Photovoltaic Capacity Research Articles

Available solar resources and photovoltaic system planning strategy for highway

The integration of energy and transportation is a prerequisite for ensuring a rational, practical, and sustainable evolution of energy conservation. This study proposes a planning strategy combining the maximum exploitation of solar resources and road area to utilize solar energy in highways entirely. First, the proposed grading criterion was used to evaluate the solar resource capacity of the road. Then, the photovoltaic-available road area was calculated to analyze the feasibility of photovoltaics. Finally, the comprehensive analysis of solar resources and road facilities results in the road photovoltaic energy system. Accordingly, the planning strategy was validated using three typical scenes. The results indicate that there are abundant solar resources within the road area. It demonstrates that solar resources could accurately characterized and error reduced to 50 kWh/m2 by using a 500 m long road segment. Additionally, the exploitability index was proposed to evaluate the magnitude of road area. Moreover, the concept of “road facilities energy consumption circle” was put forward. For verification, 2 km of road segment of Scene A was selected to design photovoltaic systems, which comprise five energy consumption circles, and the self-sufficient rate of each circle is 100 %. The photovoltaic capacity of the largest circle reaches 1400.5 kWh, which suggests that the design is rationalized. The proposed planning strategy promotes the optimization of the siting and deployment of road photovoltaic systems. This study provides technical support for low-carbon energy supply in highways, contributing to sustainable development and net zero emissions in transportation.

Design and techno-economic analysis of solar energy based on-site hydrogen refueling station

This paper presents a detailed techno-economic review and assessment of a hydrogen refueling station (HRS) powered by a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system to address the issues of carbon emissions and energy sustainability in transportation. In the study, the HRS system with 1, 3 and 5 MW PV installed capacity for Ankara, the capital city of Türkiye, is considered for different system lifetimes. In the proposed HRS, on-site hydrogen production is achieved through anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) using a grid-connected PV system, and the produced hydrogen is stored in a cascaded storage system and is utilized at the HRS station. In order to evaluate the cost competitiveness and economic viability of the designed HRS system, the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is determined by considering the initial investment costs, operating expenses and potential revenue streams. The results show that the HRS capacity, PV installed capacity and system lifetime significantly impact the LCOH. The technoeconomic analysis results show that the best system configuration was determined as 8.54 €/kg H2 in the 20-year long term refueling scenario for a 5 MW installed PV capacity with a daily refueling capacity of 170 kg H2. This study contributes to the development of sustainable energy infrastructure by providing a comprehensive framework for the design, calculation and economic evaluation of PV-integrated hydrogen refueling stations. The results provide valuable information for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers to help achieve a carbon-neutral transportation sector and promote energy sustainability.

Photovoltaic systems, costs, and electrical and electronic waste in the Legal Amazon: An evaluation of the Luz para Todos Program

Despite its significance in regulating the global climate and maintaining biodiversity, the vastness of the Amazon geography imposes challenges for its residents, including limited access to electricity. The Luz para Todos Program proposes to universalize access to the public electricity service in remote regions of the Legal Amazon with renewable energy sources. From this perspective, the work assessed the ability of sector agents to meet the demand for universalization of the Luz para Todos Program, the economic aspects involved in the universalization process, and the waste management and reverse logistics of these systems. The findings indicate a demand for up to 15 million photovoltaic modules, batteries, and inverters with a maximum cost exceeding BRL 38 billion (USD 7.4 billion). Over 33 years, between 58 and 234 thousand tons of electronic waste would be generated. The program should change the panorama of installed photovoltaic capacity in the northern region of the country, thus placing considerable demand upon the solar industry to supply equipment for the installation of thousands of standalone systems across a vast territory, generating waste in places with inadequate infrastructure to manage them in an environmentally sensitive manner. The diversification of renewable energy sources could alleviate the burden on the service chain, curtail the waste generated by photovoltaic equipment, and stimulate the development of a service chain in regions gaining access to electricity services.

