Publications

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It is important to be able to accurately simulate the variability of solar PV power plants for grid integration studies. We aim to inform integration studies of the ease of implementation and application-specific accuracy of current PV power plant output simulation methods. This report reviews methods for producing simulated high-resolution (sub-hour or even sub-minute) PV power plant output profiles for variability studies and describes their implementation. Two steps are involved in the simulations: estimation of average irradiance over the footprint of a PV plant and conversion of average irradiance to plant power output. Six models are described for simulating plant-average irradiance based on inputs of ground-measured irradiance, satellite-derived irradiance, or proxy plant measurements. The steps for converting plant-average irradiance to plant power output are detailed to understand the contributions to plant variability. A forthcoming report will quantify the accuracy of each method using application-specific validation metrics.

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In some situations involving weak grids or high penetration scenarios, the variability of photovoltaic systems can affect the local electrical grid. In order to mitigate destabilizing effects of power fluctuations, an energy storage device or other controllable generation or load can be used. This paper describes the development of a controller for coordinated operation of a small gas engine-generator set (genset) and a battery for smoothing PV plant output. There are a number of benefits derived from using a traditional generation resource in combination with the battery; the variability of the photovoltaic system can be reduced to a specific level with a smaller battery and Power Conditioning System (PCS) and the lifetime of the battery can be extended. The controller was designed specifically for a PV/energy storage project (Prosperity) and a gas engine-generator (Mesa Del Sol) currently operating on the same feeder in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A number of smoothing simulations of the Prosperity PV were conducted using power data collected from the site. By adjusting the control parameters, tradeoffs between battery use and ramp rates could be tuned. A cost function was created to optimize the control in order to balance, in this example, the need to have low ramp rates with reducing battery size and operation. Simulations were performed for cases with only a genset or battery, and with and without coordinated control between the genset and battery, e.g., without the communication link between sites or during a communication failure. The degree of smoothing without coordinated control did not change significantly because the battery dominated the smoothing response. It is anticipated that this work will be followed by a field demonstration in the near future.

The variability of solar PV power plants has led to some utilities imposing ramp limitations. For example, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) includes a 10% of capacity per minute limit on ramp rates produced by PV power plants in its minimum technical requirements for photovoltaic generation projects. However, it is difficult to determine storage requirements to comply with ramp limitations for plants in the planning or construction phase since the variability of the plant output is not known. In this paper, we use the wavelet variability model (WVM) to upscale irradiance measured in Mayaguez, PR to simulate various sizes of PV power plants. The results show that ramps will often exceed 10%, even for the largest plants (60MW) that benefit the most from in-plant spatial smoothing, meaning significant amounts of storage will be needed to meet the PREPA requirement. The results from Puerto Rico are compared to sites in San Diego and Oahu, Hawaii. Significant differences are seen in the ramp rate distributions of the three locations, demonstrating the importance of performing location-specific simulations. © 2013 IEEE.

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Distributed photovoltaic (PV) projects must go through an interconnection study process before connecting to the distribution grid. These studies are intended to identify the likely impacts and mitigation alternatives. In the majority of the cases, system impacts can be ruled out or mitigation can be identified without an involved study, through a screening process or a simple supplemental review study. For some proposed projects, expensive and time-consuming interconnection studies are required. The challenges to performing the studies are twofold. First, every study scenario is potentially unique, as the studies are often highly specific to the amount of PV generation capacity that varies greatly from feeder to feeder and is often unevenly distributed along the same feeder. This can cause location-specific impacts and mitigations. The second challenge is the inherent variability in PV power output which can interact with feeder operation in complex ways, by affecting the operation of voltage regulation and protection devices. The typical simulation tools and methods in use today for distribution system planning are often not adequate to accurately assess these potential impacts. This report demonstrates how quasi-static time series (QSTS) simulation and high time-resolution data can be used to assess the potential impacts in a more comprehensive manner. The QSTS simulations are applied to a set of sample feeders with high PV deployment to illustrate the usefulness of the approach. The report describes methods that can help determine how PV affects distribution system operations. The simulation results are focused on enhancing the understanding of the underlying technical issues. The examples also highlight the steps needed to perform QSTS simulation and describe the data needed to drive the simulations. The goal of this report is to make the methodology of time series power flow analysis readily accessible to utilities and others responsible for evaluating potential PV impacts.

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Ota City, Japan and Alamosa, Colorado present contrasting cases of a small rooftop distributed PV plant versus a large central PV plant. We examine the effect of geographic smoothing on the power output of each plant. 1-second relative maximum ramp rates are found to be reduced 6-10 times for the total plant output versus a single point sensor, though smaller reductions are seen at longer timescales. The relative variability is found to decay exponentially at all timescales as additional houses or inverters are aggregated. The rate of decay depends on both the geographic diversity within the plant and the meteorological conditions (such as cloud speed) on a given day. The Wavelet Variability Model (WVM) takes into account these geographic smoothing effects to produce simulated PV powerplant output by using a point sensor as input. The WVM is tested against Ota City and Alamosa, and the WVM simulation closely matches the distribution of ramp rates of actual power output. © 2012 IEEE.

Existing screening procedures contained in state and federal interconnection rules are designed to balance the need for efficiency and technical rigor for all Distributed Generation (DG). The interconnection of DG that pose no risk of system impacts based on the screens can be expedited without the need for further studies. While the interconnection screening procedures have served the industry well, they also need to evolve in order to remain relevant with respect to evolving standards, technology, and practical experience. This is particularly important considering the large and increasing volume of DG applications, particularly photovoltaic (PV) generation. This paper discusses the application of two screens from the point of view of PV: the 15% penetration on line sections and the 20 kW aggregate capacity screen for single-phase secondary circuits. We discuss extensions to the existing interconnection screens that allow for a more rigorous upfront technical evaluation to identify potential system impacts, based on the characteristics of PV generation. More effective and efficient screens will allow utilities to focus the interconnection study effort for PV systems on the cases most likely to impact the electric distribution system and avoid unnecessary interconnection study costs and delays. © 2012 IEEE.

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