Masache Almeida , Paul Andres
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Item type:Publication, Comparative Analysis of the Technical Performance of a Centralized Photovoltaic Power Plant and Distributed Micro-Solar Power PlantsThis article presents a comparative analysis of the technical and energy performance of centralized and distributed photovoltaic (PV) generation configurations applied to a rural radial feeder. The analyzed feeder exhibits peak demand during nighttime hours, revealing a structural misalignment between the solar generation profile and the consumption profile. Five scenarios were evaluated using hourly simulations with representative demand and generation profiles. The analysis considered daily energy losses (kWh), power flow direction, power factor behavior per phase at the delivery point, and feeder operating conditions. The results demonstrate that the reduction in losses is not proportional to the installed capacity. The centralized configuration generated sustained reverse flows during peak irradiance hours. In contrast, the configurations sized based on average daytime demand exhibited more balanced energy performance, achieving reductions of up to 2.41% in total losses through phase-adjusted single-phase distributed generation. It is concluded that the optimal integration of photovoltaic generation in rural networks with a predominantly nighttime load profile depends primarily on the temporal alignment between generation and local demand, rather than on matching the system's peak demand. The study provides a methodological framework based on hourly energy analysis and phase-by-phase evaluation, geared towards the optimal planning of photovoltaic penetration in rural distribution systems. © 2026 IEEE.