Improving Solar Resource Assessment Through in-field Data Analysis for solar PV Projects in Thailand
(Room Jupiter 7)
02 Sep 15
4:00 PM
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5:30 PM
The solar power sector in Thailand currently represents over 1 GWAC of installed capacity, and under current National Targets is set to reach at least 3 GWAC in the coming years. The primary source of irradiance data used to assess the feasibility of previous solar PV projects in Thailand has been a network of ground-measurement stations maintained by the Solar Energy Research Laboratory (SERL) of Silapakorn University on behalf of the Department of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (DEDE), under Thailand’s Ministry of Energy. Mott MacDonald is monitoring the performance of approximately 600 MW of operating solar PV plants in Thailand, on behalf of project Lenders. The irradiance data from this sample of approximately 100 plants throughout the country offers a potentially powerful complement to the network of 38 irradiance monitoring stations operated by SERL, for confirmation of irradiance expectations, including whether variations in conditions over time, distance and PV module installation angle accurately match simulation results. Future solar PV projects in Thailand will benefit from a much lower tariff incentive than in the past, with potentially half as much revenue over their lifetimes as under the original “adder” tariff scheme; accuracy of energy yield forecasts will therefore become much more critical to assessing project feasibility. This paper will assess available plant data on a fully anonymised basis to understand the comparison between current operational conditions and simulated conditions, and whether improvements to energy yield forecasting are necessary to better represent actual in-field PV plant conditions in Thailand, and therefore accurately establish future project feasibility.