Capacity Utilization Factor Research Articles

ANALISIS UNJUK KERJA PEMBANGKIT LISTRIK TENAGA SURYA (PLTS) ATAP ON-GRID 463,25 kWp DI PERUSAHAAN FARMASI PADA KAWASAN PT JAKARTA INDUSTRIAL ESTATE PULOGADUNG, JAKARTA TIMUR

The number of PLTS installed on factory rooftops is growing. In Indonesia, the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy estimates a total renewable energy potential of 442 GW, with solar energy holding the greatest potential. The performance of the PLTS system needs to be considered to ensure good performance in generating electricity. This research focuses on the rooftop on-grid PLTS system in a Pharmaceutical Company located in the PT Jakarta Industrial Estate Pulo Gadung area, with a capacity of 463.25 kWp. Electricity generation potential is modeled using PVSyst software for examination of the PLTS system's performance. For the period of one year, from November 2021 through October 2022, the PLTS system's performance characteristics are determined. These include the Yield Factor (Yf), Reference Yield (Yr), Performance Ratio (PR), and Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF). According to the model, the 463.25 kWp on-grid rooftop PLTS system may generate up to 629,550 kWh of power each year. The values of the PLTS system performance parameters are as follows: Yield Factor (Yf) is 1,358.99 kWh/kWp, Reference Yield (Yr) is 1,730.6 kWh/kW, Performance Ratio (PR) is 78.56%, and Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) is 15.73%. Meanwhile, the actual electricity production for one year is 570,724.82 kWh, with the following performance parameters for the PLTS system: Yield Factor (Yf) is 1,232 kWh/kWp, Reference Yield (Yr) is 1,642.85 kWh/kW, Performance Ratio (PR) is 76.12%, and Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) is 14.26%. There is a difference between the PVSyst software simulation and the actual results, which are 58,825.18 kWh, 126.98 kWh/kWp, 87.75 kWh/kW, 2.44%, and 1.47% respectively.

Techno-economic performance analysis of grid-tied solar PV systems under tropical savanna climatic conditions in Kenya

The contribution of solar PV to the electricity generation in Kenya was approximately 3.6% as of June 2021. The challenges for low utilising were associated with limited information on the potential opportunities and economic benefits. The objective of this study was to conduct a techno-economic performance of PV systems in Kenya. The methodology involved a case analysis of four grid-tied PV systems installed at Strathmore University. The meteorological data were collected from the weather station, located within 300 metres from the power plant. The electrical parameters were captured by the SolarEdge monitoring system. The performance of the systems was assessed based on two scenarios. Scenario one was on the same fixed tilt angle but different orientation while second scenario consisted of same orientations but different tilt angle. The results indicated a performance ratio and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of 68% and US$0.17 respectively. The model developed indicates that an increase in relative humidity decreases power output of PV system. The results provide clear evidence of the technical and economic viability of PV technology in tropical savanna climatic conditions and contributes to better understanding of the status and prospects for PV systems uptake in Kenya.

Techno-environ-economic assessment of photovoltaic and CSP with storage systems in China and Egypt under various climatic conditions

The goal of this research is to conduct a techno-environ-economic assessment of the two primary electrical energy generation technologies-photovoltaic and concentrating solar power with the storage system. The comparative technical analysis is based on solar to electrical efficiency, electrical output, capacity utilization factor, and land use factor, whereas the financial comparison considers factors like net present value, net capital cost, levelized cost of electricity, payback period, and greenhouse gas emission. The present simulation is carried out utilizing System Advisor Model software. The findings show that while installing photovoltaic power plants in China is the ideal option, establishing concentrating solar power plants in Egyptian meteorological conditions is the optimum alternative. Moreover, the results indicate that by comparing the best scenario for a photovoltaic plant with the best scenario for a concentrated solar power plant, the latter generates 33.34% more electricity. The findings also demonstrate that concentrated solar power plants use 48.7% of their capacity utilization factor, as opposed to photovoltaic plants, which only use 29.2% of their capacity utilization factor. Furthermore, the results imply the ability of concentrated solar power and photovoltaic to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 98.1% and 95.8%, respectively.

