In Australia and many other countries, distribution network service providers (DNSPs) have an obligation to their customers to provide electrical power that is reliable and of high quality. Failure to do so may have significant implications ranging from financial penalties theoretically through to the loss of a license to distribute electricity. In order to ensure the reliability and quality of supply are met, DNSPs engage in monitoring and reporting practice. This paper provides an overview of a large long-running power-quality monitoring project that has involved most of Australia's DNSPs at one time or another. This paper describes the challenges associated with conducting the project as well as some of the important outcomes and lessons learned. A number of novel reporting techniques that have been developed as part of the monitoring project are also presented. A discussion about large-volume data management, and issues related to reporting requirements in future distribution networks is included.

It is widely recognised that improving the visibility and controllability of distributed energy resources (DERs) within electricity distribution networks will have significant benefits, particularly for the management of low-voltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) networks. Much work within the electricity distribution industry is currently focused on improving the visibility of DERs on LV networks. From a control-theoretic perspective, this enables closing the loop between the DER and the control room and enables a shift towards utilising data-driven model-based control strategies for DERs. The result is a system-wide performance that is closer to the theoretical optimal. In the Australian context, several jurisdictions are trialling techniques such as dynamic operating envelopes to enhance DER hosting capacity, using IEEE 2030.5-based architectures, with the implementation of distributed energy resource management (DERMS) systems at the enterprise level still quite limited. While there is significant activity focused on DER behaviour and control techniques by way of inverter grid codes and standards, the core issue of interoperability with distribution management systems (DMSs), market operators or participants, electric vehicles (EVs) or other DERs is still a work in progress. Importantly, this is also an impediment to realising distributed architectures for DER control in the grid. The unique characteristics of Australian distribution networks highlights several challenging problems for DER control and management. The objective of this paper is to provide a broad overview of DER control and management strategies in the Australian context, with an application focus on DER control in distribution network management.

In recent years, integration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems into distribution networks has been increasing rapidly, as it has become the most promising renewable energy source (RES) in the transition of power generation from centralised to decentralised systems. With the power electronic (PE) interfaces that use high-frequency internal switching, all renewable energy sources are considered to be harmonic emitters, especially near switching frequencies, i.e., above 2 kHz. This paper evaluates the behaviour of high-frequency harmonics in the 2–20 kHz range due to the parallel operation of multiple solar PV inverters connected to a low-voltage (LV) network. The circulation current component that flows within the installation due to the low impedance paths at higher frequencies is analysed. Summation of high-frequency harmonic currents is observed with phase diversity analysis. The circulating current component can become 14 times higher than the grid current component at higher frequencies.

Large-scale renewable energy plants, flexible AC (alternating current) and high voltage DC (direct current) transmission systems, and modern consumer devices utilize power electronics that tend to increase harmonic emissions. Furthermore, such emissions are nowadays known to exceed the traditional 2 kHz range typically considered for harmonic analysis. However, the accuracy of such harmonic measurements in medium and high voltage networks is questionable due to the lack of accuracy specifications for the respective instrument transformers that are being used in the measurement chain. Therefore, the motivation of this study is to review the existing techniques for measuring high-frequency voltage harmonics, i.e., those in the range 2–9 kHz, in medium-, high-, and extra high-voltage electricity networks, where most large-scale power electronic converters are being connected. Different transducer types are compared in terms of measurement accuracy. The reviewed literature indicates that some transducers can introduce errors due to their nonlinearities. The study also identifies the limitations of calibrating these transducers at frequencies above 2 kHz due to the unavailability of suitable sources capable of generating the required test waveforms. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the necessity for establishing accuracy limits for harmonic measurements above 2 kHz.

Voltage dips are considered to be one of the costliest of all power quality disturbances due to their disruption of industrial and commercial operations. The ability to characterise the voltage dip performance of distribution networks has many benefits for industry. There is considerable potential for industry to make large economic gains if voltage dip behaviour can be better understood and planned for. To put strategies in place to deal with voltage dips, there is a need for extensive data collection and analysis so that correct planning decisions can be made. This study details the characteristics of voltage dip data which has been collected at low‐voltage sites in Australia over a 9 year period. The data is displayed in a number of different formats to aid analysis.