Feasibility of a 10 MW PV system expansion in solar park: energy generation, impact on grid network, and financial perspective

Renewable energy systems, primarily solar PV systems, have gained significance worldwide due to the limited accessibility of non-renewable energy sources. This study assesses the operational efficiency and financial feasibility of an additional 10 MW grid-connected PV system at the site, which has an operational 400 MW Solar Park. The primary objective of this study is to design a clean energy system in Pakistan. The designed system operates efficiently, achieving a maximum PR of 83.94% in January, a minimum PR of 74.37% in August, and an annual average PR of 78.19% as well as generating 17,499,000 kWh/year of energy. The designed system demonstrates economic viability with a discounted payback period of 11.5 years and a non-discounted payback period of 3.10 years, and NPV of a PV plant is 576,346 USD. Utilizing software like PVsyst accurate system design as well as effective module layout. The OpenDSS software has been used to simulate the analysis of loss impact on electrical networks with 400 MWp and 410 MWp. From simulation analysis, it is concluded that the addition of 10MW in the existing electrical system is feasible, losses have been reduced due to increased generation and system efficiency. The generated power has been transmitted to the 132 kV GS under both normal and contingency conditions without any transmission constraints.