Impact of Solar PV and Wind Penetration on Dynamic Performance of VSC-MT-HVDC Systems

Ayesha khan; Syed Awais Shah; Manahil Noor Khattak; Bilal Ur Rehman; Syed Waqar Shah

doi:10.33411/IJIST/1961

Authors

Ayesha khan Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan
Syed Awais Shah Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan
Manahil Noor Khattak Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan
Bilal Ur Rehman Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan
Syed Waqar Shah Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33411/IJIST/1961

Keywords:

VSC-HVDC, Multi-Terminal HVDC, Renewable Energy Integration, Solar PV, Wind Power., Droop Control, Dynamic Stability, Fault Response, Power Quality

Abstract

The rapid growth of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy is transforming modern power systems by introducing variable and distributed generation into transmission networks. Since these resources are often located far from load centers, flexible and efficient transmission technologies are required. Voltage-Source-Converter-based Multi-Terminal High-Voltage Direct-Current (VSC-MT-HVDC) systems provide a promising solution due to their fast dynamic response, independent active and reactive power control, improved power quality, and enhanced flexibility compared with conventional HVAC transmission. This paper investigates the impact of solar PV and wind penetration on the dynamic performance of a VSC-MT-HVDC system. A four-terminal, 1000 MW, 525 kV bipolar HVDC network with a 600 km transmission corridor was developed in MATLAB/Simulink by integrating renewable generation sources and decentralized DC voltage droop control. The proposed system was evaluated under variations in renewable penetration and representative fault conditions including DC pole-to-pole, DC pole-to-ground, and AC-side faults. The results demonstrate that the system maintains stable operation under renewable variability, with the post-fault DC voltage recovering to approximately 524.358 kV. The AC-side harmonic performance remained within acceptable limits, with a maximum total harmonic distortion (THD) of 1.126%. Furthermore, the VSC-MT-HVDC configuration achieved a transmission loss of approximately 5.6 MW, compared with 12.7 MW for an equivalent HVAC system over the same 600 km corridor, representing a reduction of around 55.9% in transmission losses. The findings confirm that properly coordinated droop control and protection strategies enable reliable integration of high renewable penetration while maintaining voltage stability, power quality, and transmission efficiency. These results highlight the suitability of VSC-MT-HVDC systems for future renewable-rich power networks.

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