Photovoltaic Energy Generation System Research Articles

Remote monitoring and analysis of productivity indicators of photovoltaic energy generation systems

Remote monitoring and analysis of productivity indicators of photovoltaic energy generation systems

Prototype of a sustainable photovoltaic energy generation system in the Manzanillos Zitácuaro community

Prototype of a sustainable photovoltaic energy generation system in the Manzanillos Zitácuaro community

Net green energy potential of solar photovoltaic and wind energy generation systems

“Green energy” is the energy that can be produced while sustaining ecosystem services. Maintenance of the services provided by the ecosystem requires energy, termed the ecosystem maintenance energy (ESME). Including ESME costs in energy accounting enables assessment of an energy plant's ability to produce energy over and above inputs and EMSE costs over the lifetime of the plant. In this work, an assessment of the potential of two renewable energy plants wind and solar photovoltaic to produce “green energy” is undertaken, those were chosen due to their likely dominance of the future energy market. The assessment is done using a methodology that unifies environmental impact assessment, ESME and energy accounting into a single metric termed the green energy return on investment (EROIg). The paper also extends ESME calculation by incorporating ecosystem impacts that were previously unaccounted-for such as: biodiversity loss; delayed ecosystem maintenance; carbon capture by photosynthesis; ozone depletion and formation and ionizing radiation. The solar and wind energy plants considered were sized to produce an equivalent amount of annual energy and were placed at a theoretical location where the capacity factor (CF) is equivalent to the average global utility scale CF for each resource. The study found that onshore wind energy has a greater potential in generating green energy with an EROIg of 17.19. Removal of impacts related to biodiversity loss, which is included here for the first time, is found to play a critical role in plant assessment from both biodiversity and CO2 capture by photosynthesis perspective. Plants needing and providing biodiversity offsets are shown to provide an overall 18%–25% improvement in EROIg. This improvement is triggered by the corresponding CO2 capture by photosynthesis. Some design options were evaluated to determine the sensitivity of the resulting EROIg to the plant design and to the temporal element of the investigation. Those include the addition of battery storage and the delay in action on ecosystem maintenance from a 20-year to a 100-year time horizon which were found to reduce the resultant EROIg by >40% and >87% respectively.

The BiDFET Device and Its Impact on Converters

The matrix converter topology for direct ac-to-ac conversion offers elimination of the bulky and unreliable d.c. link capacitors used in the popular voltage-source inverter (VSI) with a front-end rectifier. The resulting more compact and higher efficiency implementation is a desirable solution for a wide variety of applications, such as photovoltaic energy generation, motor drives, and energy storage systems.

Optimal Sizing of a Centralized Hybrid Photovoltaic System for Efficient Operation of Street Lights

The photovoltaic energy generation system is one of the most promising technology to meet our future electricity demand as well as mitigate climate change. This study aims to design, simulate and evaluate the performance of hybrid photovoltaic (PV) system using PVsyst software to supply electricity for energy efficient streetlights in educational institute. Meteonorm database of daily and monthly irradiation, temperatures, precipitation and sunlight hours are utilized while performing the analysis. The photovoltaic system consists of 56 bifacial-polycrystalline 360-watt PV modules having 17.9% efficiency. The photovoltaic modules were installed at 0° azimuth angle and 15° tilt angle. Two hybrid inverters with rated capacity of 10 kW are used. The energy storage system consists of 16 batteries (2 in series x 8 in parallel) with a nominal capacity of 1600 ampere-hours and discharging minimum SOC is 20 %. A total of 100 streetlight poles with 8 working-hours/day are installed to cover both sides of the road, with monthly energy consumption of 672 kilowatt-hours. The average annual ambient temperature is 23.66℃, and the annual GH irradiation is 1693 kilowatt-hour/m2. The annual production of the hybrid PV system is 25.96 MWh/year, the specific energy production of the system is 1288 kWh/kWp/year with 70.38% performance ratio. By means of proposed photovoltaic system for energy efficient street lightning structure, 157.9t CO2 is reduced. The project can save 0.004737 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over its lifetime of 30 years. The proposed system is a viable solution for public lighting with the right selection of system components.

