Grid operations with high penetration of photovoltaic systems

Abstract

Paper presented to the 3rd Southern African Solar Energy Conference, South Africa, 11-13 May, 2015.

Integrating variable generation sources such as utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) plants into the electric grid is desirable with the increasing quest for cleaner sources of electric power generation and reducing cost of utility-scale PV. As a result, solar market in the United States has more than doubled over the past two to three years, but looking ahead, systemic challenges to growth loom both in the near term. Real-time grid operators are especially concerned about large-scale PV systems operating under cloudy conditions and large disturbances. This paper provides an overview of the computational and optimization research carried out at the Real-Time Power and Intelligent Systems Laboratory to address some of the grid operational concerns with high levels of PV penetrations.