Conservation by Voltage Reduction Using a Single-Phase Residential Static VAR Compensator

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

2018

Abstract

Conservation by Voltage Reduction (CVR) is the implementation of a distribution voltage strategy whereby all voltages are lowered to the minimum allowed by the equipment manufacturer. This is a consequence of the observation that loads with primarily impedance only characteristics consume less power when they are fed with a voltage lower than nominal. By reducing feeder voltages, especially during peak demand hours, utilities will benefit through lower energy losses and lower peak generation capacity. Although CVR holds great potential in saving energy, it has been overlooked due to problems associated with cost, implementation, and loads which border on undervoltage violations during peak loading hours. There exists a need to develop a smart demand-side management device based on the concept of CVR that helps in regulating residential voltages, especially during heavy loading where the lowest voltage loads dictate the substation voltage for the distribution feeder. This paper investigates a solution to the CVR problem based on the novel concept of a Residential Static VAR Compensator (RSVC) for regulating residential voltages on distribution feeders.

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