Performance evaluation of solar power plants for excess energy based on energy production

Abstract

Solar is future of the world’s energy. It will become the leading source of energy to reduce the global energy deficit over the next two decades. In this performance analysis of the solar energy production has been examined at a LSSP (large-scale solar plant) to evaluate the theoretical excess energy (EE). The novel energy-based performance ratio (PR) is used as a performance benchmark based on solar energy production and is proposed as an industrial technique for analyzing the EE of large-scale solar projects. In order to analyze the EE, the solar plant’s PR is an important PV parameter utilized by the plant operators to know the performance of solar power utility by measuring its PV performance parameters. Based on this PV performance parameter, the novel energy-based PR has been applied to determine the EE and bonus energy (BE) amount of the 100MW-Quaid-e-Azam Solar Plant (QASP) grid-connected solar project. In this case, it has been proposed a one-year onsite real-time data FY (2020–2021) for energy inputs variables such as data on PR, production, and irradiance to investigate the EE and BE. According to theoretical calculations, these energy inputs are used in an energy-based PR formula model to figure out the PR % value and how much EE or BE is remained. This paper also includes a detailed discussion of 100MW-QASP plant performance between quarterly and annual targets, and yearly performance comparisons are illustrated. At the end, the detailed information of PR, capacity factor (CF), and power generation of the plant and its comparisons with quarterly and yearly graphs are defined, as well as an overview of the difference in annual energy yield, EE, and shortfall/LD also demonstrated in the graphs.