Grid-connected Residential Photovoltaic Systems Research Articles

Design Enhancement of Grid-Connected Residential PV Systems to Meet the Saudi Electricity Regulations

Distributed grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) generation explores several methods that produce energy at or near the point of consumption, with the aim of reducing electricity losses among transmission networks. Consequently, home on-grid PV applications have garnered increased interest from both scientific researchers and industry professionals over the last decade. Nevertheless, the growing installation of intermittent nature residential PV systems (R-PV) in low-voltage distribution networks is leading to more cautious considerations of technology limitations and PV design challenges. This conservative perspective arises from the standpoint of grid quality and security, ultimately resulting in the revocation of PV connection authorization. Hence, the design of R-PV systems should consider not only the specifications of the PV panels and load profiles but also the characteristics and requirements of the connected power grid. This project therefore seeks to enhance the design considerations of grid-connected PV systems, in order to help the end-users meet the grid codes set out by the Saudi Electricity Regulatory Authority (SERA). Since the maximum amount of generated power is essential for PV system optimization, the ratio of grid strength to maximum transmitted power was employed to ascertain the suitable capacity of the PV system, while the assessment of PV power output was utilized to specify the system size. Furthermore, a battery energy storage system (BESS) with a small size (~10% of the PV capacity) is employed to enhance the PV power quality for a dependable grid interconnection. The BESS is equipped with a versatile power controller in order to achieve the designed objectives. The obtained results show an essential advancement in terms of power quality and reliability at the customer’s connection point. Moreover, with the design assessment process, the low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) and power factor requirements can be met, in addition to the total harmonic distortion (THD) and frequency transient limitations. The proposed solution assists end-users in efficiently designing their own R-PV systems while ensuring quality and sustainability for authorized grid interconnection.

Techno-economic assessment of grid-connected residential photovoltaic systems considering overvoltage-induced generation curtailment

Grid-connected residential photovoltaic (PV) systems are continuously installed in worldwide communities, predominantly to reduce electricity bills. However, the rapid growth of distributed PV systems inevitably causes overvoltage in distribution networks. Conventionally, PV curtailment is implemented in a grid-connected inverter to prevent the system from overvoltage. Nevertheless, previous studies have failed to consider PV curtailment caused by overvoltage when conducting techno-economic assessments. Therefore, this study conducts a comprehensive techno-economic assessment of grid-connected residential PV systems, considering overvoltage-induced generation curtailment. A volt-watt curtailment strategy is designed based on a droop characteristic. Simulation studies are conducted using real-world load profiles and electricity tariffs retrieved from the Metropolitan Electricity Authority in Thailand. Furthermore, a typical low-voltage distribution feeder in Bangkok, Thailand, is employed using Thailand’s grid code. Simulation results indicate that the optimal PV size could be reduced by up to 58.33% (depending on the numbers and locations of PV systems) when considering overvoltage-induced generation curtailment, resulting in a profitability reduction of 21.34%. It is concluded that considering overvoltage-induced generation curtailment can accurately determine the PV size, preventing oversizing and overvoltage.

Performance Assessment User Interface to Enhance the Utilization of Grid-Connected Residential PV Systems

The share of renewable energy resources in modern electrical power networks is increasing in order to meet environmental and technical targets. Consequently, energy researchers and power providers have been focusing on optimizing the integration of renewable energy into existing power grids. One of the most significant growing applications of renewable energy resources is residential photovoltaic (PV) systems; therefore, this paper discusses a new methodology to enhance the utilization of small-scale and medium-scale PV systems. For this purpose, this study proposes a user-friendly interface to help novice users optimally design their own PV projects with the highest possible utilization of the installed panels. Unlike the commercially available design tools, the proposed interface in this paper provides a higher degree-of-freedom computational process, as well as the option of improving the generated power quality, while maintaining the simplicity of the required tools and inputs. The proposed methodology mainly relies on a deep mathematical analysis considering different generation and consumption aspects, such as the load profile, time of usage, ambient temperature, PV system specifications and location. Furthermore, the mechanism of integrating a small portion of Energy Storage Systems (ESSs), to improve the quality of the extracted power, is also discussed in this study. The user interface provides the ability to estimate optimal ESS usage versus the estimated price when energy is urgently required. The case study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the results showed an essential improvement in the efficiency, solar fraction and power quality of the studied PV project, which can be extended to other home and distributed generation (DG) scales.

Techno-economic feasibility analysis of grid-connected residential PV systems in Algeria

Small-scale photovoltaic (PV) power systems have been proven to be successful in generating electricity, conserving fossil fuels, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the residential sector, which is one of the largest consumers of energy. In Algeria, to reduce energy consumption in this sector, the authorities are considering implementing a policy that would encourage grid-connected residential PV systems. This paper presents a techno-economic assessment of grid-connected residential PV systems in four climate zones in Algeria. This work was performed using HOMER software for two different PV system configurations, grid/PV and grid/PV/battery. The technical performances of the considered systems were evaluated through the assessment of the self-consumption and self-sufficiency, while the net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), profitability index (PI), and discounted payback period (DPBP) were used to determine their feasibility. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to evaluate the effects of feed-in tariff (FiT), battery costs, and PV array capacity on the profitability of the systems. The results revealed that the grid/PV systems are technically and economically feasible in all of the four climate zones. For the grid/PV/battery systems, the grant of battery costs and the development of a regional FiT system are recommended. This article provides a tool for policymakers to assess the technical and financial performance of residential solar PV systems to develop adequate policy supports and tariff structures for Algeria.

