New algorithm to connect solar parks to substations
Spanish PV software specialist RatedPower has developed a new algorithm offering a way to efficiently design grid interconnections.
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Spain, Madrid: Spanish PV software specialist RatedPower has developed a new algorithm offering a way to efficiently design grid interconnections.
Spain’s RatedPower has included a new algorithm in its pvDesign software to optimize the development of solar plants. It claims the algorithm presents new ways to design and engineer the point of interconnection to the grid in an efficient and precise manner. This new functionality is important in the solar industry because it is necessary to raise voltage levels from medium to high voltage in order to connect PV plants to distribution and transmission networks.
The power transmission and distribution network industry is booming due to the increased average lifecycles of networks and growing demand for efficient, safe, and reliable transmission-distribution networks. The lack of an efficient electricity grid at a global level has been one of the main drivers of investments around the world. The international market for substations exceeded $151 B in 2019. and annual installations are projected to surpass 24,500 units by 2026, according to a recent report by Global Market Insights.
RatedPower has launched a new function of their pvDesign to handle basic engineering for some of the most common substations – line-transformer substations, or substations with single or double busbars.
The company said that 9.3 % of the simulated designs in pvDesign opt to connect to the network through sectioning centers. “These stations will allow the solar plants to be connected to the grids provided that the output voltage is the same, for example, in the case of medium voltage distribution grids,” the company explained.
RatedPower claims that pvDesign fully automates basic engineering for substations, in ways that best suit PV plants. “Our users only have to select the substation card and enter the high voltage level,” the company spokesperson said.
According to a recent study by the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators the number of transformers and busbars are two of the most important factors when setting prices for substations. This implies that substations could represent between 5 % and 10 % of the total cost of PV plants.
Source: PV Magazine