Photovoltaic Generation Capacity Research Articles

Adaptive Real Power Capping Method for Fair Overvoltage Regulation of Distribution Networks With High Penetration of PV Systems

For distribution networks with a high penetration of photovoltaic (PV) systems, overvoltage is a common and major issue that needs be addressed to not only assure reliable and secure system operation, but also to fully utilize PV generation capacity. A new real power capping method is proposed in this paper to prevent overvoltages by adaptively setting the power caps for PV inverters in real time. The proposed method can maintain voltage profiles below a preset upper limit while maximizing the PV generation and fairly distributing the real power curtailments among all the PV systems in the network. As a result, each of the PV systems in the network has equal opportunity to generate electricity and shares the responsibility of voltage regulation. The method does not require global information and can be implemented either under a centralized supervisory control scheme or in a distributed way via consensus control. Both steady state and dynamic simulation studies under various scenarios have been carried out on a 33-bus distribution system and the IEEE 13-bus test feeder to verify the effectiveness of the method.

Searching for public benefits in solar subsidies: A case study on the Australian government’s residential photovoltaic rebate program

The Australian Government ran a renewable energy program in the 2000s that provided rebates to householders who acquired solar Photovoltaic (PV) energy systems. Originally called the Photovoltaic Rebate Program (PVRP), it was rebranded the Solar Homes and Communities Plan (SHCP) in November 2007. This paper evaluates both the PVRP and SHCP using measures of cost-effectiveness and fairness. It finds that the program was a major driver of a more than six-fold increase in PV generation capacity in the 2000s, albeit off a low base. In 2010, solar PV’s share of the Australian electricity market was still only 0.1%. The program was also environmentally ineffective and costly, reducing emissions by 0.09 MtCO 2-e/yr over the life of the rebated PV systems at an average cost of between AU$238 and AU$282/tCO 2-e. In addition, the data suggest there were equity issues associated with the program, with 66% of all successful applicants residing in postal areas that were rated as medium–high or high on a Socio-economic Status (SES) scale.

Steps towards integration of PV‐electricity into the GRID

AbstractThe high growth rate of photovoltaic (PV) installations leads to the question about the consequences for grid integration and management. As a case study, we present an analysis of the first limits for the amount of PV electricity in the utility grid of the greater Zurich area. The first limit is found at an amount of 6% of the yearly electricity generation from PV, where the PV generation capacity begins to exceed the daytime increase of the load profile. This scenario assumes no changes of the daily constant base load generation. If the PV power is further increased to an amount of 10% of the overall electricity generation, about 8% of the PV electricity production could find no demand, starting with a surplus of PV production at noon at sunny weekends in summer time. This would reduce the nominal working hours of the PV plants by 8%, increasing the PV generation costs by the same factor. An amount of 17% of PV generation can be reached in the Zurich utility grid by storing the surplus of unused PV electricity as produced, by the widely available pumped hydro plants in the Swiss Alps. The 17% PV target would also be possible without storage, but it would require reducing the base load power production in favour of PV electricity generation. To further increase the amount of PV electricity generation above 20%, low cost storage means or changes of the load profile would be required. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hybrid simulation and optimization-based design and operation of integrated photovoltaic generation, storage units, and grid

Unlike fossil-fueled generation, solar energy resources are geographically distributed and highly intermittent, which makes their direct control extremely difficult and requires storage units as an additional concern. The goal of this research is to design and develop a flexible tool, which will allow us to obtain (1) an optimal capacity of an integrated photovoltaic (PV) system and storage units and (2) an optimal operational decision policy considering the current and future market prices of the electricity. The proposed tool is based on hybrid (system dynamics model and agent-based model) simulation and meta-heuristic optimization. In particular, this tool has been developed for three different scenarios (involving different geographical scales), where PV-based solar generators, storage units (compressed-air-energy-storage (CAES) and super-capacitors), and grid are used in an integrated manner to supply energy demands. Required data has been gathered from various sources, including NASA and TEP (utility company), US Energy Information Administration, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, commercial PV panel manufacturers, and publicly available reports. The constructed tool has been demonstrated to (1) test impacts of several factors (e.g. demand growth, efficiencies in PV panel and CAES system) on the total cost of the integrated generation and storage system and an optimal mixture of PV generation and storage capacity, and to (2) demonstrate an optimal operational policy.

Economic Evaluation of Photovoltaic Generation Applications in a Large Electric Utility System

This paper describes the methodology used for and the results obtained from a study to assess the economic viability of long-range applications of photovoltaic (PV) generation in a large eastern electric utility system. Amorphous silicon PV technology, which has been under development by RCA Laboratories since 1974 and formed the basis for the conceptual design of a central- station PV power plant, was used in the application study. Traditional utility system planning techniques were applied to determine the capacity and energy values of PV generation. however, the system capacity reliability evaluation and production cost simulation programs; were modified and applied to more accurately account for the time- constrained and intermittent teatures of PV energy output. Statistical and mathematical procedures were developed to utilize the varying daily insolation data and convert them to appropriate patterns of electric energy output. The study results indicate that with respect to a conventional generation alternative, such as combustion turbines of more advanced design, the breakeven capital cost for PV power plants ranges from $1,100 to $1,350 (1982 dollars) per peak kW. The higher the PV capacity penetration, the lower the required breakeven cost.