Simulation of stand-alone floating photovoltaic and battery systems

Abstract

Abstract The implementation of photovoltaic (PV) system has been evolving all over the world as the alternative energy sources are getting more required. However, the construction of PV power plants on the ground would need a large space. In regions which are lack of sites for the ground PV installation, a floating PV system is one of the solutions. This study analyses the performance of floating PV in supplying power to loads with a battery as the energy storage in a stand-alone system. The system is simulated using small capacities of PV module, battery, and load, where all components are integrated using a solar charge controller to maintain a safe operation. The performance of floating PV is compared to the ground PV in terms of the capacity factor, conversion efficiency, and operating efficiency. The average of capacity factor and conversion efficiency of floating PV is 1.53% and 0.79% higher than the ground PV respectively. Meanwhile, in terms of operating efficiency, floating PV is 1.48% more effective compared to the ground PV. One can notice that the floating PV provides better power efficiency compared to ground PV as the cell temperature is maintained well in an optimal circumstance.