Mathematical Modelling and Simulation of Second Life Battery Pack with Heterogeneous State of Health

The service life of Lithium-ion batteries disposed from electric vehicles, with an approximate remaining capacity of 75–80%, can be prolonged with their adoption in less demanding second life applications such as buildings. A photovoltaic energy generation system integrated with a second life battery energy storage device is modelled mathematically to assess the design’s technical characteristics. The reviewed studies in the literature assume, during the modelling process, that the second life battery packs are homogeneous in terms of their initial state of health and do not consider the module-to-module variations associated with the state of health differences. This study, therefore, conducts mathematical modelling of second life battery packs with homogenous and heterogeneous state of health in module level using second-order equivalent circuit model (ECM). The developed second-order ECM is validated against experimental data performed in the lab on 3Ah NCM batteries. The degradation parameters are also investigated using the battery cell’s first life degradation data and exponential triple smoothing (ETS) algorithm. The second-order ECM is integrated with the energy generation system to evaluate and compare the performance of the homogenous and heterogeneous battery packs during the year. Results of this study revealed that in heterogeneous packs, a lower electrical current and higher SOC is observed in modules with lower state of health due to their higher ohmic resistance and lower capacity, compared to the other modules for the specific battery pack configuration used in this study. The methodology presented in this study can be used for mathematical modelling of second life battery packs with heterogenous state of health of cells and modules, the simulation results of which can be employed for obtaining the optimum energy management strategy in battery management systems.

Implementation of photovoltaic energy, sustainability, economic and social development in a Higher Education Institution in Brazil

Energy is a crucial element for human needs today. Traditional systems of energy generation have represented a problem in terms of their costs, their impact on the environment, and their impact on community life. Therefore, the search for clean and renewable energy sources that meet the needs of contemporary society becomes increasingly essential in the search for alternatives related to energy sources. The photovoltaic energy generation system explores the solar irradiation, making it possible to generate and store energy. This system finds good conditions for implementation in Brazil in terms of climatic characteristics, but investments and public policies that encourage and favor this process are still needed. This study aimed to identify how the deployment of photovoltaic mini-generation power plant in a federal university, the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), can contribute to the university community in relation to cost reduction and environmental preservation. The methodology used was descriptive-exploratory, qualitative, through which an open questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were carried out, guided by the theme. After analyzing the data, the conclusion was that the system can bring benefits in the long term and that most of the interviewees consider Brazil's great potential in expanding the exploration of other sources of energy, besides hydroelectric, which, besides being costly, brings fewer advantages related to the environmental and social contexts.

Designing a novel MPPT algorithm based on the extraterrestrial irradiance for photovoltaic energy generation systems and testing under partial shade conditions

Designing a novel MPPT algorithm based on the extraterrestrial irradiance for photovoltaic energy generation systems and testing under partial shade conditions

Photovoltaic energy generation systems monitoring and performance optimization using wireless sensors network and metaheuristics

The performance of photovoltaic energy generation systems is highly affected by exposure to different operating conditions. In order to optimize the power conversion efficiency in such conditions, the deviation from normal operation has to be detected. In this paper, an Adaptive Network Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) based model of the normal operation of the photovoltaic system is constructed and used as a reference for abnormal operation detection, where the training data of the ANFIS-based model has been acquired using a Wireless Sensor Network. The monitoring of the photovoltaic system uses the residual generated from the comparison between its actual state of operation and the output of the ANFIS model for the same operating conditions. As an optimal strategy that takes into account the different operating modes, a switching mechanism is designed to execute a conventional maximum power extraction technique in normal operating conditions and switches to a metaheuristic algorithm to search for global maximum power point when deviation from the normal operation is detected. Experimental results show the higher efficiency of the photovoltaic energy conversion system using the proposed monitoring and performance optimization approach in various environmental conditions.

