2026, Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part A
A research on power quality issues in grid-connected rooftop solar installations
Author(s): Park Ji-Hoon and Kim Soo-Yeon
Abstract: The rapid expansion of distributed solar photovoltaic installations across South Korean urban areas has introduced power quality challenges that grid infrastructure was not originally designed to accommodate. This research examined power quality parameters at 156 grid-connected rooftop solar installations across the Seoul metropolitan region from March 2023 through November 2023, spanning residential, commercial, and light industrial classifications. Continuous monitoring captured voltage fluctuations, harmonic distortion, power factor variations, and frequency deviations under varying solar irradiance conditions and grid loading scenarios. Total harmonic distortion levels exceeded IEEE 519 recommended limits at 34.2% of monitored installations during peak generation periods, with fifth harmonic components contributing most substantially to distortion profiles. Larger installations demonstrated proportionally higher distortion injection, with systems exceeding 50 kW capacity showing average THD values of 8.9% compared to 4.2% for residential systems below 10 kW. Voltage fluctuation events correlated strongly with rapid irradiance changes caused by cloud transients, occurring most frequently during spring and autumn months characterized by variable weather patterns. Power factor at the point of common coupling averaged 0.94 lagging across all installations, with notable degradation to 0.87 during low-generation periods when inverter reactive power consumption dominated. The investigation identified inverter switching characteristics as the primary harmonic source, with transformer-less topologies exhibiting 23% higher distortion than isolated designs. Mitigation strategies including passive filtering and reactive power compensation demonstrated effectiveness in reducing grid impact, though implementation costs varied substantially between approaches.
DOI: 10.22271/27083969.2026.v7.i1a.92
Pages: 27-33 | Views: 39 | Downloads: 15
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How to cite this article:
Park Ji-Hoon, Kim Soo-Yeon. A research on power quality issues in grid-connected rooftop solar installations. Int J Electr Data Commun 2026;7(1):27-33. DOI: 10.22271/27083969.2026.v7.i1a.92
