Performance Evaluation of Solar Photovoltaic based Microgrids

Abstract

Performance evaluation is a never-ending process for any solar photovoltaic system to increase its effectiveness. In India, with a wide variety of weather conditions, it is important to evaluate the performance of existing PV systems for making decisions on future installations, particularly when rapid growth in the PV market is expected. While the literature on simple grid-connected PV systems is abundant, the performance analysis of grid-connected PV-battery systems (solar photovoltaic microgrids) is not so easily available. This thesis presents detailed performance evaluation of a 40 kWp solar photovoltaic microgrid installed in the Dayalbagh Educational Institute. This microgrid is complex in structure with multiple functionalities like simple grid-connected system, grid interactive system and stand-alone system. A four-dimensional performance analysis of a solar photovoltaic microgrid is presented in this research work. The uniqueness of this work is illustrated through a broad spectrum of performance aspects covered as follows. newline Performance evaluation based on IEC 61724 standards (old and new) including revisions and additions to the standards is presented in chapter 2 and chapter 6. Major indices like annual performance ratio, temperature corrected performance ratio, soiling ratio, capacity factor etc. are evaluated. newline A self-consumption analysis of microgrid is presented, in chapter 3, along with annual self-sufficiency and grid interaction indices. A new self-consumption policy justified by high self-consumption performance case-study is proposed, in chapter 5, for the benefit of all stakeholders. newline 4 categories of new performance metrics for assessing solar photovoltaic microgrid are proposed, in chapter 4 for the customers to understand the system better, to compete with the conventional power generation systems and achieve high penetration into traditional power systems. newline Performance optimization of a microgrid through optimal battery scheduling, for a given day, to minimize grid electricity charges is presented in chapter 7. newline