By Gary Rackliffe, Vice President, Smart Grids North America at ABB

If Upland Power & Light is typical, Fred’s engineering probably estimates that it loses about 10 percent of electric energy during transmission and distribution – with about 40 percent of the losses occurring on the electrical distribution network.  A significant portion of these distribution losses can be attributed to inefficient distribution transformers, which account for about 30 percent of the T&D losses.

Upland Power & Light might have potential to significantly reduce the distribution network losses through Voltage and VAR Optimization (VVO). Using real-time information, online system modeling, optimization software, and discrete device controls, VVO can optimize the distribution networks to minimize losses – easing brownouts and power outages during periods of peak demand.  Feeder energy losses can be reduced by 4 to 5 percent at many utilities.

Most encouraging is that a company such as Upland Power & Light can implement a VVO solution from ABB within 12 months. The VVO application monitors the distribution network and computes the optimal distribution control settings for switchable capacitors, line voltage regulators, and tap changers of voltage regulating transformers. 

The VVO application performs the optimization by minimizing a weighted function of demand, losses, and voltage/current violations in three-phase balanced, unbalanced and meshed distribution systems.  The process addresses power-factor correction and conservation voltage reduction as part of the optimization process, and each iteration includes solving the three-phase unbalanced load flow using a network model of the distribution system.

System components include the optimization software, feeder communications for monitoring the feeders and to control the feeder apparatus, communications-enabled controllers for the apparatus, sensor technologies, and the controllable capacitors, line voltage regulators, and transformer tap changers.

Voltage regulator control typically is not well-coordinated with the local capacitor controls in situations where capacitors in the distribution system have not been optimized.

Implementing the VVO application will enable Fred’s team to minimize the peak demand and reduce real power losses.  These results will defer the need for additional generation, transmission, and substation capacity; reduce fuel and power purchases; and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  During peak demand, the VVO application will reduce the stress on the system.

Gary Rackliffe is Vice President, Smart Grids North America at ABB. His responsibilities include strategic partnerships and marketing and product strategies. He has more than 25 years of industry experience in both transmission and distribution; is co-author of a book on T&D planning, and has published several technical papers. In early 2010, Gary was named by Greentech Media as one of the Top 100 Movers and Shakers of the Smart Grid.

>> Click here to see the solution from Clinton Davis, Industry Solution Manager, Smart Grid, for Ventyx, an ABB company.

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