A photovoltaic (PV) power station is a power generation system that utilizes solar energy, employs special materials such as crystalline silicon panels, inverters, and other electronic components, and is connected to the power grid to transmit electricity to it. PV power stations are among the green energy development projects most strongly encouraged by the state. Centralized PV power stations are also a type of PV power station; let's explore their advantages and disadvantages below.
What is a centralized photovoltaic power station?
Centralized large-scale grid-connected photovoltaic power stations are large-scale photovoltaic power stations built by the state in desert areas. The generated electricity is directly connected to the public power grid and then connected to the high-voltage transmission system to supply loads at long distances.
Advantages and disadvantages of centralized photovoltaic power plants
I. Advantages of centralized photovoltaic power stations:
1. Due to more flexible site selection, the stability of photovoltaic power output has increased, and the positive peak-shaving characteristics of solar radiation and electricity load are fully utilized to play a role in peak shaving.
2. The operation mode is more flexible. Compared with distributed photovoltaic, it is easier to control reactive power and voltage, and it is also easier to participate in grid frequency regulation.
3. It has a short construction period, strong environmental adaptability, does not require the supply of raw materials such as water and coal transportation, has low operating costs, is easy to centrally manage, is less restricted by space, and can be easily expanded.
II. Disadvantages of centralized photovoltaic power plants:
1. It relies on long-distance transmission lines to deliver power to the grid, and at the same time, it is also a major source of interference to the power grid. Problems such as transmission line losses, voltage drops, and reactive power compensation will become prominent.
2. Large-capacity photovoltaic power plants are achieved by combining multiple conversion devices. The coordinated operation of these devices requires unified management, and the technology in this area is not yet mature.
3. To ensure grid security, large-capacity centralized photovoltaic grid connection requires new functions such as LVRT, which often conflicts with islanded grid connection.
Centralized large-scale grid-connected photovoltaic power stations are generally national-level power stations. Their main feature is that the generated energy is directly transmitted to the power grid, which then distributes it to users in a unified manner.
