High Temporal Resolution Load Variability Compared to PV Variability

While solar variability has often been quantified and its impact to distribution grids simulated, load variability, especially high-frequency (e.g., 1-second) load variability, has been given less attention. The assumption has often been made that high-frequency load variability is much smaller than PV variability, but with little evidence. Here, we compare load and PV variability using 1-second measurements of each. The impact on voltage regulator tap change operations of using low-resolution (e.g., 15-or 30-minute) interpolated load profiles instead of 1second is quantified. Our results generally support the assumption that distribution feeder aggregate PV variability is much greater than aggregate load variability.