A Local Voltage Regulator that Improves Energy Savings under Advanced Volt-Var Control

Today’s utility distribution engineers face a host of challenges, but there is way to drive maximum performance and flexibility from the existing distribution grid infrastructure. In this IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition Poster Session, Gridco Systems will discuss how to extract energy savings while satisfying emerging energy needs. Stop by to learn how Advanced Volt-Var Control (AVVC) systems offer distributed, dynamic and granular visibility and control to distribution system engineers working to comply with ANSI C84.1 standards while achieving broader goals, such as reducing energy consumption, managing peak capacity, or integrating Distributed Energy Resources (DERs).

Local voltage regulation provided by an AVVC system is a means for decoupling constraining loads in a distribution feeder that limit the effectiveness of conventional VVO approaches that rely solely on existing MV-oriented equipment and centralized software, such as today’s conservation voltage reduction (CVR) initiatives.  A local voltage regulator (LVR) enables complete decoupling from the feeder voltage while providing precise voltage to connected loads and RMS current reduction to the upstream feeder.  Fast-acting distributed power electronics acting on the edge of the grid are a natural solution for achieving this type of local voltage control.  In this session, we describe the implementation of a particular type of power electronics based LVR device, including basic theory of operation and functionality and test data.  We use this new LVR in distribution system models to estimate the energy savings impact on VVO/CVR for representative feeder classes.

This session will take place Wednesday, April 16, 2014 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Ballroom E (room W375e) of the West building at McCormick Place.