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Grid Operators Face Different Challenges
Smart Grids and the resulting changes in the distribution grids face many distribution grid operators with different challenges. These include:
- Voltage range deviations becoming more frequent and more critical.
- Photovoltaic systems in the low-voltage grid raise the voltage level.
- Photovoltaic systems dominate the daytime voltage level.
- The increase of heat pumps and electric vehicles lower the voltage level, and both dominate the voltage level in the evening as well as at night.
- The majority of electric vehicles are charged at home in single-phase.
- Voltage increases and voltage decreases are usually time-shifted.
- Asymmetries of the 3-phase voltages occur more frequently.
This economic analysis is intended to help power utilities in the planning process of the distribution grid to make the right decision for their investment and to pitch if a line expansion is worthwhile or not.
The investment costs of the individual resources were summarised on the basis of the BMWi distribution grid study (Büchner, J.; Katzfey, J.; Flörcken, O. (2014): “Moderne Verteilernetze für Deutschland”, BMWi). The investment costs are assessed at 1 km ≙ 100% relative to “village” line expansion.
Current Heat Losses in Voltage Regulation Systems
The operating costs are made up of the maintenance costs, the electricity heat losses and the planned replacement of the electronics after 20 years until the end of the total service life. No maintenance costs are expected for the lines. A comparison of the operating costs is shown in Table 2, also in relation to basis 1, which corresponds to the costs for one kilometre of “village” line extension.
Cost Parity Already Exists From a Few Hundred Meters of Line
Investment Calculation
The investments are calculated over the entire lifetime and discounted to the current year according to the capital value method.
Economic Benefit
Alternative to Line Extension
Compared to line expansion, the following additional benefits must be taken into consideration:
- Flexible use: assembly/disassembly as required.
- Guarantee of VDE-AR-N 4105 with regard to voltage swing (3%) through decentralized generation systems.
- Optional with EN 50160 monitoring.
- Recording of useful data in the grid.
- Increase in the transmission power of the lines used by 20%.
- Reduction of network losses
Conclusion: Not Just an Alternative, but a Useful Tool for the Future
challenges. It also offers a range of useful functions that useful functions that will provide our customers with significant added value in the low-voltage grid for years to come.
