Impact of Distributed Generation on Radial
Distribution Network with Various Load Models
Halime Hizarci
Department of Electrical and
Electronics Engineering,
Sakarya University, Sakarya
hhizarci@sakarya.edu.tr
AbstractʊDistributed generation has become a popular
research are with rapid increase on power demand. Optimal size
and location of distributed generation are an important
optimization problem to satisfy growing power demand. In this
study, particle swarm optimization has been used for optimal
placement and sizing of distributed generation to minimize
power loss in distribution network considering different static
load models such as constant power, constant current, constant
impedance, residential, commercial, industrial and mixed load
models. Results have shown that using this method, voltage
profile of the distribution network has been improved and
numbers of buses violating voltage limits have been reduced
after distributed generation placement. Further power system
operating point has been improved and loadability of network
increased without violating bus voltage and line current limits.
Analysis has been demonstrated on a 12.66 kV 33-bus radial
distribution network. Mathematical models of the loads have
been considered as voltage dependent exponential load model
and practical values of the active and reactive power exponents
for load models have been used to represent their influence on
real power loss and voltage stability issues. Indices related with
voltage stability and power loss presented in literature have been
calculated to determine performance of the study. Besides less
parameter requirement of particle swarm optimization method,
it is easy to implement on large power systems and these
characteristics make the method preferable.
Index Terms—Distributed generation, particle swarm
optimization, voltage stability, loadability, load model
I. INTRODUCTION
Due to the rapidly increasing demand for power,
Distributed Generation (DG) has become a popular topic for
power system studies. Besides the environmental advantages,
DG also offers economical and technical advantages; voltage
profile improvement, power loss reduction, relieved power
lines, increased power reliability, stability and quality. In
order to fully benefit from these advantages it is also
important to choose the appropriate size and location for the
DG unit. Improper size and location can negatively affect the
system. DG offers no benefit for feeder capacity problems
when it is placed in the substation [1]. Incorrect location and
size of DG result in high power loss and instability problems.
In the literature, optimum DG placement problems based on
the on the basis of voltage stability approach is considered [2-
8]. Besides stability analyses, the issue of power system
loadability was also studied [5, 9].
In this paper, the backward-forward sweep load flow
technique [10] was used to compute voltages and power flow
Belgin Emre Turkay
Department of Electrical
Engineering, Istanbul Technical
University, Istanbul
turkayb@itu.edu.tr
for a radial distribution network. The effects of DG on
voltage stability was examined for different load types. To
analyze real load conditions, industrial, commercial,
residential and mix of these load types was also added to the
study for computing an accurate value of real and reactive
power loads according to the variation of system voltage.
System loadability factors were improved and power losses
are minimized by adding DG.
Optimal location for DG placement has been found using
Loss Sensitivity Factor [11]. Using this factor, candidate bus
is recognized. Determination of the best location and size of
DG provides supplementary benefits like active power
reduction, feeder capacity and voltage profile improvement. It
also helps to enhance the power system loadability factor (Ȝ).
II. PROBLEM FORMULATION
A. Load Models
Loads are one of the important factors in voltage stability
analysis, hence voltage stability is known as load stability.
Two approaches for load modeling have been developed [12].
These are component-based method and measurement-based
method. In the component-based method, similar loads are
huddled considering load types and different load model can
be derived from composition of pre-determined values for
each parameter of the load. In the measurement-based
method, a load model is selected for modeling the
characteristics of real load and parameters of the selected
model are typically obtained from field or laboratory
measurements during voltage changes. Obtained load models
using load modeling approaches should adequately describe
real load behavior at the bus [13].The voltage exponents, Į
and ȕ depend on the type of the load. The ranges given in
Table I have been identified in the literature using load
modeling approaches.
TABLE I
RANGE OF VOLTAGE EXPONENTS [13]
Į ȕ Reference
1.3-1.9 2.5-4 [14]
0-2 3-7 [15]
1.5-2 3-4 [16]
0.18-1.51 2.96-6 [17]
0.44-1.1 3.2-5.22 [18]
In power systems, static load models are used for power
flow and steady state voltage stability issues. To understand
the effects of different loads to power system stability and to Optimal DG size can be determined by using Eq. (5)
obtain more realistic results, different load models were used
ଵ
in this study. Exponential load model has used in simulations. ܲ஽ீ௜ ൌ ܲ஽௜ ൅ ൣߚ௜௜ ܳ௜ െ σே
௝ୀଵǡ௝ஷ௜ ߙ௜௝ ܲ௝ െ ߚ௜௝ ܳ௝ ൧ (5)
ఈ೔೔
In the load models, real and reactive power change with
voltage, independent from time. In the exponential load form, where ܲ௜ is the real power injection at node ݅,ܲ஽ீ ௜ is the real
real and reactive power expression [19],
power injection from DG placed at node݅, and ܲ஽ ௜ is the load
ܲ௅ ൌ ܲ଴ ሺܸ Τܸ଴ ሻఈ (1) demand at node ݅.
To calculate loading factor of the system, the active and
reactive load is increased for all buses with equal loading
ܳ௅ ൌ ܳ଴ ሺܸ Τܸ଴ ሻఉ (2)
factor of 0.01, using Eqns. (6) and (7) until the divergence is
seen in load flow analysis.
where V0 is reference voltage and Į, ȕ are constant depend on
load characteristic and values are given in Table II.
ܲ௡௘௪ ൌ ܲ଴ ൈ ݈‫ݎ݋ݐ݂ܿܽ݃݊݅݀ܽ݋‬ሺɉሻ (6)
TABLE II
LOAD TYPES
ܳ௡௘௪ ൌ ܳ଴ ൈ ݈‫ݎ݋ݐ݂ܿܽ݃݊݅݀ܽ݋‬ሺɉሻ (7)
Load Types Į ȕ
Constant Power 0 0 where Po and Qo are initial active and reactive power load for
Constant Current 1 1 bus i. Pnew and Qnew are final active and reactive power load
Constant Impedance 2 2 for bus i. The flowchart of loading factor calculation [10] is
Residential 0.92 4.04 shown in Fig. 1.
Commercial 1.51 3.40
Industrial 0.18 6.00

