Energy Yield Analysis of a Grid ConnectedSolar PV Power Plant

Abstract

Electrical energy became essential commodity in the present day lively hood. There is a rapid demand for its generation both by conventional and renewable energy recourses. To address the environmental concerns and for overall economic development of the country, addition of major renewable sources of energy and transition from conventional energy systems to those based on renewable resources became necessary. Among several renewable energy resources, solar is identified as the main source for reliable power generation. In terms of cost of energy photo voltaic solar plants located in high solar radiation zones will have a greater economic and logistical advantage. In India about 58% of total land area (1.89 million km2) receives average Global Horizontal Incidence (GHI) above 5kWh/m2/day and can generate at least 77 W/m2. Andhra Pradesh State is one of the suitable locations in India for installing solar power plants due to the availability of about 300 sunny days in a year with solar insolation of about 5.5 to 6 KWh/m2/day. The proposed paper presents feasibility and energy yield analysis for a 5 MW photo voltaic based solar plant that can be erected at Rentachintala, one of the solar hotspot regions in Andhra Pradesh. This may attract investments and independent power producers for the establishment of solar power plant at that area and to some extent meets the objective of Indian solar power policy.