A high reliability photovoltaic (PV) generation system in cooperation with a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) using electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs)

Abstract

There is a problem peculiar to photovoltaic (PV) generation systems that output power changes with weather conditions. The paper describes a PV generation system with high reliability which can always stably supply clean electric power to loads. The stabilization of the PV generation system is realized here by compensating the generated electric power, which changes with weather, in cooperation with a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) using electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Normally, the PV generation system supplies the acquired electric power as the first priority to loads. Only when the voltage of the EDLCs increases to a predetermined value, is the acquired electric power regenerated for the utility. Consumption of the PEFC fuel and regeneration for the utility are suppressed as much as possible. The effectiveness of the proposed PV generation system as a power supply was verified through transient analyses using a simulator electrically equivalent to PV arrays actually used.