Projects
Projects: Projects for Investigator |
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| Reference Number | NIA_WPD_010 | |
| Title | Voltage Reduction Analysis | |
| Status | Completed | |
| Energy Categories | Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electricity transmission and distribution) 100%; | |
| Research Types | Applied Research and Development 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 100% | |
| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Not Cross-cutting 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Project Contact No email address given Western Power Distribution |
|
| Award Type | Network Innovation Allowance | |
| Funding Source | Ofgem | |
| Start Date | 01 September 2015 | |
| End Date | 01 June 2016 | |
| Duration | 9 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £167,300 | |
| Industrial Sectors | Power | |
| Region | South West | |
| Programme | Network Innovation Allowance | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Project Contact , Western Power Distribution (100.000%) |
| Web Site | http://www.smarternetworks.org/project/NIA_WPD_010 |
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| Objectives | The objective of this project is to refine our estimates on the effects of voltage reduction on consumption, demand and voltage profiles. By understanding the effects of key parameters current predictions can be improved and the benefits better understood. The assessment of existing profiles should also indicate the available scope for further reduction. There are multiple success criteria: Quantify the effect of seasonality, time and substation type on consumption reduction Quantify the effect of seasonality, time and substation type on Maximum demand reduction Quantify the effect of 11kV voltage reduction on LV substation and feeder end voltage distributions Refined estimate of the benefits of voltage reduction as well as the scope for further reduction | |
| Abstract | LV voltages must be kept between the statutory limits of 230V + 10% or - 6% (253. 3V-216. 2V). With minimal active voltage control beyond the 33/11kV transformers and designs based on demand dominated networks, the voltages are generally set as high as possible to account for voltage drop along the network and ensure that voltages never drop below the limits. However reducing network voltage can have significant benefits, particularly where there is a large concentration of resistive loads. For these types of loads reducing the voltage will reduce the maximum demand requirements and, depending on the control mechanism, can also reduce the consumption. The magnitude of the reaction to the reduction depends on the specific make-up of the network load. As this is generally unknown there are various wide ranging estimates, going from consumption dropping by the square of the reduction to no drop at all. With such uncertainty it is important to quantify the reactions of consumption, maximum demand and voltage profiles to voltage drop to allow network licensees to implement voltage reductions and pass on the benefits to customers. Initial analysis of voltage profiles in South Wales was conducted as part of the Low Voltage Network Templates (LVNT) tier 2 LCNF project. This showed that voltages at both substations and feeder ends sat at the higher end of allowable range, with very few (only 0. 015%) measurements below the statutory limits. As such a program of voltage reduction was carried out in the area covered, altering the Automatic Voltage Control (AVC) settings at the 33/11kV transformers. These were shifted from a target of 11. 4kV ( 200V) to 11. 3kV ( 165V), approximately 0. 88%Following this reduction the South Wales Voltage Reduction IFI project was run to assess the effect of this change. Using the data captured by the LVNT monitoring equipment a statistically significant change was detected on the corresponding dates and it was seen that the reduction in voltage had caused a 1. 5% reduction in consumption. Whilst this shows that small voltage reductions can have a large effect on consumption, the analysis was limited by the data available at the time and leads to many additional questions. The analysis only covered approximately 1 month following the reduction, January 2015, and so questions about the effects of time and seasonality couldn’t be answered. Furthermore the effect of substation make up was not addressed nor the effect of the change on Maximum demand. As such this project seeks to follow up this promising IFI project with a much fuller analysis on a more complete data set. This should help us to quantify the effects of reducing network voltages in a more detailed manner.Note : Project Documents may be available via the ENA Smarter Networks Portal using the Website link above | |
| Publications | (none) |
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| Final Report | (none) |
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| Added to Database | 17/12/18 | |