Influence of high-resolution data on accurate curtailment loss estimation and optimal design of hybrid PV–wind power plants

Hybrid photovoltaic (PV) - wind power plants (HyPPs), i.e., where the PV and wind systems are co-located and share the Point of Interconnection (POI) with the grid, have recently attracted more attention. This trend is driven by the expected reduced capital and operational expenditures achieved through, e.g., shared land and POI infrastructure for HyPPs compared to two individual PV and wind installations. However, if the POI is underdimensioned relative to the PV and wind capacities, the generation from either or both of the assets must at times be curtailed, unless mitigated by solutions like energy storage. This curtailment might lead to income losses. Moreover, as HyPPs typically are designed using wind and PV generation data on hourly resolution, the actual curtailment losses can be underestimated. This might in turn lead to HyPP designs which are techno-economically sub-optimal.In this study, a comparative analysis is conducted to analyze how the curtailment and income loss estimations for HyPPs, as well as the techno-economic optimal HyPP topologies, are impacted by varying the input data time resolution. One year of site measured PV and wind power generation data on 5 s resolution from an existing HyPP located in Eastern Germany are used as basis for the study. For a HyPP topology with an undersized POI, where the installed capacities of the POI, PV, and wind systems are all equal, the curtailment losses are estimated to be 1.45%, 1.43% and 1.09% using the 5 s, 1 min and 1 h resolution datasets, respectively. Moreover, using the 1 h instead of the 1 min dataset leads to a 1.86% overestimation of the total Net Present Value (NPV) for this HyPP topology. As the shares of the PV and wind systems increase relative to the POI capacity, the differences in the estimation of the curtailment losses and NPVs between the high- and low-resolution datasets become more significant.

Distributed Photovoltaic Site Selection and Capacity Planning Considering Power Mutual Support in Multiple Power Distribution Areas

Abstract With the rapid development of local economy, the form of independent power supply from a single power supply in the power distribution area is difficult to meet the demand for high reliability. The interconnection and power mutual assistance planning of power distribution areas under large-scale distributed photovoltaic access have attracted widespread attention. Due to the randomness and volatility of distributed photovoltaics, its different access methods and capacities will affect the safe and stable operation and power mutual assistance capabilities of the distribution area. In order to study the site selection and capacity planning problem of distributed photovoltaics, this paper builds a site selection and capacity model based on the three-phase power flow equation with the maximum external power of the station area as the optimization goal and the safe operation of the distribution area as constraints. Furthermore, an optimization method for distributed photovoltaic site selection and capacity based on improved particle swarm algorithm is proposed. Finally, this paper verified the effectiveness of the optimization method through simulation analysis on the IEEE33 three-phase grid model. The simulation results show that this method of site selection and capacity determination can achieve maximum power transmission in the power distribution area while ensuring the safe and stable operation of the area.

The effect of PV generation's hourly variations on Israel's solar investment

Limited by sunniness and conversion efficiency, one installed MW of photovoltaic (PV) capacity can only produce ωt MWh of electricity in daytime hour t, where ωt = positive fraction that we call PV's hourly effective capacity (HEC). Based on a sample of commercially operating PV plants in Israel, HEC rises throughout the 08:00–11:00 period, peaks in the 11:00–14:00 period and then declines in the 14:00–18:00 period. Further, HEC values in spring and summer exceed those in autumn and winter, thus motivating our research question: do HEC variations by hour and season adversely affect the plans for and assessment of PV investment in Israel? An affirmative answer would cause concerns regarding Israel's announced policy of relying on increasing market penetration of PV generation transitionally supported by merchant natural-gas-fired generation (NG) to achieve a low-carbon electricity future. Hence, we propose a two-stage model of Israel's forthcoming Cournot wholesale electricity market with independent power producers (IPPs) operating PV and NG power plants. By comparing the model's solutions under alternative HEC scenarios, we find that the level of detail in modelling the HEC variations by hour and season does not materially affect the optimal PV and NG investments, thus lending support to the use of relatively simple models with only two daily non-seasonal HEC values to assess Israel's announced policy of deep decarbonization. Our methodology is general and real-world relevant because it can be readily adapted for applications in other regions with ample sunshine and wholesale electricity market competition (e.g., California, Texas and Australia).

