Effect of Combining Solar Output and Increased Distance between Solar Projects on Variability and Performance

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Last Modified
  • May 4, 2020
Creator
  • Fenton, Ty
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Abstract
  • The present study assesses the benefit of combining solar projects with the goal of decreasing production variability across a day and increasing solar output during peak demand. The significance of distance was also explored in this study to determine if the decrease in production caused by clouds could be avoided by increasing the distance between samples. The analysis was conducted using a data set containing production levels in fifteen minute intervals for 115 projects across one year provided by Southern California Edison. The results found that daily variability is improved 46% and production during peak demand is improved 3.6% when combining the output of five projects together, compared to the average of the individual output. Distance between the projects was found to have no significant impact within the range tested. Distance was regressed upon weekly minimum production, daily production, daily production within specific climate zones, daily production within specific climate zones on cloudy days, and in all regressions the coefficient for distance was found to be insignificant for the tested range of 10-150 miles. It was found however that adjacent projects experience a weekly minimum just under 4% lower than combinations of size five. The data set did not contain the appropriate data to make conclusions under ten miles. Based on the findings of the study it is recommended that solar projects are grouped in combinations of at least size five with an average of at least ten miles apart to decrease variability and increase production at peak demand.
Date of publication
Keyword
DOI
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Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Note
  • Funding: Southern California Edison
Advisor
  • Kamens, R. M.
Degree
  • Bachelor of Science
Honors level
  • Honors
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduation year
  • 2014
Language
  • English
Extent
  • 34

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