To present effect of load models there is also mixed type

load model available in literature has been given in Table III.
TABLE III
LOAD TYPES FOR MIXED LOADS
Characteristics Į ȕ Buses
Residential 0.92 4.04 2, 5, 12, 14, 19, 22, 31, 32
Commercial 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 23, 24,
1.51 3.40
25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 33
Industrial 0.18 6.00 3, 6, 9, 16, 18, 21, 27

B. DG Placement
The location and size of DG was determined using analytic
methods based on loss sensitivity factors [11]. This method
has been seen in many optimal capacitor allocation and DG
allocation problems to understand proximity to optimal point.
Power loss of system is given in by (3).

ܲ௅ ൌ σே ே
௜ୀଵ σ௝ୀଵൣߙ௜௝ ൫ܲ௜ ܲ௝ ൅ ܳ௜ ܳ௝ ൯ ൅ ߚ௜௝ ൫ܳ௜ ܲ௝ ൅ ܲ௜ ܳ௝ ൯൧ (3)

௥೔ೕ ௥೔ೕ
In Eq. (13), ߙ௜௝ ൌ ܿ‫ݏ݋‬൫ߜ௜ െ ߜ௝ ൯,ߚ௜௝ ൌ ‫݊݅ݏ‬൫ߜ௜ െ ߜ௝ ൯
௏೔ ௏ೕ ௏೔ ௏ೕ

ܼ௜௝ ൌ ‫ݎ‬௜௝ ൅ ݆‫ݔ‬௜௝ is the ݆݅ th element of ሾܼ௕௨௦ ሿ.

The sensitivity factor of power loss with respect to power
injection from DG is given in (4)

