INTEGRATING SOLAR POWER WITH EXISTING GRIDS: STRATEGIES, TECHNOLOGIES, AND CHALLENGES – A REVIEW

Abstract

Integrating solar power into existing electrical grids is critical to realizing a sustainable and resilient global energy landscape. This review paper offers a thorough overview of solar power's significance and potential for transforming energy systems, emphasizing its benefits for grid stability, fossil fuel reduction, and environmental sustainability. It details essential strategies for successful solar integration, such as adopting both grid-tied and off-grid systems, advancements in energy storage to mitigate solar intermittency, and applying innovative grid technologies for enhanced energy management. Additionally, the paper navigates through the technological breakthroughs aiding solar power's incorporation into grids and confronts the challenges, including technical issues like grid scalability and economic barriers such as investment costs, regulatory complexities, and social-environmental impacts. Drawing on case studies from leading regions in solar integration, it distills lessons learned and identifies strategies and technologies that have surmounted these hurdles. The review also projects future trends and innovations in solar technology and grid management, underscoring the need for ongoing innovation and supportive policies to bolster solar power's role in energy systems. By collating insights into solar power integration's current state and prospects, this paper will guide policymakers, industry players, and researchers toward harnessing solar energy's full potential, highlighting its indispensable contribution to a sustainable energy future.