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Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000
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Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000 www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia
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Energy Procedia
Energy Procedia 00
147(2017)
(2018)000–000
71–77
www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia
1. Introduction
Solar energy is most freely available energy resource on a global level serving variety of needs in conventional
form as well as by integrating with modern technology. Solar energy can be harvested in to useful energy with the
help of photovoltaic cells, and solar thermal collectors [1]. Authors interest in this paper is photovoltaics, these can
generate electrical energy without the involvement of complex components that are witnessed in traditional power
plants. Photovoltaic systems generate electricity by direct conversion of solar irradiance that is incident on its
surface. These systems became most popular and widely accepted due its advantages in terms of easy operation,
limited emission release, elimination in fuel cost, abundant availability etc. [2]. It is one of the primary technology
that gave a scope for transformation in energy and environment sector by shifting to decarbonized energy generation
on centralized levels as well as in distributed levels. Initially these systems were economically not affordable, but
due to the advancements in technological growth, rapid down fall in the cost is witnessed. On other side promotional
activities and policies towards the green and sustainable aspects gave an uptrend move to the photovoltaics. All
these factors gave positive support for the growth of PV sector in the electricity markets.
Even though, PV systems have seen remarkable growth in present energy sector, the productivity of the solar PV
system significantly depending on various other factors like ambient conditions, technology, type of installation,
design followed etc. [3]. Hence, the evaluation of PV productivity considering various influential parameters is
needed. Many studies exist in the literature dealing with the performance study of photovoltaic systems considering
various parameters. Among these, simulated studies dealing with the performance of solar PV systems in different
configurations, sizes, and in different locations [4–7]. Similarly, different studies on the real time performance of PV
system with respect to specific weather conditions also exist [8–11]. Few studies dealt with the performance on
consideration of different PV technologies, electrical system components, installation configuration. Among these
almost all the studies followed the performance parameters (array yield, reference yield, final yield, performance
ratio, capacity factor, efficiency, losses) of International Energy Agency (IEA) [12], and National Renewable
Energy Laboratory (NREL) [13]. Among these, availability factor is one among the loss parameters, in most of the
studies this factor is assumed based on certain assumptions and regulations.
Availability factor of any power generating system cannot be assumed or cannot be kept constant. It depends
various aspects of system reliability, dependability on grid regulation, power purchase agreements, periodic
maintenance of the system etc. [14]. Due to these aspects, interruptions are possible in the power generation facility.
From this, availability factor of a typical power plant is defined as the percentage of time duration that could not
generate a power due to certain inabilities. In PV systems also, the availability factor plays a notable effect on the
energy generations. For instance, in actual point of view, the PV systems can generate power from the sunrise
situation to sunset situation. But in practical and real time conditions, due to the limitations of system reliability,
running interruptions, component failures etc. the generation ability and generation periods reduces giving a scope
for quantifying actual availability time of PV system [15, 16].
In this paper, a study on availability factor and its evaluation based on the real time monitored parameters from
a 1 MWp solar PV plant is executed. A method based on generation start time, end time, and actual running periods
of the inverters is proposed and for convenient purpose, this is generalized and can be applied for any power plant
with the relevant data monitored from the power plant.
This section, description of the inspected power plant, data collection, and the proposed methodology is discussed.
The solar photovoltaic plant that is under investigation is installed in the Revulapally (Latitude: 16.3°N and
Longitude: 77.6°E), Mahbubnagar District, Telangana, India. The nominal capacity of the solar PV plant is 1 MWp
or 1000 kWp installed in 5 acres site with fixed tilt and allowing a provision for seasonal tilt variation. This 1 MWp
PV project was allotted to Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Limited (TSGENCO) [17] under the
Government of India’s strongest vision on promotional incentives offered for solar PV projects under the Jawaharlal
Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar et al. / Energy Procedia 147 (2018) 71–77 73
Author name / Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000 3
Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) [18]. Supply, erection, and the civil works towards the installation of the
project with in the stipulated times were awarded to M/S. Photon Energy Systems Ltd, Hyderabad on EPC basis.
The solar PV project consists a total of 4284 PV modules each having a 235 Wp capacity, 4 inverters each having
250 kW, and 2 power transformers each of 630 kVA. PV array installation of the investigated project is shown in
Fig. 1. And the specifications were tabulated in Table 1.
