Solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation is the process of converting energy from the sun into electricity using solar panels. Solar panels, also called PV panels, are combined into arrays in a PV system. PV systems can also be installed in grid-connected or off-grid (stand-alone) configurations.
In the past, the penetration of solar energy was very small compared to conventional generation systems. At present,the usage of photovoltaics’ renewable energy to generate electricity has attracted considerable attention around the world.
The basic components of these two configurations of PV systems include solar panels, combiner boxes, inverters, optimizers, and disconnects. Grid-connected PV systems also may include meters, batteries, charge controllers, and battery disconnects. There are several advantages and disadvantages to solar PV power generation (see Table 1).
Solar panels used in PV systems are assemblies of solar cells, typically composed of silicon and commonly mounted in a rigid flat frame. Solar panels are wired together in series to form strings, and strings of solar panels are wired in parallel to form arrays.
Based on [ 71 ], several methods for voltage control in large-scale photovoltaic systems are available, such asreactive power control, voltage regulation, and power factor regulation.
These requirements depend on the reactive power support characteristics of the PV inverters and auxiliary devices such as capacitor banks or STATCOMs. PV inverters’ technology, which was initially intended to be connected to the distribution grid,does not generally have these new control features.