV integration needs to be
increased and impacts to be identified and mitigated.
Characteristics of harmonics injected into a wind energy
integrated power system were investigated with variety of
configuration and operating condition [7 - 10]. Muljadi et al.
[9] explored the characteristics of self-excitation and
harmonics generated by a fixed-speed induction generator
used in wind turbine generation. The tap changer, capacitor
compensator, the power factor, and the level of generation of
the wind turbine all influence the intensity of saturation as
well as the characteristics and amount of the harmonic source
injection. Power quality behaviors, in particular voltage sags
and harmonics injection into the network, were investigated in
a study [10] on integrating wind energy into low voltage and
medium voltage networks. A static synchronous compensator
(STATCOM) based control mechanism is used to reduce the
power quality problems as well as harmonics on integrating
renewable energy into the grid. From literature, it was evident
that STATCOMs are superior compared to other mitigation
methods such as static var compensator (SVCs) and series
saturated reactors, STATCOMs being faster, smaller and
having better performance at low-voltage conditions [11 - 13].
From the literature, it is observed that most of the available
research was carried out primarily in US and Europe [5 10].
However, Australian distribution network is different
compared to other developed countries in many forms in
particular, geographical location, weather conditions and
population density. Therefore, research conducted by other
countries could not simply be adopted without further research
in Australian context. Moreover, most of the research
considered for small-scale RE penetration in a small network.
This study developed a model that investigates the observed
potential challenges in particular harmonics injection into the [16] in which it was indicates that reasonable solar power is
grid using power system simulator PSS SINCAL [14]. The only available from 7:30am to 5:30pm, while peak solar
Berserker Street Feeder, Frenchville Substation, radiation is at 12:30pm. Hourly average summer wind speed
Rockhampton, was selected as a suitable site for investigation of Rockhampton, Australia is used for load flow analysis.
of large-scale deployment of RE into the grid. By increasing
PV/wind integration into the network, the points at which TABLE I. CONNECTED LOAD IN DIFFERENT ZONES
distributed generation starts to have an impact on utility grid Zone Name Conventional Load Connected
operations has investigated with regards to network Name Centre Load,
or Node kVA
performance standards. Worst-case scenarios were identified
Number
and measures were taken to reduce the level of adverse Observation Zone 1 Zone 1 8 1175.07
harmonics impacts. Observation Zone 2 Zone 2_Feeder 1 7 761.584
II. MODEL DEVELOPMENT Observation Zone 3 Zone 3_Feeder 1 7 910.418
Observation Zone 4 Zone 4_Feeder 2 6 826.595
To investigate the impacts of RE integration to support the
Observation Zone 5 Zone 5_Feeder 2 9 1100.81
loading of a Feeder, this study developed a model for
Berserker St Feeder, Frenchville. Berserker Street Feeder
comprises 1442 industrial and residential customers with a
connected load of 4775 kVA. A 66/11 kV transformer with a
capacity of 6250 kVA delivers power to the customer. Ergon
Energy [15] as a local distribution network service provider
(DNSP) is fully responsible for smooth delivery of electricity
to the customers in the Berserker Street Feeder.
To monitor the PQ of the Feeder, Ergon Energy installed
an EDMI MK 10 PQ meter (PQ metering site 1689) in the LV
side of the transformer (TX: 20127) on Berserker Street
Feeder, Frenchville Substation. This PQ meter measures phase
voltages with angles, phase unbalance condition and voltage
harmonic distortion of the zone feeders. This case study
initially explored the PQ meter data and analyses the potential
PQ issues with their level of impacts on the feeder as well as
in the DN. Currently only 1% PV of total loading is integrated Figure 1: Single-phase load and PV connection.
with the feeder and hence, these results are mostly based on
the connected customer load along with line impedances.
In line with the original network facility stated above, a
III. MODELLING CASE SCENARIOS
66/11kV step-down transformer with a capacity of 6250KVA
was considered in the Frenchville Substation to deliver power Considering feeder load demand and future RE integration
supply in the Feeder. The zero sequence resistance and several case scenarios were considered and accordingly
reactance of the step-down transformer is 1.29 ohm and 25.84 developed the model. Actual line length and impedances are
ohm with 8% short circuit voltage. This case study, considered for all of the studied case scenarios. The case
subdivided the feeder into two zone feeders and several zone scenarios considered in this case study are:
observation points to observe adverse harmonics effects on to x Case 1: Grid with only load.
the different points of the distribution network. Number of x Case 2: Grid with 20% PV integration as shown
load centres with connected load of each Zone is given in in Figure 2.
Table 1. x Case 3: Grid with 50% PV integration.
Three phase HV load was transformed to three single x Case 4: Grid with 50% wind integration.
phase loads with equal amount through an 11kV/415V DT as
x Case 5: Grid with 100% PV integration.
shown in Figure 1 and hence, zone wise load allocation
x Case 6: Grid with 100% wind integration.
remains the same. Single phase RE was connected in the LV
side of the DT as shown in Figure 1 and the amount of PV and x Case 7: Grid with 100% PV and 150% Load
