Cost-benefit analysis of wind power integra-tion in distribution networks

• Published in: Journal of energy in Southern Africa Vol. 33; no. 1
• Main Authors: Zietsman, M., Adefarati, T., Bansal, R.C., Naidoo, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 17-03-2022
• ISSN: 1021-447X; 2413-3051
• DOI: 10.17159/2413-3051/2022/v33i1a9344

The capacity of power generation note needs to be increased globally, owing to population growth and industrial revolution. The conventional power plant across the world is inadequate to satisfy growing power demand. By optimally sizing and designing the clusters of renewable energy sources such as wind, microgrid operators can economically and environmentally sustainably provide a clean power solution that can increase the supply of electricity. Wind power (WP) generation can be utilised to reduce the stress on the power plants by minimising the peak demands in constrained distribution networks. Benefits of WP include increased energy revenue, increased system reliability, investment deferment, power loss reduction, and environmental pollution reduction. These will strengthen the performance of the power system and bring economic value to society. Moreover, many challenges are considered when integrating WP into the distribution system. These include protection device miscoordination, fundamental changes in the network topology, transmission congestion, bidirectional power flow, and harmonic current injections. In this paper, the economic cost and benefit analysis of optimal integration of WP into the distribution networks is investigated through a multi-objective analytical method. The aim is to see whether investment in the WP project is economically profitable and technically viable in the distribution system. The results obtained from the study can be utilised by power system operators, planners and designers as criteria to use WP for stimulating economic development and industrial revolution and can allow independent power producers to make appropriate investment decisions.