Name: Nagum, Carl Joseph, B.

Date: April 16, 2021

Course/Section: TE1-PSE2-EE32S1 Quiz 3.1 Instructor: Engr. Ladero
1.) What is the advantage and disadvantage of DG in electrical system?
Distributed Generation is defined to be the use of several technologies available such as solar panels wherein it can
generate electricity near where it will be used. The main purpose of DG is to act as a backup source of electricity to minimize
the actual consumption of electricity from distribution utilities of certain infrastructure.

Advantages of Distributed Generation in Electrical Disadvantages of Distributed Generation in Electrical

System System
1.) Distributed generation can cause various power quality
issues in the electrical system such as sustained
interruptions, voltage regulation, harmonics, and voltage
1.) The system losses can be reduced since the
sags.
generation of electricity is closer to the consumer that
makes the transmission of electricity more efficient.
2.) Distributed generation can cause over-voltages due to
Moreover, there are reduces in sizes and number of power
reverse power flow. In this scenario, the output of DG
lines since the transmission would not be in large distance.
exceeds the feeder load which means there is an increase
in feeder voltage. This scenario can result in voltage
2.) It promotes renewable and green energy which means
exceeding the acceptable range that can be the cause of
that less harm is done to the environment unlike other
interruptions in a substation.
generating plant.
3.) There are several distributed generation options
3.) Distributed generation allows us to harness energy that
available, all of which provide single-phase power to the
are naturally present in our environment for example the
network. If it exists, the structure may become
geothermal energy wherein heat is used as the renewable
unbalanced, and it should not rise above the allowable
source.
limit. Furthermore, the process of distributed generation
suffers from load unbalancing in the phases, resulting in
4.) It allows us to have more reliable electrical systems
deterioration of performance.
because various source of distributed energy (solar
panels, wind turbines, generators, etc.) can give us
4.) Distributed generation can cause and suffer transients
multiple small microgrid units wherein it can be an efficient
if large capacity units or equipment are turned on at the
source of electricity when there is interruption of power in
same time and continuously operated. These types of
distribution utilities.
events can lead to premature failure of equipment due to
the mechanical stress produced by transients and in the
worst-case scenario, it can lead to damaged equipment.

2.) Give examples of DG and explain their operations.

→Solar photovoltaic system – it is the used of solar cells which converts sunlight directly into electricity. This type of distributed
generation needs a large amount of space to make sure that the amount of electricity that will be generated is sufficient.
Therefore, this system requires a large cost of equipment and installation. The main advantage is that it uses the energy
produced by the sun which will always be naturally present in our environment.
→ Wind turbines – it uses wind to make electricity. The wind naturally turns the propeller of a turbine around a rotor which
spins the generator to produce electricity. The majority of win turbines are made up of three blades build in a steel. The tower
approximately averages 100 feet or higher above the ground which allows the turbine to generate more electricity because
the winds are strong at a higher altitude.
→Combined heat and power systems - it is an efficient technology that produces electricity and captures heat that would
otherwise be lost to produce usable thermal energy for space heating, cooling, domestic hot water, and industrial processes.
This type of system can achieve over 80 % of efficiency. The two most common configuration of combined heat and power
systems are the combustion turbine, or reciprocating engine with heat recovery unit wherein fuel is burned to transform
turbines, and heat recovery systems are used to collect heat from the turbine or engine to generate electricity. This heat is
transformed to usable thermal energy, which is normally steam or hot water and the steam boiler with steam turbine wherein
the process starts with the creation of steam in a boiler. The steam is then used to spin a turbine, which in turn drives a
generator, which generates electricity. The steam that escapes from the turbine can be used to generate thermal energy.
Natural gas, oil, biomass, and coal are among the fuels that can be used in these systems.
→Generators – it is a device that can be applied to distributed generation because it can covert mechanical energy to
electrical energy that can be stored in batteries or directly supplied to homes, store, offices, and other infrastructures. It's
crucial to realize that a generator doesn't simply "make" electricity. Instead, it uses the mechanical energy it receives to force
the transfer of electric charges present in its windings' wires into an external electric circuit. The output electric current provided
by the generator is made up of this flow of electric charges.
→Hydropower – from the word itself “hydro” which means water, it uses water to power machinery or makes electricity. It has
the same concept as the water turbine, the only difference is that the turbine is not placed at a high altitude instead it is under
the water to make sure that the pressure would be stronger to cause the turbine to spin faster and generate more electricity
with the help of a generator.
3.) State the operating conflict of DG with respect to distribution utilities operation.
The operating conflicts of distributed generation in the distribution system of utilities are the following:
→Utility-Fault clearing requirements - this model is the root of the majority of the interconnection issues between Distributed
Generation and the utility delivery system. Since there is already too much infrastructure in place to consider a whole new
distribution system design to better support distributed generation. All other Distributed Generation devices must
independently detect the fault and separate to allow the utility protection system to complete the clearing and isolation phase
while only one utility device is operating to clear a fault. This isn't always easy to do based on the knowledge available at the
generator.
→Reclosing – reclosing in distributed generation must be early or in a short period only especially for those systems using
rotating mechanical technologies such as generators and turbines because if reclosing is not done in a short interval of time,
it can cause damage to the generator.
→Interface with relaying – Each overcurrent relay system has a safety zone assigned to it based on its minimum pickup
value. This is referred to as the relay's "distance" by some. The current that the relay sees can be reduced by using Distributed
Generation infeed, reducing the relay's distance. When total Distributed Generation capacity reaches a certain level, infeed
into faults will desensitize the regenerative system.
→Voltage Regulation issues – this issue is one of the reasons why distributed generation affects the power quality of the
system. It is because if the total distributed generation capacity on a feeder becomes significant it keeps the voltage above
the allowable value wherein it can cause voltage swell or overvoltage on the system resulting in to increase in heat to the
equipment which can lead to insulation failure.
→Harmonics – generators are large motors which means it has a significant amount of third-harmonic voltage distortion which
can produce a third harmonic current when paralleled to the utility system. We know that a harmonic current can be disastrous
to the system because it distorts the sinusoidal waveform. Those distortions can result in premature failure of equipment
especially those large motors that are sensitive when it comes to voltage variation and in the worst-case scenario, it can cause
damaged equipment.
 →Islanding – this conflict is known to be the greatest fear of the utility protection engineer. The main concern is that distributed
generation might not be able to detect the utility breaker has opened due to fault and will continue to energize a portion of the
feeder. As mentioned above, if the regulation of the voltage exceeds the allowable value it can cause damage to equipment
which the distribution utilities are most concerned about because they might hold liable and responsible if the accident or any
damage happens.
4.) Prepare basic SLD which include DG in power system.

Central wind energy

in Service

Electric Generating
Station Hydroelectric plant
in service

Geothermal power
station in service

Circuit breaker

Disconnect fuse

Load

References:
https://www.epa.gov/energy/distributed-generation-electricity-and-its-environmental-impacts
https://www.slideshare.net/cotuuuuu/distributed-generation-60752968
https://www.generatorsource.com/How_Generators_Work.aspx
https://www.americasgenerators.com/blog/post/2019/11/12/pros-and-cons-of-distributed-generation.aspx
https://www.epa.gov/chp/what-chp
https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/how-hydropower-works