Designing and Energy Estimation of Photovoltaic Energy Generation System and Prediction of Plant Performance with the Variation of Tilt Angle and Interrow Spacing

The focus of this research is to design a ground-mounted photovoltaic system at optimal tilt angle and interrow space to meet high demand of electrical energy. The Department of Electrical Engineering and Technology, GC University Faisalabad has been considered to perform the simulation test. This study is conducted using Meteonorm software for solar resource assessment. Furthermore, HelioScope software is used for modeling of a ground-mounted photovoltaic system, study of PV system’s performance in terms of annual generation, system losses and performance ratio and analysis of photovoltaic module’s performance, current-voltage and power-voltage curves for different irradiance levels. From SLD, it is seen that 11 strings are connected to each inverter and inverters output power are combined by using 20.0 A circuit interconnects. The performance of photovoltaic systems is impacted by tilt angle and interrow spacing. From simulation results of all cases, it is concluded that the PV system installed at 15° tilt angle with 4 feet interrow spacing are more efficient than the other installed PV systems, because total collector irradiance is maximum (1725.0 kWh/m2) as compared to other tilt angles. At 15° tilt angle, the annual production of photovoltaic system is 2.265 GWh and performance ratio of PV system is 82.0%. It is envisioned that this work will provide the guidance to energy system designers, planners and investors to formulate strategies for the installation of photovoltaic energy systems in Pakistan and all over the world.

Making Performance Analysis of on Grid Photovoltaic Energy Systems: Example of Turkey

The globalizing world, the rapid increase in industrialization and urbanization rates have increased the world’s need for energy day by day, making energy one of the most important agenda items of the world. Increasing demand has led the countries to ensure supply-demand balance to become one of the basic energy policies. One of these prominent energy policies is to ensure diversity in supply and to turn towards renewable resources that are not dependent on exhausted fossil fuels. One of these renewable sources is photovoltaic (solar cell) energy generation systems that generate electrical energy from solar energy. Solar energy is a good alternative to fossil fuels as it has an environmentally clean source feature. In this study, the performance evaluations of power plants were made by comparing the simulation results with data obtained from established fields in three different geographical regions of Turkey. In addition, regional production efficiency was analyzed by comparing the production values of the plants among themselves. An interface program that analyses instant power plant values was designed and a practical evaluation software was created.

Characterization of photovoltaic solar energy systems in a Colombian region

Objective: To establish a baseline about the solar photovoltaic energy systems installed in the department of Caldas, Colombia. Methodology: The solar photovoltaic installations were identified from secondary sources of information, followed by field visits to collect information on the characteristics of these systems. An evaluation instrument was designed consisting of 6 categories which was subsequently evaluated by expert peers. It was applied accompanied by interviews with owners of the identified systems. Results: 41 solar photovoltaic systems were identified and installed in 11 municipalities of Caldas. Data was collected from 28 installations with different characteristics. 50% of the solar photovoltaic systems are in the Central-South region of Caldas. 71% of the systems are mainly installed in the urban area; 64% correspond to small-scale isolated solar photovoltaic energy generation systems, with a maximum power of less than 600W. These installations have become a viable energy alternative for the region and are being used especially for lighting and the operation of household appliances in residences, hotels, restaurants, and educational institutions. Conclusions: Although regulations on solar energy installations had not been established, these systems have already been implemented in the department in a successful, but moderate, manner.

