Energy storage integration into grid connected utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems

This paper takes into account energy storage sizing results from previous research activities regarding base-load implementation of an energy storage system integrated into a PV power plant, for six locations of favorable meteorological characteristics [1]. The main target is to evaluate scenarios of integrating energy storage in different positions of a grid connected PV power plant in terms of transmission cost and transmission losses. The analysis deals with different transmission voltage levels and proposes where and how energy storage should be included within a very large scale utility PV power plant for base-load operation and after taking into account the drivers for using Energy Storage. Furthermore, this paper analyses different power electronics (PE) interface techniques for integration of energy storage into grid connected utility-scale applications. Various alternatives are identified and presented in this paper, while advantages and disadvantages for all scenarios are highlighted.