Abstract

Background & Motivation

The increasing amount of electrical energy being fed into the grid from dispersed generation plants is presenting the operators of public, electrical energy supply systems with new challenges. The higher power flows by the additional feed-in are significantly increasing the need for grid reinforcement, especially in rural distribution grids. This is often needed to ensure voltage stability.

Voltage Regulating Distribution Transformers (VRDT) are a possible alternative to conventional grid reinforcement in poles and wires, which is often very costly. These transformers decouple the voltage levels of the low- and medium-voltage grids, enabling better capacity utilization of the voltage band.

The paper will present first results from planning, installation, and operation of the first pilot projects within Australia, New Zealand.

Methods & Design

This part will describe the research design, statistical method, measures used, and outcome.

Research questions

This paper will answer the following questions:

• What standards and terms are relevant to VRDTs?
• What different challenges and applications have DSOs in Asia analyzed for using a VRDT?
• Cost-benefit comparison of the VRDT solution compared with investments in poles and wires.
• What aspects need to be taken into account when planning a VRDT?
• What aspects should be taken into account when operating a VRDT?
• Specification criteria of the VRDT (power range, voltage level, step voltage, etc.) for different applications.
• First experiences of installation and operation of a VRDT.