Integration of Solar Energy into an Existing Power Grid

Abstract

As the global community strives to transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, the integration of solar energy into existing power grids has emerged as a crucial step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing energy resilience. This study focuses on the integration of solar energy into an already established electrical grid, addressing the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of this transition. This study work entails a comprehensive literature review on the subject matter, and existing works were studied and analyzed. Data were collected from an existing work (75MW Katsina Solar Farm), which were used as a case study in modeling and simulating to analyze the feasibility of the study. This simulation was carried out using MATLAB SIMULINK. From the results gotten, the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of the solar grid integration were discussed and analyzed. This study has shown that with careful planning and appropriate technology selection, integration of solar energy into an already existing grid is not only feasible but also highly beneficial. It has also shown that the integration of solar energy into a grid has a substantial positive impact on the environment. By reducing reliance on fossil fuels, it lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and contributes to cleaner air and healthier planet. Also, while the initial cost of implementing solar integration is substantial, it has also been shown that it can yield long term cost savings. Solar energy can provide a hedge against volatile energy prices and generate revenue through excess energy production, feed-in tariffs, and other incentives.