Analysis of the Influence of Distributed Photovoltaic Access on the Operation Quality of Asymmetry Distribution Network

Abstract Distributed photovoltaic(PV) power generation, as a highly flexible renewable energy source, is currently developing rapidly and has been widely used. However, due to its uncertainty and randomness, large-scale distributed photovoltaic integration into the distribution network will change the network power flow distribution, which will have a greater impact on the operation quality of the distribution network operation. In order to study the influence of distributed PV access on the operation of asymmetry distribution network, this paper builds a three-phase power flow model of distributed photovoltaic access to distribution network. Based on the IEEE33 node three-phase calculation example data, the impact of distributed photovoltaic access location and capacity on a series of operation indicators such as voltage deviation, three-phase unbalance and network loss under asymmetry operation of the distribution network is studied. Finally, for the asymmetry distribution network operating condition, guidance suggestions for distributed photovoltaic access based on operation quality are given.

Estimation of photovoltaic production using Spline fitting and TSCI

This study presents an alternative methodology for analyzing the difference in daily solar energy generation between two grid-connected photovoltaic arrays (PVAs) that are identical in capacity, technical characteristics, and have the same energy production measurement interval but are in two different municipalities of Mexico City (CDMX). Unlike conventional approaches, which often rely on environmental variables, this work proposes combining the cubic smoothing Spline technique with the separation of trend, seasonality, and cyclicality (TSCI) effects. The first technique reduces random variations in measurement, while the second separates the effects commonly found in time series data. The results obtained are useful for installers of this technology, as they allow them to determine in which borough a greater photovoltaic capacity is needed.

Photovoltaic Capacity Management for Investment Effectiveness

The production of photovoltaic utility varies within the day/night cycle. At night, photovoltaic cells do not produce anything. However, their day-light production, unconsumed on a current basis and exported to the grid, is compensated for with supply from the grid at night. This scheme of exploitation is called net-metering and is considered herein. Solar energy produced by a prosumer and fed into the grid has to be equal to the electricity supplied from the grid at night; otherwise, a shortage or waste of photovoltaic production occurs. The above finding leads us to the proposition for the optimal solution of photovoltaic capacity. We derived a closed-form capacity solution to the maximized non-linear profit function. It solves harmonic and 2-point production functions that vary symmetrically around the mean production. To verify the solution methodology, harmonic and 2-point models from empirical production data are estimated. Then, the solution is presented together with its return rate and internal return rate. The main finding is that the unit cost of the grid electricity, photovoltaic capacity unit cost and exploitation time all affect the total profit and return rate values while not impacting the optimal capacity of the photovoltaics. The optimal capacity depends on the prosumer’s energy consumption volume and on the natural conditions of production captured here by the technology efficiency coefficient estimated from the production time series.

The Food, Energy, and Water Nexus through the Lens of Electric Vehicle Adoption and Ethanol Consumption in the United States

The US produces a large share of global biofuels but is unique in using a relatively inefficient biofuel pathway involving corn (maize) for ethanol production. The Renewable Fuel Standards that enshrine this feedstock were intended as a greenhouse gas emissions reduction measure but have had the effect of coupling the food, energy, and, to a lesser extent, water systems. This paper looks at the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus as exemplified by the growth in corn agriculture for internal combustion engine vehicle fuel and how that will likely change as vehicle electrification proceeds and accelerates. Starting with scenarios in which there is a rapid uptake in electric vehicles by 2030 and beyond, we examine the implications for the switch from liquid fuels for transportation in the United States toward electric vehicles (EVs). We find that scenarios in which EV penetration grows rapidly will clearly decrease demand for corn ethanol. Our analysis shows that, with judicious planning, the decrease in corn ethanol demand can have potential positive co-benefits. These co-benefits include reducing stressors on depleting aquifers and nutrient runoff to waterways. Substituting a small fraction of displaced industrial corn–ethanol cropland with large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity can supply a large fraction of the additional electricity needed for EVs. Finally, solar PV generation can ameliorate or even increase income and create more jobs than those lost to the decreased ethanol demand.

