SIMULATION STUDY OF A STAND-ALONE PHOTOVOLTAIC ELECTRICITY GENERATION SYSTEM

The energy demand of the nation is growing rapidly as Malaysia thrusts forward towards
becoming a developed nation. Generation of electricity is still heavily dependent on
combustion of fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal. The emissions from the combustion
of fossil fuels have led to serious environmental and climatic problems such as global
warming and air pollution. The depleting nature of fossil fuels adds further constraint to the
utilization of these fuels in meeting the nation’s future energy needs. The problems
associated with fossil fuels initiated the interest to explore alternative energy sources that
are more environmentally friendly and sustainable for electricity generation. Since Malaysia
is located near the equator with monthly average daily solar irradiation of approximately
4500 Wh/m2
and average sunshine duration of up to 8 hours, the utilization of solar energy
for electricity generation has great prospects. The photovoltaic-based electricity generation
system (PVEGS) converts sunlight into electricity using photovoltaic (PV) modules.
However, sunlight is not available continuously throughout the day.