IRA-International Journal of Applied Sciences
ISSN 2455-4499; Vol.16, Issue 02 (Q.2 2021)
Pg. no. 16-24.
IRA Academico Research
Simulation of the Injection of 25 MW
Photovoltaic Energy Production:
Analysis of the Impacts on the Grid of
the Société Béninoise d'Energie
Electrique (SBEE)
FANNOU Jean-Louis Comlan1, 2#, SEMASSOU Guy Clarence2, DANGNON Emmanuel2,
ADJALLA Dieudonné K3, GEGAN Gérard1
1
Laboratory of Applied Energy and Mechanics (LEMA), Polytechnic School of Abomey-Calavi, 01
BP 2009 Cotonou, Benin.
2
National Higher School of Energy and Processes Engineering (ENSGEP)/UNSTIM BP 2282
GOHO Abomey, Benin.
3
Société Béninoise d'Energie Electrique (SBEE), Department of Development of Renewable
Energies (SDER / SBEE), 92, Av. Jean Paul II 01 BP 123.
#
corresponding author
Type of Work: Peer Reviewed.
DOI: 10.21013/jas.v16.n2.p1
DOI URL: [Link]
How to cite this paper:
FANNOU, J.C. et al. (2021). Simulation of the Injection of 25 MW Photovoltaic Energy Production:
Analysis of the Impacts on the Grid of the Société Béninoise d'Energie Electrique (SBEE).
IRA-International Journal of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2455-4499), 16(2), 16-24. DOI:
[Link]
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IRA-International Journal of Applied Sciences
ABSTRACT
In order to make up its energy deficit and reduce its energy imports from neighbouring countries, Benin is
opting for the construction of photovoltaic solar micro-power plants in the sunniest regions and to consider
injecting it into the existing electricity grid if this locally produced energy is not entirely consumed. With
this in mind, a decentralised electricity production project has been initiated. In particular, the project,
which is the subject of this presentation, aims to simulate and analyse the impacts of injecting 25 MW of
photovoltaic energy production into the existing national electricity grid of the Société Béninoise d'Energie
Electrique (SBEE). For this purpose, the dimensioning of the 25MW power plant has been carried out and
injected at a specific point of the 20kVA line of the existing electricity network in the NEPLAN software
environment, while respecting the requirements for injecting photovoltaic energy into an existing electricity
network. Only extreme operating configurations have been studied: the synchronous hollow and
synchronous point configuration. Simulation results showed overloads on certain transformer stations in the
network, which indicates that adjustments must be made before the actual injection of the electricity
produced. Besides, the power grid did not experience any disturbance in the voltage plan and power flows.
Finally, the simulations carried out led to the conclusion that the integration of solar PV plants will make it
possible to limit the import of energy from Ghana and Nigeria.
Keywords: photovoltaic solar energy, power grid, energy reduction, dimensioning, decentralised
application, renewable energies
Nomenclature
LV: Low Voltage MVA: Mega Volt Ampere
ECB: Electric Community of Benin MVAR: Mega Volt Ampere Reactive
HVA: High Voltage category A MW : Mega Watt
HVB: High Voltage category B PV : Photovoltaic
Hz: Hertz SBEE: Société Béninoise d'Energie Electrique (Benin
KV: Kilovolt Electric Energy Company)
KW : Kilowatt Wp : Watt-peak
MV: Medium Voltage
Introduction
1. Introduction
The permanent concern of developing countries in general, and Benin in particular, is to meet the basic needs of
their population, including energy, which is constantly increasing, on the one hand, because of population growth
and on the other hand because of the willingness of governments to transform their economies. In Benin, household
energy consumption increased by 14.4% per year between 1996 and 2005, with an average population growth of
3.25% per year [1]. This energy demand is, unfortunately, growing faster than supply, which is dominated by
imports. Given its dependence on external supplies of petroleum products and its very low national electrification
rate, which rose from 25.5% in 2010 to 33.2% in 2015 [2], Benin is obliged to opt for the rental of generators for the
production of thermal energy to meet the energy needs of the population despite imports from Nigeria and Ghana.