Voltage control strategy of a high-permeability photovoltaic distribution network based on cluster division

The use of distributed photovoltaics (PVs) on a large scale often causes voltage over-limit problems in distribution networks. This paper proposes a distributed photovoltaic cluster collaborative optimization voltage control strategy based on an improved community algorithm to address the issue of centralized control being unable to respond quickly to the randomness of distributed photovoltaics and the difficulty of achieving overall coordination with local control. First, by improving the community algorithm, the division of reactive and active clusters, considering the power balance and node coupling degree, is realized. Then, the cluster-coordinated voltage control strategy is proposed by making full use of the power control ability of a photovoltaic inverter. Finally, a voltage regulation ability evaluation index is proposed to assess the node regulation ability within the cluster and select key nodes. This effectively reduces the number of control nodes. The simulation analysis of the improved IEEE 69 distribution network shows that the proposed voltage control strategy can mitigate the issue of voltage over-limit in high-permeability distributed photovoltaic access distribution and enhance the photovoltaic consumption capacity.

Incentives for photovoltaic energy generation: A comparative analysis of policies in Spain, Germany, and Brazil

This paper examines the comparative analysis of photovoltaic (PV) energy policies and data from Spain, Germany, and Brazil, focusing on understanding the factors influencing PV deployment and efficiency in these countries. This study identifies critical policy recommendations to enhance PV capacity, generation, and efficiency based on a comprehensive review of policy measures and statistical data from 2000 to 2022. These recommendations include prioritising legal stability and transition periods in policy implementation, addressing regional inequalities in PV deployment, and promoting the association of PV with other energy industries and sectors. Additionally, the study suggests the need for a strategic industrial policy to encourage domestic PV manufacturing, considering the potential benefits for economic development and employment.

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.

Optimal Placement and Capacity of BESS and PV in EV Integrated Distribution Systems: The Tenth Feeder of Phitsanulok Substation Case Study

Installing a battery energy storage system (BESS) and renewable energy sources can significantly improve distribution network performance in several aspects, especially in electric vehicle (EV)-integrated systems because of high load demands. With the high costs of the BESS and PV, optimal placement and capacity of them must be carefully considered. This work proposes a solution for determining the optimal placement and capacity of a BESS and photovoltaic (PV) in a distribution system by considering EV penetrations. The objective function is to reduce system costs, comprising installation, replacement, and operation and maintenance costs of the BESS and PV. The replacement cost is considered over 20 years, and the maintenance and operation costs incurred in the distribution system include transmission line loss, voltage regulation, and peak demand costs. To solve the problem, two metaheuristic algorithms consisting of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and the African vulture optimization algorithm (AVOA) are utilized. The tenth feeder of Phitsanulok substation 1 (PLA10), Thailand, which is a 91-bus distribution network, is tested to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. The results obtained from the considered algorithms are compared based on distribution system performance enhancement, payback period, and statistical analysis. It is found from the simulation results that the installation of the BESS and PV could significantly minimize system cost, improve the voltage profile, reduce transmission line loss, and decrease peak demand. The voltage deviation could be reduced by 86%, line loss was reduced by 0.78 MW, and peak demand could be decreased by 5.706 MW compared to the case without BESS and PV installations.

Performance assessment of large-scale rooftop solar PV system: a case study in a Malaysian Public University

