Simposio Internacional sobre la Calidad de la Energía Eléctrica - SICEL

This paper presents a novel approach based on a genetic algorithm combined with an artificial neural network and a reduced variable neighborhood search to find the optimal location of distributed generation in electric distribution systems. The objective function consists in minimizing active power losses. The main contribution of the paper consists in the combination of metaheuristic techniques along with artificial intelligence to solve a multi-modal non-convex problem. The use of an artificial neural network avoids the calculation of power flows, while the neighborhood search, applied at the end of each iteration, allows the algorithm to explore a wider search space and eventually, escape from local optimal solutions.