ICT in distribution networks with wind power generation to improve voltage profiles

Dispersed generation (DG) is today considered one of the most important openings for electric power systems in a liberalized energy market, able to join the increasing power demands and more and more pressing social and environmental constraints. In most cases, renewable power generation, such as wind power, solar power, or low head hydropower production, guarantees a low environmental impact and this fact is appealing to many people. However, no uniform demand of power by loads, of active power supplied and reactive power absorbed by wind power generators causes profile voltages and additional power losses. The paper investigates the possibility of adopting centralized control philosophies, based on information and communication technologies (ICT), to guarantee a greater efficiency, in terms of power losses and voltage profiles, in comparison with that assured by the existing local control techniques usually considered. In order to carry out steady state analysis, specific device models are introduced, an OPF simulator is implemented and tests on a real radial distribution network are run.