Grid-connected solar photovoltaic system with battery storage : design, modeling, simulation, and application to a local case study

Abstract

The project aims to study the design and operation of a grid-connected solar PV system with a battery bank storage to supply power continuously to a defined local application (i.e. household situated in Koura, Lebanon). The locality is characterized by a cycled interruption of the power supply from the grid with an alternative power supply from a local generator that feeds a certain area during those times of grid-power interruption. For this purpose, a MATLAB program was developed to simulate in real-time the designed system and its performance taken into consideration all the varying technical, meteorological, operational, and economic parameters or data. Based on many simulations performed and the related outputs (metrics) obtained, different systems and configurations were selected and suggested. Prospects to reduce dependence on both the grid power and generator as well as the possibility to eliminate the latter (i.e. local generator) with attractive payback periods were found and analyzed.