Optimization of Reactive Power Management in Industrial Photovoltaic Systems Using Smart Inverters and Compensation Units: a Real-World Case Study

Keywords:
Reactive Power Management, Photovoltaic Systems, Smart Inverters, Volt–Var Control, Power Factor Optimization

Abstract:
This paper investigates the optimization of reactive power management in an industrial facility supplied by a hybrid energy system consisting of a photovoltaic (PV) power plant and the distribution grid. The study focuses on minimizing excessive reactive energy consumption and improving the power factor through the application of advanced control strategies. An experimental analysis was conducted under real operating conditions using a 500 kW PV system. Measurements of active power, reactive power, and power factor were performed at 5-minute intervals across three distinct scenarios: 1) a conventional inverter without reactive power control, 2) a smart inverter with Volt-Var functionality, and 3) a combined solution integrating a conventional inverter with an automatic reactive power compensation system. The results show that the implementation of Volt-Var control reduces reactive energy consumption by approximately 41%, while the combined approach achieves a significant reduction of reactive energy exchange with the grid and maintains the power factor close to unity (cos ≈ 0.99). The findings demonstrate that hybrid control strategies significantly enhance both technical performance and economic efficiency by reducing utility penalties and improving overall operational conditions, with expected benefits in network efficiency and voltage stability. The main contribution of this work is a validated, measurement-based comparison of reactive power management approaches in a real industrial environment, providing practical guidelines for the optimal design and operation of PV-integrated systems.

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P. Vukobratović, M. Dobrojević, “Optimization of Reactive Power Management in Industrial Photovoltaic Systems Using Smart Inverters and Compensation Units: a Real-World Case Study,” in Sinteza 2026 - International Scientific Conference on Information Technology, Computer Science, and Data Science, Belgrade, Singidunum University, Serbia, 2026, pp. 360-366. doi:10.15308/Sinteza-2026-360-366

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Vukobratović, P., Dobrojević, M. (2026). Optimization of Reactive Power Management in Industrial Photovoltaic Systems Using Smart Inverters and Compensation Units: a Real-World Case Study. Paper presented at Sinteza 2026 - International Scientific Conference on Information Technology, Computer Science, and Data Science. doi:10.15308/Sinteza-2026-360-366

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