Grey Wolf Optimizer for RES Capacity Factor Maximization at the Placement Planning Stage

At the current stage of the integration of renewable energy sources into the power systems of many countries, requirements for compliance with established technical characteristics are being applied to power generation. One such requirement is the installed capacity utilization factor, which is extremely important for optimally placing power facilities based on renewable energy sources and for the successful development of renewable energy. Efficient placement maximizes the installed capacity utilization factor of a power facility, increasing energy efficiency and the payback period. The installed capacity utilization factor depends on the assumed meteorological factors relating to geographical location and the technical characteristics of power generation. However, the installed capacity utilization factor cannot be accurately predicted, since it is necessary to know the volume of electricity produced by the power facility. A novel approach to the optimization of placement of renewable energy source power plants and their capacity factor forecasting was proposed in this article. This approach combines a machine learning forecasting algorithm (random forest regressor) with a metaheuristic optimization algorithm (grey wolf optimizer). Although the proposed approach assumes the use of only open-source data, the simulations show better results than commonly used algorithms, such as random search, particle swarm optimizer, and firefly algorithm.

Revisiting policy combinations under IS–LM–EE framework introducing capacity utilization

The study introduces the capacity utilization factor into the existing works on the effect of technological progress towards environment friendly capital formation to analyse the impacts of fiscal and monetary policies in an IS–LM framework and concludes that the effects of fiscal and monetary policies on conservation capital and permit cost in the presence of technological progress cause increases in output, but these increases will centre around the full capacity utilization level. Further, the empirical exercise in a pooled regression model involving the income-influencing factors through fiscal and monetary policies shows that technological progress endowed with emission intensity and capacity utilization dummy for the world’s 28 countries, confirms the theoretical results in most circumstances. The study signifies the role of institutions and technological progress as the backbone to frame fiscal and monetary policies as an effective instrument for getting green growth.

Assessment of Thermodynamic Efficiency of the Belarusian Energy System. Part 2

The energy system is a structure that is among the most complex artificial objects, the successful functioning and development of which is absolutely necessary to ensure the livelihoods of a modern state. In this regard, its continuous monitoring with obtaining reliable and objective performance indicators is undoubtedly in demand. Traditional key energy indicators (specific consumption of conventional fuel for electricity generation and heat release) do not give a complete picture of the operation of the power system for such complex structures and in some cases are calculated incorrectly. The present paper proposes to add a well-known, but practically unused exergetic efficiency coefficient to the range of traditional characteristics. Its application expands the monitoring capabilities and increases the objectivity of the evaluation. For the first time, the analysis of various periods (annual, heating and inter-heating) was carried out on the example of thermal power plants (CHP) of the Unified Energy System of Belarus. The relative power generation of the CHP before the commissioning of the Belarusian NPP was estimated at ≈45 %, and after commissioning it decreased to ≈39 %. More than half of the annual consumption of thermal energy in Belarus is accounted for by heat-generating sources, while thermal power plants provide up to 88 % of heat output. The installed electric capacity utilization factor, the extraction factor and the average annual specific generation of electricity on thermal consumption for each CHP separately have been determined. The results are presented graphically, which makes the content more informative and facilitates the perception. Solutions have been proposed to improve the efficiency of the CHP.

ANALISIS UNJUK KERJA PEMBANGKIT LISTRIK TENAGA SURYA (PLTS) ATAP ON-GRID 11,2 KWP DI RESIDENSIAL BUKIT GADING MEDITERANIA, JAKARTA UTARA

The implementation of PLTS as the utilization of EBT in Indonesia is still being developed. Government policy through KEN and RUEN targets a national PLTS capacity of 6.5 GW in 2025 and 45 GW in 2050. The PLTS system is implemented from the smallest scale, namely residential, with a new challenge, namely to maintain the performance of the PLTS system in good condition. The object of this research was carried out on an 11.2 kWp on-grid rooftop PV mini-grid system at the Bukit Gading Mediterania Residential. The performance of this rooftop PV system was analyzed using the PVsyst software to determine the potential for electricity production, then calculated the PV system performance parameters such as Yield Factor (Yf) , Yield Reference (Yr), Performance Ratio (PR) and Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) of PLTS within one year of operation starting June 2021 – May 2022, which is then compared with the results of electricity production and the performance parameters of the PLTS system during operation one year from June 2021 – May 2022. The real production value of the 11.2 kWp on-Grid rooftop PV system for a year is 13,809.6 kWh with performance parameters (Yf Factor), Yield Reference (Yr), Performance Ratio (PR ) and Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF)) respectively are 1233.0 kWh/kWp, 1699.7 kWh/kW, 72.4% and 14.1%. For the PVSyst simulation results, the annual potential of electrical energy from the 11.2 kWp on-grid rooftop PLTS system is 15,649 kWh with performance parameters (Yf), Yield Reference (Yr), Performance Ratio (PR) and Capacity Utilization Factor (Yf). CUF)) respectively were 1,397.23 kWh/kWp, 1,691.3 kWh/kW, 82.6% and 16%.

