Effects of high penetration levels of residential photovoltaic generation: Observations from field data

Photovoltaic (PV) generation technologies, often deemed a viable solution for reducing greenhouse gases and decreasing electricity demand, have become increasingly prevalent in their deployment. Particular progress in their implementation has been evidenced in residential areas characterized by rooftop-mounted PV arrays. Aside from the known advantages provided by residential PV generation, one noteworthy disadvantage confronting the electric utility is the degradation of power factor when grid-tied PV sources are extensively integrated into the electrical distribution system. In this paper, the effect of PV sources on power factor is studied using recorded field data from a residential community that is part of a large-scale smart grid demonstration project in Austin, Texas.