Optimal design of stand-alone photovoltaic system based on battery storage system: A case study of Borj Cedria in Tunisia

Abstract

This work deals with the optimal design of a stand-alone photovoltaic system (SAPS) based on the battery storage system and assesses its technical performance by using PVsyst simulation. In fact, this study is carried out to determine the optimal orientation and tilt angle of a solar panel for collecting maximum solar radiation. Borj Cedria is taken as a case study site to perform the optimum tilt angle through PVsyst. PV-GIS is utilized to estimate global solar irradiance. The proposed system can produce 1314 kWh of energy for the load, which is considered technically suitable for this area thanks to a performance ratio of 58.3% and high specific efficiency generation, besides the solar fraction of about 92.5%. From an economic point of view, the SAPS can save more than 44,000 Dt per year by purchasing energy from the grid system, while considering the aspect of sustainability, 66.24 kg of CO2 annually can be avoided by utilizing the sun’s energy. Furthermore, efficient solar panel use requires its characteristics to be identified under various conditions. An original experimental setup is carried out in the LPV Lab to identify PV characteristics. Experimental and simulation results performed under PSIM software are in good agreement, which shows the experimental setup’s effectiveness.