Performance measurement of 5 kWp rooftop grid-connected SPV system in moderate climatic region of Imphal, Manipur, India

The performance of 5 kWp grid-connected solar photovoltaic (SPV) system has been measured for period of 24 months which is installed in north-eastern region of India, Manipur. The performance parameters i.e. reference yield, array yield, final yield, PV system efficiency, performance ratio (PR) and capacity utilization factors (CUF) are used to evaluate performance of the system feasibility. The measured performance is compared with the simulated results using PVsyst software to study feasibility of the SPV technology at the site having three distinct seasons of summer, winter and monsoon. The PR is a key indicator to check performance of SPV system, and is found to be 74.4 % which is satisfactory. The CUF of the system is also another indicator to judge performance of the system and found to be 14.31, which is favorable condition for SPV system. The PV system efficiency is found to be 14.4 %. The performance is compared with similar SPV systems installed elsewhere in different regions. In India, the performance SPV systems which have been studied mostly, are in hot and humid climatic conditions, thereby it is appropriate to compare those systems with moderate climatic condition as Imphal. The performance analysis of present grid-connected rooftop system is studied for the first time in the state Manipur, India. The results will help in setting up SPV systems at different locations within the state by stake holders and also similar climatic condition elsewhere.

Predictive investigation of the combined heat storage system using at NPPs with VVER

The increase in the share of nuclear power plants in the energy systems leads to the need for their participation in covering the irregularities in the electrical load schedules. NPPs unloading is economically unsustainable. Combining NPPs with storage systems can be a solution to this problem, as it will allow the reactors to operate at a constant capacity utilization factor, while excess energy will be stored during load dip hours and converted into electrical energy during peak load hours. The authors have developed a thermal storage system based on the combination of a phase change accumulator with hot and cold water tanks. The system also contains a steam turbine to generate electricity during peak hours using stored energy. Earlier the authors proved that a low-power turbine can be used to supply power to the NPP auxiliary needs with a blackout using only residual heat energy. In this paper, a methodology for determining the necessary operating parameters of the storage system for using under the required conditions is presented. The investigation of economic efficiency was carried out on the example of a range of electricity tariffs for the world’s energy systems. Accumulated net present value ranged from $0 to $85 million.

Modelling and real time performance evaluation of a 5 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic plant using different artificial neural networks

Renewable energy sources have gained greater importance in the past decade owing to the continuous growth in energy demand of developing nations. The modular nature of solar energy has made it possible to utilize it in a variety of applications without any adverse economic impact. In this research, a 5 MW grid-connected solar PV plant was modelled using various ANN networks namely Cascade forward backdrop, ELMAN back prop, Feed forward back prop, Feed forward Distribute Time delay, Layer current and Regression Analysis to identify the impact of various environmental parameters on the PV power generation. Comparatively the Lavenberg- Marquardt model is obtained as a reliable model for smart grid system especially for solar PV power prediction with high R value of 0.9966. Also, the plants real time annual energy production, performance ratio (PR), and capacity utilization factors (CUFs) were analysed under various geometrical condition. The shading losses of the entire PV plant was evaluated using PV SYST software at different tilting conditions (seasonal and fixed tilt). Further, the annual PV generation and energy consumption of the plant is calculated under various load conditions. Out of the total energy consumption of the plant, only 11.2 % of the load will be handled by the 5 MW solar PV plant. Compared with fixed tilt, the proposed optimized tilt increased PR and CUF values to 48.5 % and 9.3 % for the months of November and December, respectively (excluding Sunday maintenance). During Sunday, energy loss was nearly 5248 kWh/day due to improper shutdown of power control units. With proper supply management schemes, the average power saving was nearly 48,000 kWh/year and the total cost saving was nearly INR 38 lakh per year. Owing to proper cleaning (twice in a month), the average power gain was increased to 5.4 %.

Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) of the 70kW on-grid solar station in the dry climate of Termez

The aim of the present study was to assess the installed capacity utilization factor and the suitability of a 70kW photovoltaic plant placed on the roof of a dormitory located at Termez city (Termez state university). We can report the energy to production directly through mobile devices. CUF is one of the quantities that shows the performance quality of each power generating station. The results of our research cover two months autumn and winter. Through this, the theoretically estimated minimum values of CUF on the least sunny days have also been proven in real values. It is estimated that the annual result of this value will be around 15%-20%. Because in the winter months, the value of individual CUF on open days increases by 20%. An estimated 15.68 mln kg of CO2 was avoided due to the generation of 22.4MWh of energy. This is a small improvement in the environment and energy sector.

Анализ энергетических характеристик ветроэлектрических установок

The use of wind power plants is growing rapidly, despite the continued growth in the extraction of traditional fossil resources. In this paper, the analysis of the power curves of real wind turbine models and the polynomials common among the scientific community describing the dependence of the wind turbine output power on wind is carried out. The article discusses 82 models of wind power plants with a horizontal axis of rotation, rated power up to 100 kW and with a method of limiting the speed of rotation in the operating mode pitch control. The calculation of the potential generation of each wind turbine at an oil and gas field for a period of twenty years with an interval of one hour is carried out, the Installed Capacity Utilization Factor is calculated, after which the values are compared with the results of calculations based on polynomials of other authors. The results obtained can be widely applied in modeling the operating modes of wind power plants and will improve the accuracy of feasibility studies for the implementation of autonomous power supply systems.

Performance analysis and modelling of a 50 MW grid-connected photovoltaic plant in Spain after 12 years of operation

This study aims to estimate the performance and losses of a 50 MW photovoltaic (PV) utility-scale after 12 years of operation. The PV plant has monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon modules and is located in the central region of Spain with an annual insolation of 1976 kWh/m2. Monitoring data over the entire year 2020 has been analyzed and filtered to assess the performance results following the IEC 61724 standard guidelines. The annual average reference yield, final yield, performance ratio and capacity utilization factor are of 5.44 h/d, 4.28 h/d, 79.24%, and 19.77%, respectively. Besides the experimental analysis, this work improves the estimation of the daily performance ratio, especially in days with low insolation. Two different modelling approaches have been assessed and compared. In first place, a physical model has been adopted, based on the most common losses, and including an exponential expression to account for low irradiance losses. In second place, statistical models have been used, with either multiple linear regressions or random forest algorithms. In contrast with other published models which require many inputs, the best accuracy has been reached with the random forest model using only the ambient temperature and solar irradiance as predictors, obtaining a RMSE of 1% for the PR and for the energy production.

Advances in Solar PV Systems; A Comprehensive Review of PV Performance, Influencing Factors, and Mitigation Techniques

PV power plants utilizing solar energy to generate electricity on a large scale has become a trend and a new option that has been adopted by many countries; however, in actuality, it is difficult to anticipate how much electricity PV plants will generate. This analysis of existing photovoltaic (PV) power plants provides guidelines for more precise designs and performance forecasting of other upcoming PV technologies. In the literature, some authors have put their efforts into reviewing studies on PV power systems; however, those reviews are too focused on specific aspects of the topic. This study will review, from a broader perspective, recent investigations on PV power systems in the literature that were published between 1990 and 2022. The present study is divided into three main parts. Firstly, a performance assessment review of PV power plants is presented by taking different performance parameters into consideration, which were developed by the “International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC 61724-1)”. These parameters include reference yield, final yield, performance ratio, capacity utilization factor, and system efficiency. Secondly, different identifying factors that were investigated in previous studies, and which affect PV performance, were considered. These factors include solar irradiance, PV technology type, ambient temperature, cell temperature, tilt angle, dust accumulation, and shading effect. Thirdly, different methods were adopted and suggested to counter the effects of these influencing factors to enhance the performance efficiency of the PV power system. A hybrid cooling and cleaning system can use active techniques to boost efficiency during high solar irradiances and ambient temperatures while depending on passive techniques for everyday operations. This comprehensive and critical review identifies the challenges and proposed solutions when using photovoltaic technologies and it will be helpful for researchers, designers, and investors dealing with PV power systems.

