Optimal Generation Dispatch With High Penetration of Photovoltaic Generation

Power system operation practices are changing with the addition of renewable energy resources such as photovoltaic (PV) sources. The diverse and intermittent nature of these resources demands new operation strategies to ensure system reliability. As more PV units are added to power systems, the power generated by conventional generation resources should be reduced to accommodate these new resources. The reduction in fossil-fired generation allows realization of benefits in the sustainability of the generation mix. While some of the conventional generating units are retired, some should be retained for system reliability. This paper investigates the impact of generation redispatch or generation displacement in systems with high PV penetration. Comparing various study scenarios, a method based on regression techniques and Chebyshev's inequality is introduced in this paper. This method is used to calculate the dispatch or displacement ratio of the conventional generators for optimal steady state and transient response of the system. Recommendations are formulated based on an actual large-scale power system in the western United States.