A Modified Firefly Algorithm for Optimal Sizing and Siting of Voltage Controlled Distributed Generators in Distribution Networks

Abstract

This paper presents a modified firefly algorithm for optimal placement and sizing of voltage controlled distributed generators in unbalanced distribution networks. The proposed algorithm modifies the traditional firefly method to be able to deal with the practically constrained optimization problems by proposing formulas for tuning the algorithm parameters and updating equations. The proposed algorithm rigidly determines the optimal location and size of the distributed generation units in order to minimize the system power loss without violating the system practical constraints.  The proposed algorithms is implemented in MATLAB and tested on the IEEE 69 bus and the IEEE 123 -nodes feeder, the results that are validated by comparing them to published results obtained from other competing methods shows the effectiveness, accuracy and speed of the proposed method.