The First Design and Application of Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) Energy Generation Systems in Turkey with Structural and Electrical Performance

The First Design and Application of Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) Energy Generation Systems in Turkey with Structural and Electrical Performance

Sustainable Practices Improving the University Campus: Feasibility of A Photovoltaic System

This article aimed to discuss the principles of sustainability applied to the built environment, highlighting the importance of universities as replicators of these practices. To respond to a demand from the campus for more security in the energy supply, the work proposes the implementation of a solar photovoltaic energy system. For this, it carried out an economic viability analysis through bibliographic review activities, characterization of the study area, dimensioning of photovoltaic systems, budgets, cost analysis and payback calculation. The research evaluated the system’s implementation considering two energy demands, for the entire campus and for a smaller building. It was found that the CSL-UFSJ consumes, on average, 27,300.38 kWh, at a cost of US$ 2,736. Thus, an annual savings of US$ 32,833 is calculated. The cost estimate analyzes showed a value of US$ 139,784 for the implementation of the system. The return on investment time was calculated for 4.3 and 4.9 years considering simple and discounted Payback respectively.It is estimated that the consumption of the DECEB building is 13,187.1 kWh with a cost of US$ 1,322 per month, which results in an annual savings of US$ 15,860. The cost estimate analyzes showed a value of US$ 40.601 for the implementation of the system and values of 4.3 and 4.9 years were obtained as return on investment time considering the calculations for simple and discounted Payback, respectively. The research demonstrates that the implementation of the photovoltaic solar energy generation system is feasible for both cases analyzed.

Ecent Advancement on Solar Photovoltaic Energy Generation System Special Reference to Shading Condition- A Review

Design of a Solar PVEnergy Generation to harness the optimum solar energy has been a big challenge among the researcher. It is quite essential to review the latest all the availabletechnique, their advantages and disadvantages, prior to designinga new Solar PV Energy Generation system. In present paper a detail discussion is presented on various maximum power points tracking algorithms employed on Photovoltaic Energy generation system under shading condition. We have covered the various algorithms, PV modelling techniques, PV array configuration, monitoring system etc. up to till date. Impact of shading effect is reported massive on energy supply capacity. Hence, in this paper we have investigated and discussed the various type of PV module at different type of shading level. This paper provides a handy reference to undertake a mass research works on PV system in near future under shading condition

Optimization of Energy Storage in Hybrid Wind and Photovoltaic Energy Systems

Возобновляемые источники энергии играют незаменимую роль в отдаленных районах, где электросеть недоступна. Гибридная система, предлагаемая в этой статье, включает в себя два возобновляемых источника энергии, а именно: фотоэлектрические системы, ветряные турбины. Комбинация этих энергий для удовлетворения требований к нагрузке с надежным, экономичным и устойчивым энергоснабжением считается критической проблемой. Гибридные системы считаются наиболее прагматичным решением для удаленных районов за пределами сети.Предлагается новый метод определения оптимального размера накопления энергии в фотоэлектрических и ветряных гибридных системах генерации энергии. Эти компоненты размещены в схеме из трех блоков для прогнозирования, измерения и распределения (управления) потоками мощности во всей системе для удовлетворения требований стороны спроса. Данные о мощности электрической нагрузки, мощности солнечного излучения, температуре окружающей среды, скорости ветра и других погодных условиях должны прогнозироваться с высокой точностью. Алгоритм определения оптимального размера разработан на основе данных прогнозирования, ограничений, соотношения величин во всей системе и способности заряжать/разряжать энергию накопления. Оптимальный размер в этом исследовании помогает переупорядочить диаграммы нагрузки, которые полностью компенсируют дефицит энергии на этапах с высоким и средним уровнями цен.Данный подход может быть применен на каждой шине, чтобы уменьшить стоимость покупки электричества от электрической системы. Новое предложение иллюстрируется результатами моделирования в тематическом исследовании, проведенном в MATLAB 2019a.