wind depends on the percentage of load demand based on demand.
considered case scenarios. Losses until inverter and inverter x Case 8: Grid with 100% PV integration in
efficiency were considered 5% and 97% respectively both for centralised approach: Instead of distributed PV
PV and wind. connection with individual loads this case
Daily load profiles of Rockhampton for summer was used considered centralised PV connection with each
in this study in which it was shown that maximum load was of the zone observation point. The considered
measured at 2:00PM. A PV load profile was generated for this centralised installation was 100 m apart from the
study in p.u. values from the hourly average summer solar zone observation point. This centralised
radiation of Rockhampton, Australia collected from the BOM generation expected to be deliver electricity to the
 local customer located around the zone
observation point.
x Case 9: Grid with 100% wind integration in
centralised approach: In this case centralised wind
generation was considered into the feeder and
connected only one location in each zone.
x Case 10: Grid with 200% RE integration in both
decentralised and centralised approach: In this
case, 100% PV of total loading was connected
with decentralised connection and 100% wind of
total loading was connected with centralized
connection approach.
Figure 2: PV integration with the Feeder.
IV. RESULTS ANALYSIS
The total voltage harmonic distortion of Berserker Street
Feeder in summer and winter was measured based on the
collected EDMI PQ meter data. It was shown that total voltage
harmonic distortion in the month of January (summer) is 1.8%
as shown in Figure 3, while in the month of July (winter) it is
2.0%. The model developed with case scenario one (Case 1)
considers only load with grid connection; hence model results
of this case can be compared with the PQ meter results. Total
voltage harmonic distortions for summer in different
observation nodes in the feeder were investigated and it was
shown that THD across the Zone Transformer (ZT)
transformer is 1.75% and across the Zone 3 Feeder 1 is 1.72%.
Therefore, it can be stated that observed THD is almost
identical to the THD obtained from collected data and the
model results were validated by the real live EDMI meter data
with negligible error. This study further explored the THD of
the Feeder considering different RE integration and load
demand.
Voltage harmonic distortion of different studied case
scenarios are shown in Figure 4 in which it is evident that
voltage harmonics in different observation points increase
with the increase of RE integration and load demand. Voltage
harmonics increases with the increase of PV generation into
the Feeder as shown in for Case 2, Case 3 and Case 5.
Harmonic distortion is also increased with the increase of load
demand as shown for Case 7 compared to Case 5 (both Case 5
and Case 7 have the same amount of PV connections).
Voltage harmonic distortion increases significantly with the
integration of wind turbine into the feeders compared to solar
PV integration as shown in Figure 3 for Case 4 and Case 6.
However, a centralized connection approach reduces the
voltage harmonic distortion significantly as shown in Case 8
and Case 9 for PV and wind energy respectively. Voltage
harmonic distortion is less in Case 10 compared to Case 4 and
Case 6, though 200% RE of total loading was integrated in
this case (100% PV in a decentralized approach and 100%
wind in a centralized approach). Voltage harmonic distortion
across the HV DN and LV DN is shown in Figure 5 in which
it can be seen that harmonic distortion approaching the
regulatory limits as stated in AS4777 [17] occurs across the
LV network for Case 4, Case 6 and Case 7, while being within
the safe limits in the HV DN. Case 2, Case 3 and Case 5 have
the same system configurations except for the level of PV
integration, and total voltage harmonics distortion in the LV
network for Case 2, Case 3 and Case 4 are 2.56%, 2.83% and
3.16% respectively.
Figure 3: Voltage harmonic distortion from EDMI meter.
Harmonic current is of most concern as most of the
adverse effects in the distribution network are caused due to
these currents. From the simulation results it is clearly
indicated that current harmonics increase with the increase of
RE integration into the Berserker Street Feeder as well as into
the DN. Total current harmonic distorion at different
observation zone points is shown in Figure 6 in which it is
clearly indicated that harmonic distotion increases with the
increase of PV array utlisation. Case 2, Case 3 and Case 5 are
the same conditions except for variations in the level of PV
integration into the network. THDs for Case 1, Case 2, Case 3
and Case 5 are 3.02%, 3.71%, 5.49% and 8.42% respectively
across the Zone Transformer in which Case 5 exceeded the
regulatory standard limit as shown in Figure 6. From the
figure, it can be clearly stated that current harmonic distortion
is higher for wind (Case 6) compared to same amount of solar
PV (Case 5) integration. Current harmonic distortion for Case
7 is reduced to 6.9% due to increased load demand. Current
harmonic distortion was reduced in the case of centralised PV
connections (Case 8) compared to decentralised PV
connections (Case 5). 200% integration of total loading (Case
10) reduces current harmonic distortion as this system
generates more power than the household load demand and
causes reverse power flow in the system. Therefore, current
harmonic distortion at most of the observation points is within
the safety allowable limits as shown in Figure 6 except Case 4,
Case 5 and Case 6.
 Figure 4: THD for studied cases.

