Optimal Design of PV Systems in Electrical Distribution Networks by Minimizing the Annual Equivalent Operative Costs through the Discrete-Continuous Vortex Search Algorithm.

This paper discusses the minimization of the total annual operative cost for a planning period of 20 years composed by the annualized costs of the energy purchasing at the substation bus summed with the annualized investment costs in photovoltaic (PV) sources, including their maintenance costs in distribution networks based on their optimal siting and sizing. This problem is presented using a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model, which is resolved by applying a master-slave methodology. The master stage, consisting of a discrete-continuous version of the Vortex Search Algorithm (DCVSA), is responsible for providing the optimal locations and sizes for the PV sources-whereas the slave stage employs the Matricial Backward/Forward Power Flow Method, which is used to determine the fitness function value for each individual provided by the master stage.