On the compatibility of fault location approaches and distributed generation

Advanced distribution automation and the integration of renewable energy are two important initiatives in the push to revolutionize the power system. Active distribution networks - intelligent distribution networks that incorporate one or more of distributed generation, demand response, and energy storage into the operation of the distribution network - is a new concept that depends largely on the compatibility of these two initiatives. This paper considers the emergence of innovative protection practices, the motivation for their implementation, and analyzes whether distributed generation can be seamlessly integrated into these new constructs. Two specific applications are considered: automatic reconfiguration and automatic fault location. The basic theory behind each technology and a specific algorithm for automatic fault location is implemented. The system is simulated with and without distributed generation. Results indicate that a greater degree of coordination may be required.