Open AccessHybrid PV/battery‐storage unit for residential applications
Author(s) -
BagheriFarahbakhsh Mina,
Cross Andrew,
Strickland Dani,
Morris Paul,
Martin Trevor,
Lakin Tony
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the journal of engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2051-3305
DOI - 10.1049/joe.2018.8091
Subject(s) - renewable energy , photovoltaics , software deployment , converters , battery (electricity) , installation , photovoltaic system , electrical engineering , automotive engineering , greenhouse gas , computer science , environmental economics , grid , energy storage , environmental science , voltage , reliability engineering , power (physics) , engineering , economics , ecology , physics , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics , biology , operating system
Under their ‘Gone Green’ deployment scenario, National Grid forecast that energy generated from photovoltaics (PV) in the UK is expected to rise from 2 to 15 GW over the next 20 years. This is being driven by the UK's legal obligations around installing renewable energy sources and cutting greenhouse gases, the rising cost of energy and concerns around the security of supply. Power electronic converters are a key enabling technology for PV and other low‐carbon technologies (LCTs). However, the use of LCTs can result in problems for the electrical distribution network such as supply voltage distortion and over‐voltages, which threaten to limit or delay their uptake. The project described here is investigating the use of GaN‐based converters in a hybrid PV/battery‐storage unit for residential applications. The potential for MHz operation of GaN offers smaller, lighter, more efficient, and lower cost converters compared with existing silicon‐based units and their deployment could lead to an increase in the installed LCT capacity on the network.