Coot Optimization Algorithm for Optimal Placement of Photovoltaic Generators in Distribution Systems Considering Variation of Load and Solar Radiation

In this paper, photovoltaic generators (PVGs) are placed in radial distribution networks (RDNs) for reducing active power loss of one operation day by using three recently published metaheuristic algorithms including coot optimization algorithm (COOA), transient search algorithm (TSA), and crystal structure algorithm (CRSA). In one operation day, the variation of loads is considered, and the change of solar radiation over daytime is also taken. The study has two main contributions regarding the effectiveness of COOA: energy loss reduction and voltage improvement. COOA can reach high energy loss reduction, better solutions, and faster search speed than TSA and CRSA. In fact, COOA finds better energy loss than the algorithms by 1% and 1.77% for the IEEE 69-node system and 0.75% and 1.4% for the IEEE 85-node system. Furthermore, COOA is at least three times faster than CRSA and two times faster than TSA. As compared to a base system without PVGs, COOA can find better energy loss up to 60.96% and improve voltage up to 4.5%. Thus, COOA is a highly effective optimization tool with the optimal solution, high stability, and fast computation process for placing PVGs in RDNs.