Interaction of multiple distributed energy resources in voltage regulation

Distributed energy resources (DE) with power electronics (PE) interfaces with the right control are capable of providing reactive power related ancillary services; voltage regulation in particular has drawn much attention. In this paper the problem of how to coordinate control multiple DEs to regulate the local voltage in the distribution system is addressed. A control method for voltage regulation using the DE PE controller is presented and based on the proposed control scheme; the voltage regulation of a distribution system with one DE and two DEs are tested, respectively. The factors affecting the gain parameters of the PE controller are investigated. The simulation results show that the parameters of the controller determine its dynamic response for voltage regulation and the factors associated with the network characteristics, such as locations of DEs and the amount of load, affect the impact range of the controller. The research work presented in this paper can be potentially used for the control system design of Smart Grid or Utility of the Future.