Modeling and Performance Analysis of 1-MW PV Farm for Varying Solar Irradiance Conditions

Actually, an imperative need for installing new renewable energy sources in small and medium scale has been motivated in the world due to the high cost tendency of fossil fuels, emissions of polluting gases and growth in electricity demand. This article presents the preliminary study for the installation and start-up of a 1-MW photovoltaic project interconnected to a 13.8-kV distribution network, considering the design, modeling, simulation and components necessary for its installation. The modeling of photovoltaic cells, the operation of a DC/AC energy conversion system are discussed in detail. The developed model makes due account for the SPWM modulation, as well as the controls implemented for the maximum extraction of power from the photovoltaic array (MPPT), active and reactive power controls and DC voltage regulation, for varying solar radiation conditions.