How large Gen Set required for Hybrid PV System?

[kashif5]

Hi All,

I've a query about Hybrid PV System.

I want to install a PV system that can be synced with grid and gen-set. i want to know if there is any ratio limitation for pv and genset ? I read that with SMA fuel controller, 600 KW PV can be installed with 1MW Gen-set. so i suppose that without SMA fuel controller, it should be more less for 1MW Gen-set. am i right or not? is there any proper information for that? like if I've a gen set of 1MW, then how big PV can be installed? or i can install any size pv with any size gen-set?

Regards
Kashif

[Sunking]

1 Mw genny? Are you supplying the city?

[Mike90250]

Hybrid PV Systems cannot sell generator power to the grid, only the 48V battery power. batteries charged by the sun, not a diesel genset.

[Sunking]

Not to mention very foolish to sell battery power to the grid.

[kashif5]

1 Mw genny? Are you supplying the city?

its an industrial solution. 1 MW get-set is normal in industry.

[kashif5]

Hybrid PV Systems cannot sell generator power to the grid, only the 48V battery power. batteries charged by the sun, not a diesel genset.

its not selling energy to grid. PV systems sync with grid (when available) and get-set. so if grid is not available then it detects current from gen-set. but in that case i dont know that for a pv of lets say 500KW, how large gen-set is required. hope it clear.

[Mike90250]

Hybrid PV cannot sync your genset to the grid, you will have to chose using grid power, or genset power.

Most inverters have small 60A transfer switches, so you can't use that large of a genset with them

[kashif5]

Hybrid PV cannot sync your genset to the grid, you will have to chose using grid power, or genset power.

Most inverters have small 60A transfer switches, so you can't use that large of a genset with them

i think i m not clear in my question.

I'm not trying to sync gen-set with grid. what I'm trying to do is "Sync PV with Grid" as per safety feature of PV, PV need a grid to run (unless its off-grid). PV sense current from grid and keep producing electricity. as soon as grid goes down, PV shutdowns. so in case grid is not available, gen-set is used to sync with PV so that PV may keep producing electricity.

Now question is: for 500KW PV, how large gen-set should be there to sync with PV. if gen-set is small then PV can destroy get-set by reverse flow of current. thats all i know (may be I'm wrong). but i dont know any exact ratio of Pv and Gen-set output.

[Mike90250]

i think i m not clear in my question.

Yep. You are talking really big, industrial size install. 10Kw and under is small, homeowner size and most likely 98% of the installs globally..

500Kw is large enough for a small city, and you will need to have an industrial electrical engineer manage it for you. Schneider Electric http://www.schneider-electric.us/sit...comm-util.page has trailer sized solar inverters. your engineering staff will need to work with them to find the answers to your questions.

This forum is mostly consumer / homeowner oriented, not utility scale.

[SunEagle]

I also don't think there is any gen set that can mimic the grid and fool a pv system to keep generating. Unless of course the gen set is the size of a Utility generating plant at maybe 60MW but I could be wrong.

[kashif5]

I also don't think there is any gen set that can mimic the grid and fool a pv system to keep generating. Unless of course the gen set is the size of a Utility generating plant at maybe 60MW but I could be wrong.

YES thats wht i was saying....trying to create replica of grid.... I give you an example.... for a complete set of 4MW gen-set (4 Gen of 1 MW each), we are installing 740 KW PV. but still not sure what is exact ratio. currently we are trying to keep it 1/3 of gen.... but I want to know if there is any actual data.

thanks for your rtime.

[SunEagle]

YES thats wht i was saying....trying to create replica of grid.... I give you an example.... for a complete set of 4MW gen-set (4 Gen of 1 MW each), we are installing 740 KW PV. but still not sure what is exact ratio. currently we are trying to keep it 1/3 of gen.... but I want to know if there is any actual data.

thanks for your rtime.

I do not know what the correct and safe ratio would be. I would suggest you contact a local Engineering outfit for your answers.

[russ]

I do not know what the correct and safe ratio would be. I would suggest you contact a local Engineering outfit for your answers.

For a project that size they have an engineering firm they are working with - even in Pakistan. Probably this is a bean counter trying to make points with the boss.

[paulcheung]

I don't get this, If the site is going to run the generator as large as the demand, where is the PV coming? for what reason?

[inetdog]

I don't get this, If the site is going to run the generator as large as the demand, where is the PV coming? for what reason?

To reduce the load on the generator (and therefore the fuel consumption) during the hours where PV is producing.
As long as the PV does not bring the generator into a situation where the prime mover is operating inefficiently, it will be able to reduce overall costs.
It is critical to this kind of design that the load never go lower than the PV output, with maybe even a 50% safety factor. Otherwise, to prevent destructive backfeeding of the generator, the PV will have to be automatically throttled down.