Performance Evaluation and Estimation of Energy Measures of Grid-Connected PV Module

In this paper, the effectiveness of two grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) techniques up of copper indium selenium (CIS) and monocrystalline silicon (m-Si) arrays has been examined. In order to determine whether the technology is suitable for the actual winter and summer climatic conditions in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, the observed and calculated performances have been compared. The final yield, photovoltaic (PV) effectiveness, array yield, performance ratio, and capacity utilisation factor seem to be the variables used to evaluate performance. Using recorded meteorological data at the selected location, PVsyst software predicts both PV systems’ year-round performances. These predictions are then contrasted to the outcomes of the actual measurements. The outcome showed that with a maximal observed performance ratio, both PV systems function marginally better in the winters than those in the summers. The performance indicators of the PV mechanisms are contrary with those of other PV systems with comparable capacities that are located in different places.

Substantiating the Use of Wind Power Plants for Power Supply to the Nosok Settlement in the Krasnoyarsk Krai

The majority of settlements in the northern regions of the Krasnoyarsk Krai in the Russian Federation use diesel power plants (DPPs) consisting of several diesel gensets (DGS) as a power supply source. At present, increasingly growing attention is paid in Russia to replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources (RES). In this connection, there is a need to assess the technical capabilities and economic feasibility of fully or partially replacing DPPs with wind power plants consisting of one or more wind turbines. The article presents the results from evaluating the technical and economic efficiency of using wind turbines for reducing the power output of the DPP installed in the Nosok settlement located in the Taimyr Dolgan-Nenets municipal district of the Krasnoyarsk Krai of Russia, which is administratively part of the Karaul rural settlement. The Nosok settlement power supply system uses a 0.7 MW diesel power plant as the power supply source. The annual consumption of electricity in 2020 amounted to 2978.64 MWh, for which 982.9 t of diesel fuel was consumed, which in monetary terms amounted to 73.72 million rubles. Significant material costs are stemming from the use of expensive imported diesel fuel; this results in that the cost of electricity provided by the Taimyrenergoresurs LLC power supply company is 45.6 rubles for 1 kWh. The article considers the option of developing a combined wind and diesel power plant and substantiates the efficiency of using the Enercon E-40/6/44 wind turbine for reducing the diesel fuel consumption for the power supply system operation. The annual amount of electricity generated by the Enercon E-40/6/44 wind turbine in the Nosok settlement of the Krasnoyarsk Krai will make 2142.55 MWh, which is 71.9% of the energy consumption in the Nosok settlement equal to 2978.64 MWh. This will make it possible to reduce the diesel fuel consumption by 707.04 t, and save 53.02 million rubles annually. The use of the above-mentioned wind turbine for supplying power to the Nosok settlement will become an efficient technical measure, because the wind turbine capacity utilization factor is 0.408, which points to a good effect from using this wind turbine. Owing to the money earned from saving diesel fuel, the Enercon E-40/6/44 wind turbine payback period will not be more than 1.55 years, which should be quite attractive to investors. After expiration of the payback period, it will be possible to obtain electricity from the Enercon E-40/6/44 wind turbine at a cost of 4.03 rubles for 1 kWh.

Potential Assessment and Performance Evaluation of a Floating Solar Photovoltaic on the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

The demand for electricity has increased rapidly in Ethiopia. Renewable energy sources such as solar PV are being used to respond to the power demand and cover a small percentage of the country’s energy need. However, in Ethiopia, where the majority of the land is utilized for agriculture, the land required to generate solar PV power in a large scale is a significant barrier. Big dams, such as Great Ethiopia’s Renaissance Dam, can be used for a solar floating system to eliminate the need for land and transmission infrastructure. Due to its wider area covered by the reservoir, which is about 1,874,000,000 m2, the potential of the renaissance dam needs to be investigated for solar PV floating installation to meet the electricity demand in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors in Ethiopia. In addition, the cooling action of the water on the PV floating allows it to keep its efficiency and increase the power output from the panels. In this study, the performance of grid-connected floating PV systems was evaluated in terms of power generation potential, performance ratio, capacity utilization factor, greenhouse gas emissions, and water conservation. The power consumption of peoples living in the GERD generation site is nearly 1 MW. Though they get electricity through the grid, this study considers performance assessment of a 1 MW solar FPV with the intention of covering the energy need of the hydropower station itself and near rural communities. Modeling and simulation of the proposed FPV plant is done with the help of PVsyst software tool. Finally, the analysis reveals that the GERD has the FPV capability to generate 18,740 MW of maximum power, and its performance was assessed for a 1 MW grid-connected FPV system. The benefits of employing FPV in energy production, water conservation, CO2 emission reduction, and economic benefit are demonstrated in this study. Furthermore, the installation of 1 MW FPV saves 54.4 million liters of GERD water from evaporation per year, which benefits the Blue Nile’s downstream countries to conserve their share of water.

