Analysis of the rooftop photovoltaic potential in a real case: Energy community of the music school in Adeje

Abstract

Rooftop photovoltaic emerges as an essential resource to promote the energy transition. It opens up the possibility to create energy communities and share the generated electricity within a neighbourhood, aiding to confront the energy crisis. However, low voltage distribution grids where originally designed radially, with a mainly one-directional power flow in mind. As such, a high penetration of distributed generation such as rooftop photovoltaic will negatively impact the grid, increasing the voltage profile and causing reverse power-flows. Thus, it is key to determine the limits set by the applicable regulation and analyze the effects of rooftop photovoltaic on the grid performance. This work aims to determine the impact on the distribution grid of an intense deployment of rooftop photovoltaic in a real case scenario, the surroundings of the music school in Adeje, Tenerife (Spain). For this purpose, the current statutory limits, as well as the network topology, the rooftop area and real consumption data of the vicinity are taken into account. A simulation is performed using the software OpenDSS, and the influence on the grid is estimated for different penetration scenarios. The results show that the transformer capacity limitation allows the integration of 420kWp. Setting this limitation aside, this value could be increased up to 579kWp without surpassing voltage limits, while the maximum photovoltaic potential in the vicinity according to available rooftop area is estimated at 1859,21kWp, but it would breach the current grid codes. To allow higher penetration limits, solutions such as the Volt-Var and Volt-Watt techniques as well as distribution static synchronous compensators are required.