Power quality enhancement on photovoltaic energy conversion system (PVECS) integration in the distribution grids operating via Mexican meteorological conditions and SIL methodology: A case study

This paper focuses primarily on the power injection of a 15 kW photovoltaic energy conversion system (PVECS) into distribution grids, considering the specific operational conditions of the Mexican climate. The irradiance and temperature variables are based on data from Temixco, Morelos, Mexico, a region recognized for having one of the highest irradiance levels in the country. The site is at a latitude of 18°50’ 59.99” N and a longitude of -99°13’ 60” W. The objective is to improve power quality, reduce total harmonic distortion (THD), and optimize system efficiency in compliance with the 2.0 Mexican grid code standards. This study also considers distributed generation plants with power capacities below 0.5 MVA and operating voltages between 1kV and 13.8 kV, aiming to enhance the reliability and efficiency of the power system. PVECS is analyzed under realistic conditions using real irradiance values through a complete mathematical model. MATLAB-Simulink® and ’Software-in-the-Loop’ (SIL) methodology corroborate it; And, it is validated by a low-scale prototype and ’hardware-in-the-loop’ (HIL) methodology in conjunction with the real-time simulator Opal-RT Technologies®, experimental results show an MPPT efficient and robust tracking, a constant DC-link voltage, and an active power generation, achieving an efficiency of 95%.