Analysis of batteries for use in photovoltaic systems. Final report

Technical Report · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6580027· OSTI ID:6580027

Podder, A; Kapner, M

An evaluation of 11 types of secondary batteries for energy storage in photovoltaic electric power systems is given. The evaluation was based on six specific application scenarios which were selected to represent the diverse requirements of various photovoltaic systems. Electrical load characteristics and solar insulation data were first obtained for each application scenario. A computer-based simulation program, SOLSIM, was then developed to determine optimal sizes for battery, solar array, and power conditioning systems. Projected service lives and battery costs were used to estimate life-cycle costs for each candidate battery type. The evaluation considered battery life-cycle cost, safety and health effects associated with battery operation, and reliability/maintainability. The 11 battery types were: lead-acid, nickel-zinc, nickel-iron, nickel-hydrogen, lithium-iron sulfide, calcium-iron sulfide, sodium-sulfur, zinc-chlorine, zinc-bromine, Redox, and zinc-ferricyanide. The six application scenarios were: (1) a single-family house in Denver, Colorado (photovoltaic system connected to the utility line); (2) a remote village in equatorial Africa (stand-alone power system); (3) a dairy farm in Howard County, Maryland (onsite generator for backup power); (4) a 50,000 square foot office building in Washington, DC (onsite generator backup); (5) a community in central Arizona with a population of 10,000 (battery to be used for dedicated energy storage for a utility grid-connected photovoltaic power plant); and (6) a military field telephone office with a constant 300 W load (trailer-mounted auxiliary generator backup). Recommendations for a research and development program on battery energy storage for photovoltaic applications are given, and a discussion of electrical interfacing problems for utility line-connected photovoltaic power systems is included. (WHK)

• Research Organization: Hittman Associates, Inc., Columbia, MD (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC01-79ET25202
• OSTI ID: 6580027
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/25202-1(Vol.1)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140600* -- Solar Energy-- Photovoltaic Power Systems
25 ENERGY STORAGE
250904 -- Energy Storage-- Batteries-- Other Applications
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300504 -- Fuel Cells-- Applications
BUILDINGS
COMMUNITIES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
COST
DATA
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT INTERFACES
EVALUATION
FARMS
FUEL CELLS
GRAPHS
HOUSES
INFORMATION
INTERCONNECTED POWER SYSTEMS
IRON-NICKEL BATTERIES
LEAD-ACID BATTERIES
LIFE-CYCLE COST
MAINTENANCE
METAL-GAS BATTERIES
METAL-METAL OXIDE BATTERIES
METAL-NONMETAL BATTERIES
MILITARY FACILITIES
NICKEL-HYDROGEN BATTERIES
NICKEL-ZINC BATTERIES
NUMERICAL DATA
OFFICE BUILDINGS
ON-SITE POWER GENERATION
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
POWER DEMAND
POWER GENERATION
POWER SUPPLIES
POWER SYSTEMS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
REDOX FUEL CELLS
REGENERATIVE FUEL CELLS
RELIABILITY
REMOTE AREAS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SAFETY
SIZE
SODIUM-SULFUR BATTERIES
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TABLES
THEORETICAL DATA
ZINC-BROMINE BATTERIES
ZINC-CHLORINE BATTERIES