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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Technical Cost of Operating a Photovoltaic Installation as a STATCOM at Nighttime

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Author(s):
Normandia Lourenco, Luis Felipe [1] ; de Camargo Salles, Mauricio Barbosa [1] ; Monaro, Renato Machado [1] ; Queval, Loic [2]
Total Authors: 4
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Polytech Sch, Lab Adv Elect Grids, BR-03178200 Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] UPMC, UPSud, Cent Supelec, Grp Elect Engn Paris, CNRS, UMR, F-75005 Paris - France
Total Affiliations: 2
Document type: Journal article
Source: IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY; v. 10, n. 1, p. 75-81, JAN 2019.
Web of Science Citations: 1
Abstract

Reactive power support of photovoltaic farms has been under discussion in several countries. This kind of operation has been proposed because the photovoltaic farm converter is an expensive asset that is often used well below its power rating. This paper proposes a methodology for estimating the reactive power support capability and the associated technical cost of operating a photovoltaic installation as a STATCOM at nighttime. The technical cost is related to the need for buying active power from the grid to compensate for power losses. A precise estimation of this cost is of interest to both photovoltaic farm owners and grid operators to be able to evaluate the economic feasibility of this kind of operation. In order to illustrate the proposed methodology, a 1.5-MWp photovoltaic farm is considered. By evaluating the losses of each component (converter, tie reactor, filter, and transformer), a reactive power support capability map integrating the technical cost for each point of operation is obtained. The analysis outlines key points to operate a PV farm as a STATCOM at nighttime: the system must include a blocking diode, the capability map is asymmetric, an operation with variable dc-link voltage is desirable and can lead to savings of up to 8.9% in comparison with operation at fixed nominal dc-link voltage. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 14/05261-0 - Integration of intermittent wind energy in power systems using battery energy storage systems
Grantee:Mauricio Barbosa de Camargo Salles
Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research