Early experiences of the 15 kW NMPC demand-side management photovoltaic project

The Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation has begun operation of a photovoltaic (PV) system in upstate New York to study the summer peak load reduction capability of grid-connected PV systems serving commercial buildings. The roof-retrofitted system consists of a 151 m² polycrystalline silicon module area rated at 15.4 kW d.c., three one-axis trackers, and a high efficiency power conditioning unit. Preliminary results from the first two months of operation indicate PV system output is at a high fraction of capacity when the building experiences its electrical demand peaks. Ongoing studies are evaluating a cross-section of commercial customer load profiles in terms of the probability of peak demand reduction.