Adopting rooftop solar PV systems in various domestic and non-domestic sectors (including commercial, industrial, and agricultural) exhibits their commitment to green energy ventures. This study intends to evaluate the effectiveness of a grid-connected solar system that has been installed so far: a 6.9 MWp photovoltaic (PV) system implemented at University Tun Hussein Onn (UTHM) in Batu Pahat, Johor. This green energy system was installed as a part of the Self-Consumption (SELCO) program utilizing a Supply Agreement for Renewable Energy (SARE) contract. To assess the mounted energy system's efficiency, performance monitoring was carried out between December 2021 and November 2022. By evaluating the enactment of the 6.9 MWp solar system at UTHM, this present work has attempted to compile the achievement of implementation of self-consumption in terms of performance analysis and financial benefits to consumer. Based on International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61724 standard, this study also investigates several performance characteristics of the PV system, such as final yield, clearness index (CI), array yield, PV module efficiency, inverter efficiency, reference yield, and capacity factor (CF) performance ratio (PR). Moreover, an assessment of Carbon Dioxide (CO2)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${CO}_{2})$$\\end{document} avoidance was also conducted to quantify the amount of CO2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${CO}_{2}$$\\end{document} reduction achieved. In addition, the self-consumption ratio and self-sufficiency ratio pattern for solar power plant in UTHM has been assessed. The monthly clearness index at the project location from December 2021 to November 2022 ranges from 0.63 to 0.66. The PV system was monitored throughout this time and generated 8529 MWh of energy. The installed PV system has shown an efficiency of 11.86%, a final yield of 108.28%, and a PR of 0.78, respectively. Further, the installed 6.9 MWp PV system at UTHM will cut CO2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${CO}_{2}$$\\end{document} emissions by 5450 tons annually. The 6.9 MWp solar PV system is also estimated to reduce 25.1 RM mil in 25 years. Making the system larger to 6.9 MWp would reduce the consumption from the grid during the week, makes it possible to achieve self-consumption levels of up to 100% and self-sufficiency of this solar plant is relatively low ranges from 22 to 35%. The research finding bridges the gap between policy makers, investors, and the public regarding acceptance of the large-scale Self-Consumption (SELCO) and strengthen the strategic collaborations between solar service provider and educational bodies to support of the government’s agenda to achieve carbon emission intensity reduction in Malaysia.Graphical

Techno-economic analysis and dynamic power simulation of a hybrid solar-wind-battery system for power supply in rural areas in Pakistan

This study presents the optimal design and operation of a proposed hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) for the electrification of a residential building in rural areas in Pakistan. The main contributions of this study are twofold. Firstly, it develops a size optimization model based on the particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique to determine the optimal configuration for two hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES), including both grid-tied and off-grid modes, integrating wind and photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery storage. The optimal configuration is determined by minimizing the levelized cost of electricity, using local meteorological and electricity load data, along with technical specifications of the main HRES components. Secondly, dynamic simulations of two HRES configurations are conducted, using MATLAB Simulink, ensuring the optimal energy balance between multiple energy sources and the load at each operation hour. To meet an annual electrical demand of 131.035 MWh, the grid-tied HRES yields 146.081 MWh annually, with solar contributing 68.85 MWh and wind 77.272 MWh. Conversely, the off-grid system generates 133.533 MWh annually, with solar and wind output power at 43.932 MWh and 89.601 MWh, respectively. The grid-tied system achieves an LCOE of approximately 0.29 $/kWh, with optimal wind turbine and PV capacities of 11 kW and 29 kW, respectively. While in off-grid configuration, the off-grid scenario exhibits an LCOE of 0.91 $/kWh, with optimal capacities of 10 kW for wind turbine, 20 kW for PV, and 2437.5 AH for batteries. The findings provide insights relevant to diverse locations, emphasizing the importance of local meteorological and geographical data. Multiple case studies ensure the robustness and applicability of the proposed system under varying conditions.

Solar photovoltaic energy development and biodiversity conservation: Current knowledge and research gaps

