Adjustment and validation of a 25 kW photovoltaic system Matlab/Simulink model

Abstract

Distributed generation is one of the ways forward for the development of renewable energy. Electrical and thermal microgrids are being widely investigated and begin to be implemented. Therefore, if microgrids are developed with careful design and intelligent operation, they could be the solution to the many challenges presented by today's electric network. (Electrical losses in the power grid, power quality and power supply to remote areas, for instance).

Owing to this reason, CENER (National Renewable Energy Centre of Spain) has installed a microgrid (ATENEA) located in the industrial area of ​​Rocaforte (Town of Sangüesa, Navarra, Spain). The aim of the facility is the control strategy testing as well as being a test bench for the different generation and storage technologies.Developing a simulation platform where the entire components belonging to the microgrid are modeled is one of the present purposes. Firstly, models have to be elaborated in Matlab-Simulink. Secondly, the measurement executed in the different systems, will help the models in order to be validated. The final goal is that the models could behave in the same way as the systems behave in the reality.

The purpose of this article is developing the model belonging to the photovoltaic system using the software mentioned. The model consists of the following parts: model of photovoltaic panels and maximum power tracking algorithm (MPPT). This article discusses the theoretical basis used for the realization of models, trials for subsequent validation and obtaining system characteristic parameters.

Keywords photovoltaic model, Matlab-Simulink, microgrid, simulation platform.