డ௉ಽ
ߙ௜ ൌ ൌ ʹ σே
௜ୀଵ ߙ௜௝ ܲ௝ െ ߚ௜௝ ܳ௝ (4)
డ௉೔

First, the base case of system power flow was evaluated and
the sensitivity factors of the buses calculated. Ranking by Fig. 1. Flow chart for calculation of maximum loadability of the system.
sensitivity factors for each bus in descending order, a priority
table was formed. The highest-ranked buses in the list are
study area of optimal location.
C. Particle Swarm Optimization Step 11: Print optimal DG size and position.
PSO was introduced by Kennedy and Eberhart in 1995 in Proposed algorithm is implemented 33-bus radial
order to solve optimization problems, and was inspired by the distribution test system [22] and single line diagram is given
behavior of fish and bird swarms [20]. The PSO algorithm is in Fig. 2.
based on swarm intelligence. The advantages of PSO are
robustness, requiring less parameter, and the minimum risk of
sticking in the local optimum. In the algorithm, every
individual refers to particles, and the population of particles is
called a swarm. All the particles move through a multi-
dimensional search space. Each particle adjusts their position
according to their own experience, and also the other
particles' experiences. In the method, all the particles have a
random initial position, and through the computing fitness,
Fig. 2. 33-bus distribution line.
the personal best pbest (the best position of the particle), and
the global best gbest (the best position in the whole swarm) are
Indices given in Table IV are calculated to show
found. Then, the process of finding the optimal position
begins with a loop. In the loop, firstly, the velocities of all the effectiveness of the method. Measurement of voltage quality
particles are updated by the pbest and gbest. Afterwards, the of the system is achieved using qualified load index (QLI),
positions of each particle are updated by using the current voltage deviation index (VDI) and number of buses violating
velocity. The loop is terminated by the stopping criteria, voltage limit (NBV). VDI calculate deviation of bus voltages
which has been previously determined. from the limits (0.95<Vbus<1.05). High value of VDI means
In the study accelerated PSO [21] has been used. The more deviation from the voltage limits.
updating of the velocity and position of the particles is as TABLE IV
follows: DG PLACEMENT EVALUATION INDICES [23-25]
௞ାଵ ௞ ௞
‫ݒ‬௜ௗ ൌ ‫ݒ‬௜ௗ ൅ ߙ ‫݀݊ܽݎ כ‬ሺ݇ሻ ൅ ߚ ‫ כ‬൫‫݌‬௚ௗ െ ‫ݔ‬௜ௗ ൯ (8) Index Formula
௡್ೠೞ
Qualified Load
௞ାଵ ௞ ܳ‫ ܫܮ‬ൌ ෍ ܸ௜ ‫ܮ‬௜
‫ݔ‬௜ௗ ൌ ሺͳ െ ߚሻ‫ݔ‬௜ௗ ൅ ߚ ‫݌ כ‬௚ௗ ൅ ߙ ‫݀݊ܽݎ כ‬ሺ݇ሻ (9) Index
௜ୀଵ
ଶ
Voltage Deviation σே௏஻൫ܸെ ܸ௟௜௠௜௧ ሺ௜ሻ ൯
where vid is the velocity of particle i on dimension d at Index ܸ‫ ܫܦ‬ൌ ඨ ௜ୀଵ ௜
݊௕௨௦
iteration, k, rand is a random variable between 0 and 1, xidk is
System ߣ୫ୟ୶ሺ଴ሻ െ ߣ୫ୟ୶ሺ஽ீሻ
the position of particle i on dimension d at iteration k, Į and ȕ Loadability Index ܵ‫ܫܮ‬Ψ ൌ ൈ ͳͲͲ
ߣ୫ୟ୶ሺ଴ሻ
are the acceleration coefficients and set to 0.3 and 0.7
Active Line-loss ܴ݁ሼ݈‫ݏ݁ݏݏ݋‬ሽ଴ െ ܴ݁ሼ݈‫ݏ݁ݏݏ݋‬ሽ஽ீ
respectively. xid is the best position of particle i on the Reduction ܲ‫ܴܮ‬Ψ ൌ ൈ ͳͲͲ
ܴ݁ሼ݈‫ݏ݁ݏݏ݋‬ሽ଴
dimension d based on its own experience, and pgd is the best
Reactive Line- 
particle position in the entire swarm. ‫݉ܫ‬ሼ݈‫ݏ݁ݏݏ݋‬ሽ଴ െ ‫݉ܫ‬ሼ݈‫ݏ݁ݏݏ݋‬ሽ஽ீ
loss Reduction ܳ‫ܴܮ‬Ψ ൌ ൈ ͳͲͲ
III. CASE STUDY ‫݉ܫ‬ሼ݈‫ݏ݁ݏݏ݋‬ሽ଴

Optimal DG placement using PSO algorithm procedure has Subscript (0) represents the base case (no placement in the system)
following steps. and Subscript (DG) represents the case there is a DG in the system.
Step 1: Read system data (bus and branch data), base nbus: number of buses. Vi: voltage magnitude at bus i. Li: active load
MVA, base voltage, accuracy (1e-4) and iteration number. at bus i. Ȝmax: maximum loadability of the system.
The study results regarding optimal location and size of
Step 2: Calculate power loss of each branch and voltage
DG are given in Table V.
magnitude of each bus using forward-backward load flow
method. TABLE V
DG SIZE FOR LOAD TYPES
Step 3: Set number of particles, values of Į and ȕ.
Load
Step 4: Generate random velocity and position for initial Types CP CI CZ Res. Com. Ind. Mixed
population. DG Size
Step 5: Calculate power loss for each particle. (MW) 2.2910 2.1437 2.0247 2.1570 2.0843 2.2552 2.1278
Step 6: Check out problem constraints.
Step 7: Compare objective function of individual best for Optimal location was determined as bus 6 based on the
each particle. sensitivity analysis. Before the DG placement, Table VI
Step 8: Select minimum individual pbest and set this value shows base case for load types. In the base case minimum
as gbest. value of voltage magnitude is seen at bus 18 with 0.9038 pu
Step 9: Update position and velocity of particles. for constant power load and after addition of DG it is
Step 10: Check the iteration number. If iteration number changed to 0.9381 in bus 18.
reaches maximum then go to next step, if not go to step 6 for
iteration= iteration+1.
 Before installing DG the system losses are 211 kW active and the results of the simulation show the applicability of the
power loss and 143.02 kVAr reactive power loss. After DG method.
placement power losses are obtained as 112.3 kW and 82.1
kVAr.
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