Dynamic Modelling of a Compressed Air Energy Storage System in a Grid Connected Photovoltaic Plant

Abstract

The use of photovoltaic (PV) cells in domestic and industrial applications has grown rapidly through the recent years. Constructing PV plants is a very smart measure to produce free electricity in large scales, especially in the countries with higher solar irradiation potential. On the other hand, compressed air energy storage (CAES) has already been proposed to be employed for energy storage applications. In this work, erecting a large scale grid connected PV plant accompanying with a CAES system to produce either all (if applicable) or a portion of the required electricity, in the most appropriate geographical location in Brazil, is proposed. In the first step, the best point for erecting the power plant is chosen regarding climate and solar engineering considerations. Then, the best tracking mode for the PV cells is opted based on energy and economic considerations. The CAES system is designed and analyzed in the next step. In order to prove the proficiency of the proposal, the performance of the PV plant as well as the CAES unit is assessed for a whole year in the chosen city.