-- This project is inactive --
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT) is evaluating the impacts of high photovoltaic (PV) penetration and methods to manage any impacts with improved power conditioning equipment.
The team’s combined approach is to verify and demonstrate existing and new high-penetration level PV management approaches for the distribution grid. The project team’s two-pronged approach is to both study and quantify the impact of high penetration PV based upon actual high PV penetration feeders. Stochastic and time-series analysis of location-specific and time-varying impacts will provide an estimate of operational parameters depending upon actual feeders. The team will also conduct research and development on effective power conditioner designs to enable PV system operation without impacting the existing power system. The team is also evaluating a simplified approach to forecasting cloud cover, which has a demonstrated impact on PV output.
The VT project team will develop advanced power conditioning approaches verified for commercial licensing that enable high penetration PV systems without adversely impacting utility operation. The team is also establishing guidelines about the PV hosting capacity a feeder can accommodate depending upon feeder design, and will validate approaches to mitigate effects.
The project will:
- Demonstrate effectiveness of power conditioner designs without electrolytic capacitors for reduced cost and improved reliability for faster return on investment
- Evaluate a simplified tool for forecasting cloud cover to assist management of high PV penetrations distributed or localized on a distribution feeder
- Develop advanced power conversion equipment adaptable to residential PV systems and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle charging systems
Expected Results:
Improvements on current practices:
- Proposed PV power system architectures should be more cost-effective
- Proposed design eliminates current ripple and avoids the use of electrolytic capacitors
- Proposed communication improvements reduce power system interconnection and compatibility issues
- Proposed circuit design allows for total shutdown at night, thus avoiding drawing power from the utility and wasting energy
Broad applications:
- The technologies developed can be adapted to household PV power plants, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle charging systems, commercial and industrial buildings, and smart grids
- Greater cost-effectiveness means a quicker return on investment, making the system more attractive to users and utilities
- With the intelligent control and communication built in, it can perform fast dynamic control of the active and reactive power transfer and will help utility grid voltage stabilization
- The proposed control for PV power conditioners can also be applied to other renewable energy sources and distribution generation systems such as wind power and fuel cell systems
Dissemination of information:
- Proven record of published papers in international conferences and journals
- Reports throughout project will be available publicly
Job creation:
- An independent firm has expressed interest in licensing these technologies and manufacturing them in Greenville, Tennessee. Their business plan anticipates more than 500 U.S. jobs generated as a result of this technology development
At this time, this project does not have published articles, patents, or awards.