Programa de Doutoramento em Engenharia Mecatrónica e Energia
Photovoltaic generation with energy storage integrated into the electric grid: Modelling, simulation and experimentation
Luis André Pereira Fialho

Orientação:  Manuel Collares Pereira

This thesis presents the work and results of the research developed on photovoltaic conversion with energy storage integrated into the electric grid. It begins by presenting the modeling, simulation and validation of the photovoltaic conversion and inverters with injection into the electric grid. It also describes the process of design, construction, commissioning and experimental development of the existing infrastructures in the Renewable Energies Chair of the University of Évora, with respect to the two microgrids developed under the European project PVCROPS. These microgrids are generally composed by a photovoltaic production element, an energy storage element, a grid connection and a control and datalogging system. Regarding energy storage, this thesis also discusses and characterizes the two installed technologies: the lithium-ion battery and the redox-flow vanadium battery. These microgrids thus serve to implement and validate an energy management strategy with the objective of maximizing self-consumption, the contents of which are presented in Chapter 4. Following the conclusions, in the last chapter are pointed the future research lines of greater potential, following the work developed and presented in this thesis. 

Keywords: Photovoltaic Systems, Energy Storage, Vanadium Redox Flow Battery, Lithium-Ion Battery, Energy Management Strategies.