New Trends in the Control of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems for the Provision of Ancillary Services

Abstract

The gradual displacement of conventional generation from the energy mix to give way to renewable energy sources represents a paradigm shift in the operation of future power systems: on the one hand, renewable technologies are, in general, volatile and difficult to predict; and on the other hand, they are usually connected to the grid through electronic power converters. This decoupling due to power converters means that renewable generators lack the natural response that conventional generation has to the imbalances between demand and generation that occur during the regular operation of power systems. Renewable generators must, therefore, provide a series of complementary services for the correct operation of power systems in addition to producing the necessary amount of energy. This paper presents an overview of existing methods in the literature that allow photovoltaic generators to participate in the provision of ancillary services, focusing on solutions based on power curtailment by modifying the traditional maximum power point tracking algorithm.