Analysis of Photovoltaic Power Generation Technology

What is photovoltaic power generation?

Photovoltaic power generation primarily uses the photovoltaic effect to produce electricity by absorbing sunlight. Photovoltaic panels capture solar energy and convert it into direct current, which is then turned into usable alternating current through an inverter for use in households or facilities.

Currently, residential rooftop photovoltaic power generation is quite widespread in China. Installing a photovoltaic power station on the roof can supply electricity for self-consumption, and any excess power can be fed into the national grid to generate corresponding income. In addition, there are photovoltaic power stations applied to industrial and commercial rooftops as well as large ground-mounted power stations. These are all real-world applications of photovoltaic power generation.

What types of photovoltaic power generation are there?

Solar photovoltaic systems are mainly divided into three categories: off-grid systems, grid-connected systems, and distributed systems.

1. Off-grid photovoltaic power generation system

• Core components: solar cell modules, controllers, and batteries.

• If AC loads require power supply, an inverter must also be included.

• Features: Operates independently, not connected to the public power grid.

2. Grid-connected photovoltaic power generation system

• Working principle: The direct current generated by the solar cell module is converted via a grid-connected inverter into alternating current that meets grid requirements, and is then directly connected to the public power grid.

• The main characteristic of large-scale centralized grid-connected power stations (typically national power stations) is that the electricity generated is directly transmitted to the grid, which then uniformly dispatches and distributes it to end users.

3. Distributed photovoltaic power generation system

• Definition: A smaller-scale photovoltaic power generation system installed at or near a user's site.

• Objective: To meet the power needs of specific users, support the efficient operation of the existing distribution network, or achieve both of the above goals simultaneously.

• Features: Decentralized layout and local consumption.