AbstractSolar photovoltaic (PV) has become the second renewable energy source, giving rise to potential conflicts with biodiversity conservation. However, the information available about the impacts and mitigation measures of solar PV energy is scarce and scattered, and a rigorous and comprehensive review on the topic is lacking. Here, we review the state of knowledge on its impacts and mitigation measures and identify main knowledge gaps. For that, we reviewed more than 2000 articles, out of which only 180 assessed the impacts of solar PV (N = 138) and/or propose mitigation measures (65). Even though Asia and Europe head the list of regions with the highest PV installed capacity (59% and 22%, respectively), a large portion of the existing knowledge is drawn from North American environmental contexts (48% of the studies), specifically from deserts (41%). Impacts were addressed on plants (26%), arthropods (14%), birds (10%), microorganisms (10%), reptiles (7%), mammals (4%), and bats (1%), but also on abiotic factors (e.g., humidity and temperature; 20%) and ecosystem services (3%). Most studies addressed the impact of PV on habitat alteration at landscape (33%) and microhabitat scale (20%), and on microclimate at microhabitat scale (17%), but other topics have been scarcely addressed (e.g., impact on microclimate at landscape scale or the potential of agrivoltaic systems). Lastly, 53% of the studies employed a single PV facility, and preconstruction situations were rarely reported (8%). There is a strong environmental context bias in the current understanding of PV impacts, which might not be extrapolable to other environmental situations like farmlands, where most of the solar PV capacity is being installed. Moreover, standardized and robust sampling designs are lacking to address cumulative, long‐term, and long‐scale impacts and produce comparable findings across contexts. Given the lack of empirical evidence and the irrepressible development of PV energy, it is advisable to apply an iterative monitoring and adaptive process to guarantee a safe energy transition. This review may provide useful guidance on prioritizing research efforts for a smooth shift to renewable energy.

Modeling load distribution for rural photovoltaic grid areas using image recognition

Expanding photovoltaic (PV) resources in rural-grid areas is an essential means to augment the share of solar energy in the energy landscape, aligning with the “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” objectives. However, rural power grids often lack digitalization; thus, the load distribution within these areas is not fully known. This hinders the calculation of the available PV capacity and deduction of node voltages. This study proposes a load-distribution modeling approach based on remote-sensing image recognition in pursuit of a scientific framework for developing distributed PV resources in rural grid areas. First, houses in remote-sensing images are accurately recognized using deep-learning techniques based on the YOLOv5 model. The distribution of the houses is then used to estimate the load distribution in the grid area. Next, equally spaced and clustered distribution models are used to adaptively determine the location of the nodes and load power in the distribution lines. Finally, by calculating the connectivity matrix of the nodes, a minimum spanning tree is extracted, the topology of the network is constructed, and the node parameters of the load-distribution model are calculated. The proposed scheme is implemented in a software package and its efficacy is demonstrated by analyzing typical remote-sensing images of rural grid areas. The results underscore the ability of the proposed approach to effectively discern the distribution-line structure and compute the node parameters, thereby offering vital support for determining PV access capability.

The role of inter-island transmission in full decarbonisation scenarios for Indonesia’s power sector

Indonesia has large renewable energy resources that are not always located in regions where they are needed. Sub-sea power transmission cables, or island links, could connect Indonesia’s high-demand islands, like Java, to large-resource islands. However, the role of island links in Indonesia’s energy transition has been explored in a limited fashion. Considering Indonesia’s current fossil fuel dependency, this is a critical knowledge gap. Here we assess the role of island links in Indonesia’s full power sector decarbonisation via energy system optimisation modelling and an extensive scenario and sensitivity analysis. We find that island links could be crucial by providing access to the most cost-effective resources across the country, like onshore photovoltaics (PV) and hydropower from Kalimantan and geothermal from Sumatera. In 2050, 43 GW of inter-island transmission lines enable 410 GWp of PV providing half of total generation, coupled with 100 GW of storage, at levelised system costs of 60 US$(2021)/MWh. Without island links, Java could still be supplied locally, but at 15% higher costs due to larger offshore floating PV and storage capacity requirements. Regardless of the degree of interconnection, biomass, large hydro, and geothermal remain important dispatchable generators with at least 62 GW and 23% of total generation throughout all tested scenarios. Full decarbonisation by 2040 mitigates an additional 464 MtCO2e compared to decarbonisation by 2050, but poses more challenges for renewables upscaling and fossil capacity retirement.

Distributed photovoltaic hosting capacity assessment technology considering stable operation of distribution network

Abstract The rise of distributed photovoltaic (PV) in recent years has enhanced the sustainability, reliability, and flexibility of power systems. However, excessive PV access beyond the distribution network’s hosting capacity can jeopardize grid security and stability. This paper proposes a data-driven assessment method for PV carrying capacity, ensuring optimal integration while considering operational stability. Detailed analysis of a specific distribution network validates the method’s efficacy, leveraging network data for accurate evaluation. The approach holds promise for widespread adoption and large-scale application.