Optimizing grid-connected PV systems with novel super-twisting sliding mode controllers for real-time power management.

Over the past years, the use of renewable energy sources (RESs) has grown significantly as a means of providing clean energy to counteract the devastating effects of climate change. Reducing energy costs and pollution have been the primary causes of the rise in solar photovoltaic (PV) system integrations with the grid in recent years. A load that is locally connected to a GCPV requires both active and reactive power control. In order to control both active and reactive power, MAs and advanced controllers are essential. Researchers have used one of the recently developed MAs, known as the CAOA, which is based on mathematical arithmetic operators to tackle a few real-world optimization problems. Some disadvantages of CAOA include its natural tendency to converge to a local optimum and its limited capacity for exploration. By merging the PSO and CAOA methodologies, this article suggests the IAOA. To show how applicable IAOA is, its performance has been evaluated using four benchmark functions. The implementation of an IAOA-based ST-SMC for active and reactive power control is addressed in this article, which offers an innovative approach of research. In comparison to PSO-based ST-SMC and CAOA-based ST-SMC, the proposed IAOA-based ST-SMC appears to be superior, with settling time for active and reactive power control at a minimum of 0.01012 s and 0.5075 s. A real-time OPAL-RT 4510 simulator is used to validate the performance results of a 40 kW GCPV system after it has been investigated in the MATLAB environment.

Benefit Analysis of Grid Connected Photovoltaic Solar System with Energy Storage

Abstract The use of batteries combined with photovoltaic (PV) systems connected to the grid allows the storage of surplus energy from photovoltaic generation for later use. This combination can reduce dependence on the grid, since, for most consumers, peak consumption does not occur simultaneously with peak generation from the PV system. This article describes the initial operation of a PV system with 10.72kWp connected to grid and associated to a storage system with 57.6kWh lead-acid batteries installed at the Federal University of Technology - Paraná, in Curitiba city, Campus Neoville. We present an analysis of the benefits obtained from the combined use of the PV system connected to the grid with energy storage, reducing the total energy consumed from the grid. A brief analysis of the demand showed that, for this UTFPR campus, the peak power consumption occurred between 10:00 and 12:00 AM, which was also the interval of peak photovoltaic generation. We have observed that a scheduled battery discharge of 5.5% of the storage capacity from May to November and 9% discharge in December has resulted in R$ 1,154.44 of saving in the first seven months of operation.

Photovoltaic Cell Temperature Estimation for a Grid-Connect Photovoltaic Systems in Curitiba

Abstract The photovoltaic solar energy has been growing in installed capacity worldwide year by year, and Brazil has also been investing in this renewable source of energy generation. The conversion of light into electrical energy occurs in the photovoltaic cells, which are sensitive to the increase of the temperature. A considerable amount of the energy incident on the module is transformed into heat, rising its temperature and decreasing its efficiency. This study aims to estimate the temperature in photovoltaic cells (Tc) for polycrystalline silicon modules from a grid-connected photovoltaic systems through several equations proposed over the last decades by researchers. This estimation will occur in the municipality of Curitiba, using data from INMET's automatic station, located in the same city. The estimation was calculated hourly, throughout the day for one year. The validation of the estimated results was performed by measuring the cell temperature of a photovoltaic system installed in Curitiba, where it was observed that the equation proposed by Duffie and Beckman (2013) was the one that most approached to the measured value.

Analysis of the Operation of Photovoltaic Systems Installed at Federal University of Technology - Paraná in Curitiba

ABSTRACT The Federal University of Technology - Paraná (UTFPR), Campus Curitiba, has a Grid-Connected Photovoltaic System (GCPVS) of 2.1 kWp in the Green Office (GO), which has been in operation since December 2011, and until September 2017 generated little more than 13.64 MWh and a GCPVS of 10.2 kWp, in operation since February 2016. The photovoltaic panel of the 2.1 kWp system was set up following the inclination of the roof of the building, which does not give its maximum performance. On the other hand, the panel of the 10.2 kWp system in Neoville was installed in optimum conditions, that is, oriented to the north and with slope equal to the latitude of Curitiba and, up tol September 2017 generated more than 20.65 MWh. This paper presents the monitoring of the electric energy generated by the systems and also a history of the merit indexes of the GCPVS, which are: Productivity (Yield); Performance Ratio; and Capacity Factor. These indexes allow to evaluate the performance of the GCPVS and make a comparison between them. Finally, the photovoltaic generation of both GCPVS proved to be a sustainable and effective form of distributed generation of electric energy in the urban environment.