Optimal Distributed Energy Resources Accommodation with Techno-Economic Benefits Using Cheetah Optimizer

The planning and operation of radial distribution networks (RDN) face increasing challenges such as active power losses and voltage instability, prompting a focus on integrating renewable energy resources (RER) to mitigate these issues. This study presents a techno-economic optimization framework leveraging the Cheetah optimizer (CO), a recently introduced metaheuristic technique, to optimize the accommodation of distributed energy resource (DER) units within the IEEE 33-bus radial distribution networks (RDN) utilizing MATLAB environment. Both single and multi-objective perspectives are explored, demonstrating significant reductions in active power losses, minimized voltage deviation, improved stability, and maximized economic benefits. The Cheetah optimizer (CO) efficacy is showcased through notable achievements, including a 94.20% reduction in active power losses and annual savings of up to $77,933 for optimal power factor (OPF) mode in multi-objective optimization, surpassing existing literature. Additionally, reliability analysis conducted with ETAP software underscores the effectiveness of DER integration, particularly with wind turbine systems, in enhancing network reliability.