Our PPRE alumni (2005-07) and managinig director at Global Sustainable Energy Solutions India, Dwipen Boruah, has recently published two research articles via Science Direct titled ”A comprehensive analysis of eight rooftop grid-connected solar photovoltaic power plants with battery energy storage for enhanced energy security and grid resiliency” and ”Techno-economic feasibility analysis of a commercial grid-connected photovoltaic plant with battery energy storage-achieving a net zero energy system”.
The article ”A comprehensive analysis of eight rooftop grid-connected solar photovoltaic power plants with battery energy storage for enhanced energy security and grid resiliency” was published in Solar Energy (Volume 266) in December 2023.
Abstract: This study presents the outcome of a utility-run rooftop photovoltaic (PV) power plant with battery energy storage systems (BESS) as a viable solution for enhanced energy storage and grid resiliency at the distribution network level. A comprehensive techno-commercial analysis of PV plants with BESS for commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers of a distribution company (DISCOM) is presented. The analysis is based on consumer data from eight different sectors in India. The impact of voltage rise, thermal loading and reverse flow are analysed for different PV + BESS grid network integration scenarios, which are found to be factored in the individual capacity and number of distributed systems connected to the grid, length and current carrying capacity of the feeder, running load and the location of PV + BESS integration. The cost-benefit analysis results show that the maximum economic benefit from PV + BESS can be attained by managing peak load, reducing diesel generator use, and increasing solar fraction in the energy system. The normalised net benefit is higher when PV + BESS is installed with load profiles, which coincides with the DISCOM load profiles. Results show BESS needs to be an essential element of a PV plant for reliability, flexibility, and grid stability.
Read the entire article here.
The article ”Techno-economic feasibility analysis of a commercial grid-connected photovoltaic plant with battery energy storage-achieving a net zero energy system” was published in the Journal of Energy Storage (Volume 77) in January 2024.
Abstract: Grid connected Photovoltaic (PV) plants with battery energy storage system, are being increasingly utilised worldwide for grid stability and sustainable electricity supplies. In this context, a comprehensive feasibility analysis of a grid connected photovoltaic plant with energy storage, is presented as a case study in India. A novel smart net-zero energy management system is developed to reduce grid and fossil fuel-based backup electricity consumption during power outages and peak load shaving by controlling peak load demand A life cycle cost-benefit and levelized cost of energy (LCoE) analysis, is presented for five optimised photovoltaic plants with battery energy storage systems, with and without net metering regimes. The Solar Labs and PVSyst softwares are used for system planning and energy generation estimation followed by HOMER grid software and Excel sheet-based financial models for system optimisation and cost-benefit analysis. The sensitivity analysis is carried out considering most sensitive parameters to identify the best option. The results found a 200 kWp photovoltaic plant with 250-kWh battery energy storage system with net metering, as the best-optimised option with energy generation cost of INR 4.21/kWh, with 6.15 years payback period. The study results can be followed for sustainable solar power generation for commercial grid connected PV power plants worldwide.
Read the entire article here.