Residential PV Settings for MV-LV Networks: A Distributed Three-Phase AC OPF

Abstract

The operation of MV-LV networks with high penetrations of residential PV systems will require the active management of PV settings (curtailment). The conventional three-phase AC optimal power flow (OPF) has shown great potential, how-ever, its formulation as a single problem might not be scalable (i.e., solvable fast enough to be relevant). The added complexity due to multiple voltage levels and unbalance can further exacerbate this. An alternative is to break down the single OPF problem into multiple smaller subproblems but considering the interactions at their interfaces. Here, the distributed optimization algorithm alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is adopted to solve a three-phase AC OPF that calculates PV set-tings in MV-LV networks to avoid voltage and congestion problems. Its performance is assessed for different numbers of LV net-works (subproblems). Results show that the proposed algorithm is not only accurate but much faster than the conventional approach for large distribution networks.