The Impact of Photovoltaic Installations on Changes in Voltage Levels in the Low-Voltage Network

Anna Gawlak and Mirosław Kornatka ()
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Anna Gawlak: Department of Electrical Engineering, Czestochowa University of Technology, 42-200 Czestochowa, Poland
Mirosław Kornatka: Department of Electrical Engineering, Czestochowa University of Technology, 42-200 Czestochowa, Poland

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: Due to the dynamic increase in the number of prosumer electrical installations in Poland, one may observe many negative effects of their development, including the deterioration of energy quality parameters and the reliability of the existing distribution network. The installation of solar panels in Polish homes was mainly motivated by economic reasons. One of the most important problems of the distribution network is the increase in voltage. The aim of this work was to develop a practical method for determining the maximum voltage changes caused by the connection of photovoltaic installations. To accomplish this, a representative low-voltage overhead line, typical of those found in Poland, was modeled using the NEPLAN software. More than 100 distinct simulations were conducted, exploring various locations and power capacities of photovoltaic installations and utilizing authentic annual profiles for both electrical loads and photovoltaic generation. From the analysis of the data obtained, relationships that enable the determination of voltage changes induced by photovoltaic connections at any node within the low-voltage circuit were established. The computational results derived from this simplified model demonstrate sufficient accuracy for practical applications, and the required input data is accessible to distribution system operators.

Keywords: distribution network; operating condition network; voltage levels; photovoltaics; power quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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