Fig. 1. 1 MWp solar PV plant commissioned at Revulapally, Mahbubnagar District, Telangana, India (image courtesy: plant site).
Data collection is done by physical visit to the site where PV plant is installed and commissioned. Five financial
years (starting from the commissioning date to March 2016) of data containing generation start time, generation end
time, and tripping caused due to inverter etc. are collected. Financial year is typically considered from April of
preset year to March of next year. Data durations along with the method of inspection or measuring is shown in
Table 2.
2.3. Methodology
A methodology based on generation periods and inverter running periods is proposed here. The methodology
describes the relation between PV plant generation periods to actual running periods in the form of an availability
factor. Initially the availability factor is evaluated for each inverter, then depending on the number of inverter used
in the PV plant, the plant availability factor is evaluated. Methodology proposed here is shown from Eq. (1) to
Eq. (4).
Eq. (1), is used to estimate the generation period of the PV plant. In Eq. (1), the end time represents the time at
which no power is generated from a PV plant i.e. typically happens in the night times. Start time represents, the time
at which power generation is possible i.e. typically in the morning. Generation period is the time for which the PV
plant is made to operate i.e. from morning time (start time) to evening time (end time). These three parameters are
typically measured in hours: minutes: seconds.
Running hours are estimated using Eq. (2), and it is difference of generation periods to the tripping caused in the
PV plant and its components. In any PV plant, the running periods are bit lower than the maximum possible
generation periods this is because of the hurdles or problems caused by various components in PV system like grid
failure, inverter failure etc. Running periods are typically measured in hours: minutes: seconds.
Running Periods
Availabili ty FactorInverter ( AFinverter ) 100 (3)
Generation Periods
Inverter availability factor of an inverter is estimated using the Eq. (3). In PV plant inverter is one of major
component, that helps in the conversion of DC electricity generated by the PV arrays to the AC electricity required
by the utility. Typically, in a PV plant, the number of inverter they use depends on the capacity of the PV plant.
The availability factor is defined as the ratio of inverter running periods to the maximum generation periods. It is
mostly measured in terms of percentages; hence the units are possible.
1
Plant Availabili ty Factor ( PAF ) ( AFinverter 1 AFinverter 2 ... AFinverter n ) (4)
n
Plant availability factor is estimated using the Eq. (4), and it is average sum of the availability factors of inverters
in solar PV plant.
This section presents the evaluated results of inverter and PV plant availability factors. Monitoring the generating
periods of the PV plant and running hours of the inverter are most responsible factors for calculating the availability
factors of the inverters installed over the PV plant site. Generating periods are monitored as per the starting time and
ending time on daily basis as per the Eq. (1) over the period of five financial years. Similarly, using Eq. (2) running
periods are monitored with reference to the possible tripping over study duration. During the first financial years,
only few month data was collected as the PV plant commissioned almost in the ending of the financial year.
Generation periods are measured in hours:minutes:seconds as 3654:16:00, 16604:00:00, 16591:08:00, 16489:04:00,
and 15675:44:00 for the financial years 2011–2012, 2012–2013, 2013–2014, 2014–2015, 2015–2016 respectively.
Running periods are measured in hours: minutes: seconds as 3453:44:00, 15607:43:00, 15875:44:00, 15415:15:00,
and 14490:52:00 for the financial years 2011–2012, 2012–2013, 2013–2014, 2014–2015, 2015–2016 respectively.
Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar et al. / Energy Procedia 147 (2018) 71–77 75
Author name / Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000 5
Average generation periods and running periods over the study duration were shown in Fig. 2. Average generation
periods in hours: minutes: seconds are as 913:34:00, 4151:00:00, 4147:47:00, 4122:16:00, and 3918:56:00 and
average running periods in hours: minutes: seconds are 863:26:00, 3901:55:45, 3968:56:00, 3853:48:45, 3622:43:00
for financial years 2011–2012, 2012–2013, 2013–2014, 2014–2015, 2015–2016 respectively.
4800:00:00
Time, hours:minutes:seconds
3600:00:00
2400:00:00
1200:00:00
0:00:00
2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016
Financial Year
Average Generation Periods (hours: minutes: seconds) Average Running Periods (hours: minutes: seconds)
Fig. 2. Average generation and running periods over the study period of five financial years.
