Demand-Driven Algorithm for Sharing and Distribution of Photovoltaic Power in a Small Local Area Grid

Abstract

The objective of installing a residential photovoltaic system is to cut the cost of the monthly electric bill. However, many homeowners, especially those with low-income, finds it difficult to invest in such systems because require substantial upfront investment. This paper presents a project called PSD-LAG(“Sharing and Distribution of Power-Local Area Grid”) which attempts to solve the issue of installation cost relying on the concept of power sharing and distribution. Thus two or more neighboring households can share the cost of installation, and accordingly share the generated electric power. A Demand-Driven algorithm is implemented and is embedded in a micro-processor based control unit, called “Intelligent Power Distribution and Control Unit (IPDC Unit)”, over sees the operation of the PSD-LAG system. It reads the status of generated power, power requirements for each home, power quota for each home, and accordingly controls a set of hardware devices to distribute the power in a most efficient manner based on usage and quota. At the core of the PSD-LAG is an Intelligent Power Distribution and Control Unit (IPDC Unit) that provides instantaneous monitoring, protection and control. It is an embedded Operating System that reads the status of generated power, power requirements for each home, power quota for each home, and accordingly controls a set of hardware devices to distribute the power in a most efficient manner based on usage and quota.