Figure 5: THD across HV DN and LV DN.

From analysis of the results it was shown that current
harmonic distortion exceeded the regulatory limits for
100% PV integration and both 50% and 100% wind
integration. Therefore, it can be stated that wind energy
injected more voltage and current harmonics into the feeder
than the solar PV. Voltage and current harmonic distortion
was less in the centralised connection approach than the
decentralised connection approach. It can be concluded that
use of power electronic devices along with intermittent
generation causes harmonics in the system. Therefore, this
study explores the possible mitigation measures that can
potentially reduce the adverse harmonics impacts caused by
large-scale RE integration.

Figure 6: Current harmonic distortion of feeders.

 V. OPTIMISATION MEASURES 3, Feeder 1 as shown in Figure 10. The total current
harmonic distortions across the zone transformer are 3.8%
STATCOM is the best performing device compared to and 1.39% for Base Case and Case A respectively.
other flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices
for reducing voltage fluctuations and harmonics as well as
improving the PQ of the DN. Therefore, this study explores
possible mitigation measures by developing a model with
STATCOM. PSS SINCAL [14] has a built in STATCOM
model with further modifications facility. This study has
developed an optimized STATCOM which was connected
in a centralized connection approach at the observation
node points and bus bars. Specifications of the
STATCOMs were selected for different observation nodes
considering load demand and RE integration levels. To
explore the mitigation outcomes, the case scenarios that had
the highest generation from RE were considered as the
Base Case.
x Base Case Grid with 100% PV in decentralized Figure 8: Berserker Street Feeder with STATCOM.
and 100% wind in centralized connection
approaches (Case Scenario 10).
x Case A STATCOM was integrated with the
Base Case.
A three-phase STATCOM was designed with 250
kVAR capacitive and 50 kVAR inductive reactive power in
which the zero sequence resistance and reactance were
assigned as 0.567 ohm and 0.453 ohm respectively as
shown in Figure 7. The lower and upper voltage limits were
considered as 95% and 105% of the rated voltage
respectively. One STATCOM was connected in each
observation node, and hence a total of five STATCOMs
were integrated with the feeder as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 9: Voltage harmonic distortion of the feeder.

Figure 7: Specifications of STATCOM for Berserker Street Feeder.

Integration of STATCOM reduces total voltage

harmonic distortion of the Berserker Street Feeder
significantly as shown in Figure 9 for Case A. Voltage
harmonic distortions in Zone 5, Feeder 2 are 2.61% and
0.71% for Base Case and Case A respectively. Voltage
harmonic distortions in the LV network of the feeder are
3.04% and 1.13% for Base Case and Case A respectively.
The total current harmonic distortion also decreases
with the integration of STATCOM in the Berserker Street
Feeder. Integration of optimized STATCOM decreases
current harmonic distortion from 3.79% to 3.04% in Zone
Figure 10: Total current harmonic distortion for all cases.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the proposed
approach plays an active role in reducing both current and
voltage harmonics in the Berserker Street Feeder as well as
in the Rockhampton power network.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
A model was developed for Berserker Street Feeder
under the Rockhampton DN to investigate adverse
harmonic impacts on integrating large-scale RE into the
grid. From model analyses it was shown that harmonic
distortion is increases with the increased integration of RE
into the grid. Current harmonic distortion exceeded the
regulatory limits for 100% PV integration and both 50%
and 100% wind integration, and hence it can be stated that
wind energy injected more harmonics into the feeder than
the solar PV. Moreover, harmonic distortion decreases in
the centralized connection approach compared to
decentralized connection. This study updated the model
with optimized STATCOM to explore suitable mitigation
measures and from the analyses it was evident that the
updated model reduces the total voltage and current
harmonic distortion significantly. The outcome of the study
expected to be used as a guideline to the utilities for
integrating large-scale renewable energy sources into the
grid as well as developing a sustainable power system.
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