Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6767565 | Renewable Energy | 2015 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
The performance of a newly installed 281 kWp first grid-connected photovoltaic solar farm in Lesotho is evaluated against the basic parameters stated in the International Electro-Technical Commission (IEC) Standard 61724 and a number of other studies. The performance parameters selected are those that mainly indicate the suitability of a site for solar power development. Using normalised values, a brief comparison with other farms across the globe is made to assess the relative performance of the farm. The results show that its performance is satisfactory, with a weighted performance ratio of 0.70 compared to the global average of 0.70-0.80 for sufficiently well performing farms. However, the performance could be improved with improved operational monitoring of the farm. Additional performance parameters are assessed relative to the standard and the farms in other countries, such as capture and system losses, system efficiencies, and capacity factors, are above the thresholds for satisfactory performance. Measurements at the site show a high solar energy resource in the range of 4.0-7.2Â kWh/m2/day. The results show that the area is suitable for grid connected photovoltaic systems.
Keywords
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Energy
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Authors
Moeketsi Mpholo, Teboho Nchaba, Molebatsi Monese,