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Performance Evaluation of the Navrongo Solar PV Power Plant in Ghana

Received: 25 April 2021     Accepted: 14 May 2021     Published: 20 May 2021
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Abstract

The electric power-driven economy of Ghana has necessitated the continual balance of demand with supply by making use of economically feasible sources of energy. In this paper, a 2.5 MW grid connected solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Navrongo is evaluated for its performance in 2014. The plant’s output energy, including PV modules, and system efficiencies with other performance indicators were analysed based on IEC 61724 standard. The average ambient and PV module temperature determined was 31°C and 45°C respectively, with 514 W/m2 as the average global radiation. The monthly daily average energy generated was 10.7 MWh with 320.5 MWh and 3845.8 MWh as total monthly average and annual generated energy respectively, during the period. The respective average array, reference, and final yields in hours per day (h/d) were 0.48, 0.51 and 4.13 as well as 18% Capacity Factor, and 81% Performance Ration. A total of 3768.0 MWh was delivered and the PV modules, inverter and system efficiencies were 10.1%, 84%, and 10.3% respectively. In conclusion, it was identified that, dust accumulations on the PV modules surface, significantly reduces the output power due to inefficient use of solar irradiation. Effective and efficient cleaning of the PV modules surface is therefore recommended for improved efficiency of the plant. The aim of this research; therefore; which was to evaluate the performance of the Navrongo solar PV power plant and optimise the energy output efficiently by the use of modelling and simulation has been achieved.

Published in Journal of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Volume 9, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.jeee.20210902.13
Page(s) 49-59
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Photovoltaic System, Performance Evaluation, Renewable Energy

References
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  • APA Style

    Morrison Amenyo Vehe, Christian Kwaku Amuzuvi. (2021). Performance Evaluation of the Navrongo Solar PV Power Plant in Ghana. Journal of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 9(2), 49-59. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jeee.20210902.13

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    ACS Style

    Morrison Amenyo Vehe; Christian Kwaku Amuzuvi. Performance Evaluation of the Navrongo Solar PV Power Plant in Ghana. J. Electr. Electron. Eng. 2021, 9(2), 49-59. doi: 10.11648/j.jeee.20210902.13

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    AMA Style

    Morrison Amenyo Vehe, Christian Kwaku Amuzuvi. Performance Evaluation of the Navrongo Solar PV Power Plant in Ghana. J Electr Electron Eng. 2021;9(2):49-59. doi: 10.11648/j.jeee.20210902.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jeee.20210902.13,
      author = {Morrison Amenyo Vehe and Christian Kwaku Amuzuvi},
      title = {Performance Evaluation of the Navrongo Solar PV Power Plant in Ghana},
      journal = {Journal of Electrical and Electronic Engineering},
      volume = {9},
      number = {2},
      pages = {49-59},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jeee.20210902.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jeee.20210902.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jeee.20210902.13},
      abstract = {The electric power-driven economy of Ghana has necessitated the continual balance of demand with supply by making use of economically feasible sources of energy. In this paper, a 2.5 MW grid connected solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Navrongo is evaluated for its performance in 2014. The plant’s output energy, including PV modules, and system efficiencies with other performance indicators were analysed based on IEC 61724 standard. The average ambient and PV module temperature determined was 31°C and 45°C respectively, with 514 W/m2 as the average global radiation. The monthly daily average energy generated was 10.7 MWh with 320.5 MWh and 3845.8 MWh as total monthly average and annual generated energy respectively, during the period. The respective average array, reference, and final yields in hours per day (h/d) were 0.48, 0.51 and 4.13 as well as 18% Capacity Factor, and 81% Performance Ration. A total of 3768.0 MWh was delivered and the PV modules, inverter and system efficiencies were 10.1%, 84%, and 10.3% respectively. In conclusion, it was identified that, dust accumulations on the PV modules surface, significantly reduces the output power due to inefficient use of solar irradiation. Effective and efficient cleaning of the PV modules surface is therefore recommended for improved efficiency of the plant. The aim of this research; therefore; which was to evaluate the performance of the Navrongo solar PV power plant and optimise the energy output efficiently by the use of modelling and simulation has been achieved.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Performance Evaluation of the Navrongo Solar PV Power Plant in Ghana
    AU  - Morrison Amenyo Vehe
    AU  - Christian Kwaku Amuzuvi
    Y1  - 2021/05/20
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jeee.20210902.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jeee.20210902.13
    T2  - Journal of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
    JF  - Journal of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
    JO  - Journal of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
    SP  - 49
    EP  - 59
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2329-1605
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jeee.20210902.13
    AB  - The electric power-driven economy of Ghana has necessitated the continual balance of demand with supply by making use of economically feasible sources of energy. In this paper, a 2.5 MW grid connected solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Navrongo is evaluated for its performance in 2014. The plant’s output energy, including PV modules, and system efficiencies with other performance indicators were analysed based on IEC 61724 standard. The average ambient and PV module temperature determined was 31°C and 45°C respectively, with 514 W/m2 as the average global radiation. The monthly daily average energy generated was 10.7 MWh with 320.5 MWh and 3845.8 MWh as total monthly average and annual generated energy respectively, during the period. The respective average array, reference, and final yields in hours per day (h/d) were 0.48, 0.51 and 4.13 as well as 18% Capacity Factor, and 81% Performance Ration. A total of 3768.0 MWh was delivered and the PV modules, inverter and system efficiencies were 10.1%, 84%, and 10.3% respectively. In conclusion, it was identified that, dust accumulations on the PV modules surface, significantly reduces the output power due to inefficient use of solar irradiation. Effective and efficient cleaning of the PV modules surface is therefore recommended for improved efficiency of the plant. The aim of this research; therefore; which was to evaluate the performance of the Navrongo solar PV power plant and optimise the energy output efficiently by the use of modelling and simulation has been achieved.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Regional Maritime University, Accra, Ghana

  • Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana

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