Extended Sensitivity-Aware Reactive Power Dispatch Algorithm for Smart Inverters with Multiple Control Modes
Mohammad Almomani, Ahmed Alkhonain, Venkataramana Ajjarapu
TL;DR
This paper tackles voltage regulation in distribution networks with high DER penetration by extending sensitivity-aware reactive power dispatch to manage smart inverters operating in PQ, PV, and VV modes, enabling distribution networks to function as virtual power plants (VPPs). It develops a linear AC-OPF framework that integrates DER representations, Volt-Var curves, and a sensitivity-driven objective to optimize reactive power dispatch and voltage setpoints in real time. Key contributions include modeling DERs with incidence matrices, formulating a linear dispatch with a sensitivity-based objective, and validating against nonlinear simulations on IEEE 13-bus and 123-bus systems; results show maximum voltage errors below $0.015$ pu and fast solution times (under 0.5 s for large systems). The approach offers scalable, decentralized voltage support that can coordinate with transmission operations, enhancing the autonomy and resilience of distribution networks as VPPs.
Abstract
The increasing integration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) in distribution networks presents new challenges for voltage regulation and reactive power support. This paper extends a sensitivity-aware reactive power dispatch algorithm tailored to manage smart inverters operating under different control modes, including PQ, PV, and Volt-Var (VV). The proposed approach dynamically optimizes reactive power dispatch and voltage setpoints, enabling effective coordination among distribution systems as a virtual power plant (VPP) to support the transmission network. The algorithm is applied to the IEEE 13-bus and IEEE-123 bus test systems, and its performance is validated by comparing results with OpenDSS simulations across various operating scenarios. Results show that the maximum error in the voltages is less than 0.015 pu.