A novel fast MPPT strategy used for grid-connected residential PV system applied in morocco

Regardless its significant potential for generating renewable energy, Moroccan government prohibited the injection of production surplus into the low voltage (LV) network because it still lack the implementing decreases, that represents one of the principal challenges for residential self-production in the country. The focus of this paper work is to introduce and analyze a novel fast MPPT strategy applied in an improved grid-connected Residential PV system respecting the current legislative framework in Morocco, which allow to the consumer being an actor in the energy transition towards a low-carbon society by reducing his dependence to the electrical grid and managing his own energy consumption efficiently by a good switching between photovoltaic (PV) source and the grid and therefore making a framework of smart residence management system. The overall system is designed to improve the energy control performance with two techniques: the first one uses a novel high performance controller to track the maximum power point (MPP) of a photovoltaic array under fast irradiation and load changes. Among the advantages of this proposed controller is the stability of its output voltage with fast response speed to the required parameters. The second one uses a Power Factor Correction (PFC) circuit to ensure the power quality regulation in the grid side via a predictive current control method. Finally, the stability of a closed-loop system is simulated and analyzed using commercial software offering sufficient conditions to validate a practical stability and robustness of the proposed overall designed system.

Economic and performance evaluation of grid-connected residential solar photovoltaic systems in Northwest China

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the study is to assess and compare the economy and performance of a hypothetical 5 kWp grid-connected residential solar photovoltaic (PV) system with and without batteries in Northwest China. The performance and economic analysis of the grid-connected residential PV system in five different locations (Xi’an, Lanzhou, Xining, Yinchuan, and Urumqi) of Northwest China has been performed through System Advisor Model (SAM) software developed by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) using the typical meteorological year (TMY) data of EnergyPlus weather database. The results indicate that the feasible system comprises 16 Shanghai JA Solar Technology JAM6-72-275 mono-crystalline modules rated at 275Wp, two GCI-3K-2G-H inverters rated at 2,990 W, and without flooded lead acid battery storage. The grid-connected PV systems are economically viable in the five locations, whereas the grid-connect PV/battery systems are not viable under the existing assumptions. The loan term has the greatest impact on the real LCOE and NPV compared to the considered sensitivity variables when the range of variation is within ±20%.

Near-term economic benefits from grid-connected residential PV (photovoltaic) systems

One of the main reasons attributed to the slow uptake of grid-connected residential PV (photovoltaic) systems, is the lack of information about the near-term economic benefits which are as important as long-term viability for residential customers. This paper presents a comparative assessment of the near-term economic benefits of grid-connected residential PV systems. Case studies from the UK and India are taken as examples, as they vary significantly in solar resource, customer demands, electricity prices and financial support mechanisms. A metric termed PEUC (prosumer electricity unit cost) is proposed to develop an economic evaluation methodology to assess the near-term benefits from PV systems. The results obtained showed that, under the present financial support mechanisms, domestic PV systems provide near-term economic benefits in most locations in India. For most locations in the UK, cost reduction is needed to achieve near-term financial benefits and this varies depending on the location of installation. The results presented demonstrate the importance of location specific system planning and demand-generation matching through optimal sizing of the PV system and demand side management.

Look-Ahead Energy Management of a Grid-Connected Residential PV System with Energy Storage under Time-Based Rate Programs

This paper presents look-ahead energy management system for a grid-connected residential photovoltaic (PV) system with battery under critical peak pricing for electricity, enabling effective and proactive participation of consumers in the Smart Grid’s demand response. In the proposed system, the PV is the primary energy source with the battery for storing (or retrieving) excessive (or stored) energy to pursue the lowest possible electricity bill but it is grid-tied to secure electric power delivery. Premise energy management scheme with an accurate yet practical load forecasting capability based on a Kalman filter is designed to increase the predictability in controlling the power flows among these power system components and the controllable electric appliances in the premise. The case studies with various operating scenarios demonstrate the validity of the proposed system and significant cost savings through operating the energy management scheme.

Performance analysis of various system configurations on grid-connected residential PV systems

Performance and loss analysis of residential photovoltaic (PV) systems are conducted using the sophisticated verification (SV) method. Performance of the various system configurations is quantitatively analyzed and compared in this paper. The south-oriented systems have approximately 22% more reference yield than the systems that are not oriented south. Difference of the module manufacturers shows more than 10% differences of the performance ratio whereas array configuration shows less difference. Imbalance of the string voltages causes system peak power loss and MPP mismatch. This loss cannot be minimized by the DC/DC converter in most of the systems.

蓄電池機能付き住宅用太陽光発電システムの運用と経済評価

蓄電池機能付き住宅用太陽光発電システムの運用と経済評価

多数の小型太陽光発電システムを連系した配電線側の電気的挙動について

多数の小型太陽光発電システムを連系した配電線側の電気的挙動について