Selection of distributed generation for distribution network: A study in multi-criteria framework

The worsening misalignment between energy demand and supply with major consequences on energy prices, threat of disruptive climate change and erosion of energy security have given momentum towards utilization of distributed generation (DG) technologies. However, proper choice of DG technology and its location and size in the distribution network have become a very challenging issue. This paper analyzes the scope of six different DG technologies namely solar photovoltaic, wind turbine, biomass, fuel cell, diesel engine and gas turbine for a distribution network in the district of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. Analytical hierarchy process has been used to choose proper type of DG for the region considering technical, economical and environmental aspect. A weighted aggregation based multi-objective particle swarm optimization technique is employed to determine location and size of the DG in the distribution network. The optimization technique considers power and voltage constraints and generates potential solution to minimize power losses and maximize voltage stability level of the network.