Fulfilling the standard EN 50160 in distribution networks with a high penetration of renewable energy system

This paper deals with power quality (PQ) analysis in the distribution power system, which has been done based on several measurement-campaigns. Due to a high penetration level of dispersed and renewable generation an increase of harmonics level in this system was expected. Therefore, the measurement data were evaluated according to the standard EN 50160. Generally, it was observed that the EN 50160 requirements are fulfilled, even though the considered distribution system was designed more than 20 years before the measurements were carried out and without taking into account the renewable generation. The current penetration level of renewables is equal to about 25 % and did not lead to a violation of EN 50160 required limits. Furthermore, the results of the analysis showed that it is possible, even without a highly-precise synchronization of the measurement (synchronization accuracy ca. 1 sec.), to identify the location of disturbance sources (e.g. automatic reclosing) within part of a distribution grid including several voltage levels.