A dynamic programming approach to the energy management problem of photovoltaic power systems

A new mathematical approach to proper load management techniques is presented. Loads are classified into four categories: convenient, essential, critical, and emergency. Priorities are assigned to the loads of each category. The energy requirement and duty cycle for each load are assumed to be known. The problem is to determine, in an optimal way, the actual energy supplied to these loads during a certain period of time. The solution to this problem is based on the maximization of a weighted objective function which depends on the load priorities and is subject to the total available energy. The mathematical problem is formulated as a resource allocation problem and is solved using dynamic programming techniques. Simulation studies illustrating the applicability of the new approach are presented.