2011-2012 Inv-1 2011-2012 Inv-2 2011-2012 Inv-3 2011-2012 Inv-4 2012-2013 Inv-1
2012-2013 Inv-2 2012-2013 Inv-3 2012-2013 Inv-4 2013-2014 Inv-1 2013-2014 Inv-2
2013-2014 Inv-3 2013-2014 Inv-4 2014-2015 Inv-1 2014-2015 Inv-2 2014-2015 Inv-3
2014-2015 Inv-4 2015-2016 Inv-1 2015-2016 Inv-2 2015-2016 Inv-3 2015-2016 Inv-4
Inverter Availability Factor in %
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
Inverters (Inv-x) where {x=1,2,3,4}
Fig. 3. Average generation and running periods over the study period of five financial years.
From the Fig. 2, it is observed that, the running hours of the PV plant will always be lesser than that of the actual
generating periods. The reason for this would be due to the failure of the PV system components, or any other
external influences such as grid failure, grid regulation etc. In the studied PV plant, there are four 250 kW inverters,
hence each inverter availability factor is calculated using Eq. (3). The calculated availability factors of Inv-1, Inv-2,
Inv-3, and Inv-4 in the study period of five financial years represented in Fig. 3. From the analysis, it is observed
that during the financial years 2011–2012, 2013–2014, 2015–2016 all the four inverters shown an availability factor
of 94.51 % (not available is 5.49 %), 95.69 % (not available is 4.31 %), and 92.44 % (not available is 7.56 %)
respectively. For the financial years 2012–2013, and 2014–2015, the available factors of inverters 1 to 4 are
observed to be 93.83 %, 93.66 %, 93.57 %, 94.95 %, and 93.50 %, 93.46 %, 94.50 %, 93.50 % respectively. It is
observed that, the availability factor varies from time to time and its depends on many factors, on an average energy
equivalent to the not available factor is lost. From the observed available factors of inverters, the plant availability
76 Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar et al. / Energy Procedia 147 (2018) 71–77
6 Author name / Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000
factor is estimated using Eq. (4). It is average sum of the inverter available factors. In our study, four 250 kW
inverter were utilized in the 1MWp solar power plant, hence the average sum of the four inverter availability factors
was considered for each financial year, and the value of PAF is computed and shown in Fig. 4. PAF is observed to
be in the range of 92.44 % to 95.69 %. As the age of PV plant increases the availability factor of the plant is
observed to be reduced. But during the financial year 2013–2014, PAF value is seen to be slightly higher than
previous financial year. Summary of the results is shown in Table 3.
96
95
(PAF) in %
94
93
92
91
90
Financial Year
Fig. 4. Average generation and running periods over the study period of five financial years.
In Table 3 the summary of the availability factors evaluated for each inverter, PV plant specific to each financial
year is tabulated. Also, the generation periods and running periods during of the PV plant specific to inverter are
represented. It is observed that, as the age of the PV plant increases the availability factor is slightly reduced.
4. Conclusion
The study carried out in this paper, investigates on the availability factors of inverter and the PV plant that is in
the Revulapally, Mahbubnagar district of Telangana State, India. A monitoring period of five financial years is
considered during the evaluation of availability factors in this study. The work presented in this paper, provides
a clear understanding of the availability factor and how it is influenced by generation periods, inverter running
periods. The evaluated availability factors of the inverter and PV plant for the 1 MWp solar PV under study are
summarized as follows: The variation in availability factor is observed to be in the range of 92.44 % to 95.69 % over
the five consecutive financial years. On an average, the PV system is found to have energy reductions over the five
consecutive financial years ranging in between 4.31 % to 7.56 %. The reasons for not achieving the 100 %
availability factors are the occurrence of failure in the solar inverter. Other reasons are strings continuity failure,
failure in cables and connections. Here, mostly the specified two reasons occurred. The work supports future
research aiming towards the improvement in performance of PV plant keeping the availability as one of witness
factors affecting the energy yields.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the support from the authorities in providing the data of 1MWp
TSGENCO Grid Connected Solar Power Plant installed at Revulapally, Mahbubnagar District, Telangana, India.
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