A Logistic Modelling Analysis for Wind Energy Potential Assessment and Forecasting its Diffusion in Pakistan

There is increased focus to harness renewable energy resources in the 21st century to contain climate change and attain energy security. In this context, wind energy is attaining a significant marketplace to meet the ever-increasing electricity demand. This study, as such, undertakes wind energy assessment and forecasts wind power market penetration in Pakistan considering three different scenarios for the period 2020–2050. The modeling approach of this study is based on the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm (LMA) optimization method, which is used to estimate the parameters of the logistic model to improve forecasting precision. It is revealed that around 55, 64, and 73% of wind potential could be technically exploited under each of the three scenarios, respectively. The Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) for each scenario are also estimated. The anticipated annual abatement of GHG emissions and CERs earnings at 30% capacity utilization factor is found to be 158 million CERs by the year 2050. These results suggest that wind energy offers great potential to attain energy security, environmental stability, and sustainable development in Pakistan. This study would assist energy professionals, government, and stakeholders to undertake wind energy market assessment and devise appropriate energy management plans.

The philosophy of stash lives and wins

The paper provides a comparative analysis of the views of domestic liberals and statesmen regarding the expediency of unbridled inflation of sovereign funds in conditions of underemployment of production resources. The historical predecessors of the National Wealth Fund, the leading sources of formation and the functions performed by it are revealed. The current predominantly accumulative strategy for the formation of Russian funds of financial reserves, the intensive implementation of which is expected in the coming years, is subjected to extensive criticism. The large-scale financial losses of Russia with the existing mechanism for the use of sovereign funds both domestically and abroad are revealed. The sharp reluctance of the financial authorities to actively direct them to productive purposes under the pretext of the mythical threat of accelerating inflation is subjected to critical analysis. Considering the NWF as a potentially powerful built-in stabilizer of the domestic economy allows the author to justify the need for urgent serious adjustments to the current budget rule, aiming the algorithm for its application not so much at the level of world oil prices, but rather at the current capacity utilization factor in the country.

Advancing simulation tools specific to floating solar photovoltaic systems – Comparative analysis of field-measured and simulated energy performance

The land-use intensity and performance-related issues in the solar energy sector have led to the development of floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems that allow solar photovoltaic (PV) installation on water bodies. The FPV systems present two-fold benefits in terms of mitigation of land-use conflicts and improved energy performances. While such experimental studies exist in the literature, the critical apprehensions related to performance feasibility assessments during the project planning are still unclear due to the lack of simulation tools specific to the FPV. Also, given the high uncertainty in solar PV performance, which varies from location to location, the existing experimental studies may not help in benchmarking and revealing the need for simulations specific to FPV. In reality, most installers/researchers are still using simulation tools that apply to conventional PV installations, and that do not account for the PV-water interaction and cooling effect caused. Until now, without realising this, the service providers are providing inaccurate performance feasibility reports to clients who wish to deploy FPV. Hence, this study investigates whether the existing simulation tools can be applied for FPV planning by taking a 2 MWp FPV power plant installed on the urban water reservoir in Southern India as a case study. First, the field measured data of the 2 MWp FPV plant is monitored. Second, the same is simulated in three different software tools: PVsyst, System Advisory Model (SAM) by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Helioscope. Third, error metrics-based methodology is applied to understand the deviation in energy output, capacity utilization factor (CUF), and performance ratio (PR). The results advocate that deviation in energy from the measured to simulated varies significantly from 18.43 to 38.55%, suggesting that none of the considered simulation tools suitable for FPV project planning. Similarly, other performance indicators are analysed, followed by a discussion and data-driven recommendations leading to the conceptual simulation tool development for FPV.