New tools to promote cost-effective solar power
PV technology has come a long way since humans used magnifying glasses to concentrate the Sun's rays and make fire thousands of years ago. The 1950s saw the birth of modern silicon PVs, and the race is now on for higher efficiency and lower cost to make the technology truly accessible everywhere. One of the key PV performance indicators identified by the Solar Europe Industrial Initiative of the European Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan is the levelised cost of energy (LCOE). The LCOE depends on investment cost, energy production, operational and maintenance costs, and lifetime. The EU-funded project PVCROPS (Photovoltaic cost r€duction, reliability, operational performance, prediction and simulation) developed solutions aimed at minimising LCOE and enhancing integration of PV technology into the grid. Project partners developed a novel open-source design and modelling simulation tool called SISIFO for grid-connected PV systems, such as large plants and building-integrated PV (BIPV). The easy-to-use tool assists PV designers and owners to optimise PV designs and estimate revenue returns. It provides the energy yield, analysis and breakdown of energy losses, as well as estimations of financial returns. PVCROPS members also developed a method that can detect PV performance failures based solely on the energy production data measured at BIPV installations. The method works by detecting abnormal variations in performance indicators that are characteristic of properly functioning installations. The integration of batteries in to PV systems contributes to mitigating PV power fluctuations. Newly developed hardware and software can interact with smart grids to manage PV energy flows and optimise control strategies. The technology should allow the sale of electricity at peak-demand prices to be maximised by time shifting the power generation to injection into the electricity grid. PVCROPS also developed a novel toolbox for predicting PV power fluctuations. Novel quality control procedures and kit solutions for the testing and commissioning of PV plants should help ensure PV plant profitability. Last but not least, researchers developed a web platform that provides hourly solar irradiation data all over Europe. PVCROPS made a critical contribution to the future of EU solar energy with tools focused on minimising the LCOE and enhancing integration with the grid. Higher performance at a lower cost and compatibility with existing systems will ensure that more and more homes and businesses get on board for maximum impact on global climate change and sustainability.
Keywords
Solar power, photovoltaic, PV technology, LCOE, PVCROPS, smart grids