Simulation-based design of solar photovoltaic energy generation system for manufacturing support

Having in mind that energy is being regarded as indispensable to the socio-economic progress of developing and developed nations, where the main objective implies replacement and reduction of a major portion of the fossil fuels utilization, implementation of renewable energy technologies where natural phenomena are transformed into beneficial types of energy are becoming more and more appreciated and needed. Among renewable energy resources we know today, solar energy is the most beneficial, relatively limitless, effective, and dependable. Having this in mind, the aim of this paper is primarily to help key decision-makers understand the process when considering integration of solar energy to meet their own manufacturing energy needs, or how it is called today, to become ?prosumers?. Given the aforementioned, this paper provides an overview of detailed simulation methodology for photovoltaic system sizing and design for metal-forming manufacturing system energy needs. The simulation is based on National Renewable Energy Laboratory photovoltaic performance model which combines module and inverter sub-models with supplementary code to calculate a photovoltaic power system?s hourly AC output is given a weather file and data describing the physical characteristics of the module, inverter, and array. Furthermore, the characteristic losses are calculated and presented for a fixed array photovoltaic system and illustratively given in the form of a Sankey diagram. A variety of graphical data representations are available while the most important ones are given in the study. Lastly, future research topics were filtered and briefly summarized.

Evaluation of a 3.5-MW Floating Photovoltaic Power Generation System on a Thermal Power Plant Ash Pond

This study evaluated the design and performance of an improved 3.5 MW floating photovoltaic (PV) power generation system consisting of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) members and its installation in the ash pond of a thermal power plant. The FRP design code of the American Society of Civil Engineers was used to design the structure. The safety of the structure was then confirmed using a finite element analysis indicating that the induced stresses were less than the allowable stresses dictated by the Korean Highway Bridge Design Code. An examination of the energy performance of the floating PV energy generation system after installation determined that the measured electricity production was as high as approximately 94% of the installed 3.5-MW capacity. The energy production of the floating PV structure with the improved design and module angles was found to increase by 7.65 times.

Dynamic performance evaluation and improvement of PV energy generation systems using Moth Flame Optimization with combined fractional order PID and sliding mode controller

The output power of Photovoltaic (PV) energy generation systems depends mainly on operating conditions that include climatic conditions and occurrence of faults. Current-Voltage characteristic curves show different operating regions that are characterized by different transient responses in varying operating conditions and in the special case of the presence of the partial shading condition. In this paper, a dynamic performance evaluation of the PV system is performed both in open loop and in the presence of a feedback controller. Analysis shows that the PV system is affected when operating in different regions and environmental conditions and is characterized by a complex dynamic behavior. To improve the PV system dynamics, an adapted control strategy is proposed where the PV voltage is regulated using a Fractional Order PID controller tuned in various regions and partial shading patterns using Particle Swarm Optimization, whereas the PV current is regulated using a sliding mode controller that does not require using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). In the present study, it is also shown that MPPT algorithms are affected by the conventional tuning approach of the feedback controller. To remedy to this issue, the Moth Flame Optimization based MPPT technique is implemented associated with the proposed control strategy to improve the performance PV system in different operating conditions. The proposed dynamic performance improvement strategy shows excellent transient responses in various operating scenarios.

Power quality improvement of distribution system with photovoltaic and permanent magnet synchronous generator based renewable energy farm using static synchronous compensator

This paper presents power quality improvement for effective power transfer in a grid-integrated solar photovoltaic-wind energy hybrid system. The hybrid system constitutes a renewable energy farm, based on photovoltaic energy generation system and wind energy conversion system. The system experiences frequent disturbances in AC loads and power output from the renewable farm. This creates reactive power mismatch and raises voltage instability and power quality issues. This gap can be eliminated using an adjustable reactive power source i.e. static synchronous compensator. Three case scenarios of the hybrid system, i.e. hybrid system in (I) standalone mode, (II) grid-integrated mode and (III) grid-integrated mode with STATCOM, are tested to compare their dynamic and transient performances. Results show that scenario-III best fulfilled the dynamic compensation requirement among all cases. Under this scenario, load bus voltage is regulated at around 1.0 p.u. and total harmonic distortion in voltages/currents are maintained at around 1%. Furthermore, this scenario demonstrated superior transient response towards a step change in reactive power load, significantly reducing maximum peak deviation by 73.4% and settling time by 75% in load voltage compared to the worst case of scenario-I.