Spatial viability analysis of grid-connected photovoltaic power systems for Turkey

• Published in: International journal of electrical power & energy systems Vol. 56; pp. 270 - 278
• Main Authors: Caglayan, Nuri, Ertekin, Can, Evrendilek, Fatih
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electric power generation; Electric power plants; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electricity generation; Energy use; Exact sciences and technology; Mathematical models; Miscellaneous; Non classical power plants; Photoelectric conversion; Photovoltaic; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic power plants; Power networks and lines; Renewable energy; Solar cells; Solar power generation; Spatial interpolation; Universal kriging; Viability; Asia; Turkey; Spatial interpolation; Photovoltaic; Universal kriging; Renewable energy; Electricity generation; Electric power plant; Power production; Photovoltaic system; Grid-connected system; Interpolation; Ambient atmosphere; Photovoltaic power plant; Electrical network; Least squares method; Electric power production; Solar radiation; Room temperature
• ISSN: 0142-0615; 1879-3517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijepes.2013.11.019

•Spatial viability of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) power plants was explored across Turkey.•Solar radiation, sunshine duration, and ambient air temperature were spatially interpolated.•Installation of PV power plants in Osmaniye, Dalaman, and Koycegiz should be given priority.
This paper investigates viability of 0.2, 0.5, 1, 3, 5 and 10MW grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) power plants using 22-year data for 135 locations across Turkey and RETScreen model to predict energy production. Mean annual global solar radiation (GSR), sunshine duration (SSD), and ambient air temperature (Tair) were spatially interpolated over Turkey based on universal kriging method. The technical renewable energy potential of grid-connected solar PV in Turkey estimated for a 0.2–10MW power plant, on average, ranged from 0.31 to 15.56GWhm−2yr−1 for a fixed system, and from 0.41 to 20.81GWhm−2yr−1 for a dual-axis tracker in direct alignment with the sun. The use of the proposed PV grid-connected power plants was found to provide the highest energy production in Osmaniye, Dalaman, and Koycegiz and the lowest energy production in Tosya, Gumushane, and Artvin.