A Low Voltage Smart Grid Control Strategy with Power Quality Issues

The paper deals with Smart Grids including renewable generation units, in particular concentrated photovoltaic systems and plug-in vehicles fleets. DG units and fleets are interfaced to the grid through static converters. Several services are performed thanks to the converters presence, with objectives aimed at meeting needs either internal or external to the Smart Grid. Optimization constrained problems are formulated and properly solved in order to perform the services in the best economical and technical way. Among the objectives to meet, the proposed optimal control strategy includes Power Quality issues such as the minimization of waveform distortions as well as the optimization of the voltage profile at fundamental frequency. A numerical application on a 30-bus low voltage Smart Grid test system gives evidence of the effectiveness of the proposed procedure.