Utilisation of Solar Energy for Electricity Generation at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS: A Performance Analysis of Stand-alone Photovoltaic System (SPVS)

• Main Author: Mohd Selva, Amran
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Teknologi Petronas 2011
• Subjects: TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
• Online Access: http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/8779/1/2011%20-%20Utilisation%20of%20solar%20energy%20for%20electricity%20generation%20at%20universiti%20tekonologi%20petronas.pdf; http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/8779/
• Institution: Universiti Teknologi Petronas

Photovoltaic System is a vast topic that can be researched and studied on such as the improvement of performance of single components in PV system or the system designed itself. Yet in this research work, the scope has to be scaled down in appreciation to the given time. This research project would mainly concern about improving the PV system itself. Since, the field or simulated information on technical performance of Stand-alone Photovoltaic System (SPVS) of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) is still lacking in literature. In short, this study was made with an aim of analyzing performance of PV system at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP). As such, the SPVS ofUTP was simulated using a TRNSYS simulation model which was then validated by data measured from actual operating lab-scaled prototype of SPVS which was mounted at UTP's meteorology station. This study reports on performance results of the simulated system located at UTP based on the data recorded. The results tell us that if the system is designed in accordance to procedures stipulated at UTP's climatic data standards then it is capable of operating with a good mean performance ratio, PV array production factor and system efficiency. For the simulated location, loss of load probability of system was calculated based on the recorded data. If the system is under-designed, it was found that the system's performance ratio is reduced considerably, it is less reliable and its battery remains in low state of charge for long periods.