Research Objective
To reduce PV curtailment and battery throughput by scheduling flexible productive-use loads in an isolated PV-battery microgrid while maintaining SOC limits and load-service priority.
System Architecture
The model includes PV array, MPPT converter, battery storage, bidirectional converter, DC or AC load bus, critical loads, productive-use flexible loads, EMS logic, SOC constraints and irradiance/load profile inputs.
Simulation Methodology
The energy-management algorithm schedules flexible loads during surplus PV periods and limits battery cycling during low-generation intervals. Simulation results compare baseline operation, scheduled load shifting and battery-protection constraints.
Validation Scenarios
- Daily irradiance and isolated-load profile simulation
- Baseline operation without flexible load scheduling
- PV surplus period load-shifting case
- Battery minimum-SOC and maximum-current constraint case
- PV curtailment and battery-throughput comparison
Expected Graphs and Result Discussion
A complete result section should include the main waveforms, controller response, operating status and comparison tables needed for engineering thesis documentation. For this project, the important graph set includes:
- PV power and curtailed power
- Battery SOC and current
- Flexible load scheduling status
- Critical and noncritical load power
- Energy balance and throughput reduction
Thesis and Research Extension Ideas
The model can be extended using MPC, mixed-integer optimization, ANN forecasting, Kenyan productive-use load profiles and techno-economic battery life analysis.