Agricultural Grid Connected Photovoltaic System Design and Simulation in Egypt by using PVSYST Software

Abstract

Agricultural Photovoltaic Systems are a key technology to achieve sustainable development goals by reducing competition between land for food and electricity. In addition, Agricultural Photovoltaic Systems are at the heart of the link between power generation, crop production and irrigation water conservation. The main ecophysiological constraint on crop production under photovoltaics is the reduction of light. It is difficult to recommend shade tolerance for some plant varieties due to insufficient information on shading conditions for most plants. The use of shading panels (photovoltaic panels) requires more crop-specific research to determine the optimal percentage of panels and their placement that will not reduce agricultural yields. Crop yield variation versus field shading and availability to maximize the system require extensive research. This study aims to develop a standard procedure for designing an agricultural grid-connected photovoltaic power generation system for solar power generation in an agricultural area in Bahteem, Egypt. The technical and annual performance of the grid-connected PV system was simulated using PV Syst software. The paper started with a pre-feasibility study of a grid-connected photovoltaic system using PV Syst. Software with an extensive database of meteorological data, including global daily horizontal solar irradiance, and a database of various renewable energy system components from different manufacturers. In this work, a comprehensive literature review of agricultural solar photovoltaic systems is conducted, with a particular focus on grid-connected systems, followed by a design procedure for grid-connected solar photovoltaic systems. The planned photovoltaic system will generate a total of 400 KWp of electricity. This generated electricity can drive down electricity prices by exporting excess electricity to the national grid. In addition, solar power systems are fuel-efficient and have a low environmental impact.