VOLTAGE-LOSS-POWER FACTOR TRADE-OFFS UNDER STAGED PV-WIND PENETRATION IN A 20 kV DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

Distributed photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine generator (WTG) integration can improve voltage profiles and reduce losses, but the associated changes in active and reactive power flow may reduce the power factor observed at distribution buses. This study evaluates that trade-off in a radial 20 kV network in Meulaboh using five steady-state scenarios in ETAP 19.0.1. The installed PV-WTG capacity was increased from 0 to 1.4 MW in 350 kW increments while the load was held constant. Bus voltage, total active power loss, signed reactive-power output, and bus power factor were compared across scenarios. At 1.4 MW, the voltages at GH Calang and GH Lamno increased by 0.90 and 1.09 kV, respectively, and total active loss decreased from 906.5 to 634.5 kW, equivalent to a 30.01% reduction. However, the power factor at GH Calang declined from 91.7% to 85.8%, while the magnitude of the signed reactive indicator increased. The 700 kW scenario was the first discrete case in which every evaluated bus reached at least 18 kV and the minimum power factor remained 86.2%. It is therefore identified as the minimum technically adequate candidate among the simulated cases, rather than a globally optimal capacity. The results demonstrate that voltage improvement and loss reduction should be assessed together with reactive-power direction and power-factor margin when planning high renewable penetration.