$25. 002009 ieee 52 ieee

Distribution system issues:

 

✔

 

The increasing penetration 

of residential and municipal solar generation imposes 

challenges on the existing distribution infrastructure 

and the system operator. New fl ow 

 

patterns may re-

quire changes to the protection and control strate-

gies, enhanced distribution automation and  microgrid 

Capital Cost of New Generation (Normalized for 1 MW)

$0

$1,000

$2,000

$3,000

$4,000

$5,000

$6,000

$7,000

$8,000

Coal

Natural Gas/CC

Geothermal

Wind

Solar (CSP)

Solar (PV)

Nuclear

Capital Cost US$K

Capacity Factor ~90%

Capacity Factor ~90%

Capacity Factor  ~80%

Capacity Factor 30–40%

Capacity Factor 20–30%

Capacity Factor 20–30%

Anticipated Cost Reduction

Environmental 

Benefit

Fuel

Cost

Yes

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

Capacity Factor ~90%

figure 1.

 New generation cost comparison.

---

march/april 2009 

IEEE

 

power & energy magazine  

55

 capabilities, voltage and var management, and overall 

enforcement of distribution grid infrastructure.

Interconnection standards:

 

✔

 

The interconnection 

standards may have to be further unifi ed and broad-

ened to address greater levels of power factor control 

and low-voltage ride through (LVRT) needed to miti-

gate any transient stability issues.