Reducing conventional generation dependency with solar Pv power: A case of Delhi (India)

Abstract

ABSTRACT In several Indian cities, the governments is planning to reduce excessive air pollution due to fossil fuel used by traffic and local industries. This is done by encouraging greater use of renewable energy resources. One such city that has come under this observation is the Metropolis of Delhi, the capital of India. The Government of Delhi NCR has initiated corrective policy moves that promote the use of solar photovoltaic energy for minimizing dependency on fossil-fueled generation. However, it is well known that renewable energy has its limitations in relation to steady availability and desired quantity for bulk applications. Thus, at best, renewable energy can partially replace conventional fossil-fueled energy resources. The extent to which solar photovoltaic (SPV) energy can replace conventional-fueled generation is broadly referred to as capacity credit or capacity value of the concerned SPV. This paper is an attempt to compute the sizing of the optimum solar PV installation for a satisfactory level of capacity credit. The analysis employs the state sampling approach. The system adequacy is evaluated in terms of the reliability indices Loss of Energy Expectation (LOEE) and Loss of Load Expectation (LOLE). The Monte Carlo simulation technique is applied for the reliability evaluation, on account of its simplicity and better relative accuracy as compared with other available techniques. It is observed that for a solar penetration level of 30%, the increment in capacity contribution shows dissimilar trends with the increment in installation capacity. The optimum installation is witnessed for the 200 W and 400 W for the reliability criteria of LOLE and LOEE indices, respectively.