Moreover, the use of conventional resources (oil, natural gas, coal) has a negative impact on the environment
through the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to the warming observed on the earth's surface and the
drying up of streams. For all these reasons, the world is moving towards renewable sources to replace conventional
energy. These renewable energy sources include solar, wind, biomass, hydropower and geothermal energy.
Given its current energy situation and above all its significant amount of sunshine, Benin offers a privileged setting
for the development of photovoltaic technology. For a long time, it has based its energy development policy on
energy imports and on the predominant supply of fossil fuel-based energy services. This development policy is
neither viable in the long run nor even in the medium one. The interest in photovoltaics from an energy point of
view is therefore strongly felt in Benin, particularly for the grid operator (SBEE). Photovoltaic technology makes it
possible to diversify the production of electricity and to promote a favourable ecological record. A lot of work has
been done in this direction. In 2012, Rubens Compere [3] carried out a feasibility study for a 30 MW photovoltaic
power plant in Sirarou, in the Commune of N'Dali, Borgou Department, to reduce the energy deficit of the Benin
Electric Community (CEB). Similarly, Idrissou Thalès Comlan [4] studied and sized a 100 MW photovoltaic power
plant to reduce the energy deficit of the SBEE. In 2013, Gilmore Cherif Soude [5] contributed to the reduction of the
energy deficit in Benin through his work on injecting photovoltaic energy into the SBEE's Abomey-Calavi
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electricity grid. In 2014, Denis Luc Akognitche worked on the production of 60 MVA to be injected into the
electricity grid of the town of Natitingou, once again to fill Benin's energy deficit with a photovoltaic plant [6].
Despite these numerous studies that argue in favour of the development of solar systems in Benin, it has been found
that very few of them are truly oriented towards the impact of energy on the transport network following the
injection of solar energy. The injection of the electrical production of photovoltaic (PV) systems, which is
intermittent and sometimes uncertain, into a public electricity grid, affects its stability and protection [7]. It can lead
to local voltage variation, voltage unbalance, rapid power variation (intermittency), harmonic injection, DC injection
and protective blindness [8]. It is to overcome all this that we have decided to make our contribution with this work
entitled "Simulation of injection of 25 MW photovoltaic power generation: Analysis of impacts on the SBEE grid".
The choice of the village of Onigbolo (latitude: 7°11'7''North, longitude: 2°39'6''East) as the location for the future
power plant is justified by the high rate of sunshine in this locality, which is estimated at 1788 kWh/m 2/year with an
annual production of more than 1430 kWh/kWp/year [9], a real asset for the PV system to be installed. The sizing of
the plant only took into account the estimated energy deficit in Benin by 2026 and the HVA voltage level of the
village of Onigbolo, without carrying out an in-depth study of the electricity grid through which the village is
supplied. In 2017, Toussaint Tilado Guingane [10] carried out a study about the impacts of PV injection on the
Burkina Faso grid. This study revealed that the PV system generally influences the power of the source substation,
the grid voltage and the power factors of electrical installations without reactive power compensators. A study
carried out by Thi Minh Chau Le [11] revealed that the connection of PV systems to the grid can have significant
impacts on its operation, particularly in terms of voltage, protection, power quality and losses in the distribution
networks.
This work aims to size the 25MV solar PV power plant, inject it into the existing SBEE electricity grid and study the
impacts on the grid. More specifically, the aim is to assess the impact of changes on the state of the existing network
such as increasing voltage levels, increasing power levels of transformer substations and to analyse the possibilities
of installing new transmission lines and interconnecting one network with others.
2. Equipment and methods
Transformer
Oni_T1
Soleil Inverter 17 transformer
(1,5MVA ; 400V /
20kV)
Public network (20
kV)
PV Power station
Oni-20kV
Figure 1: Block diagram of the 25 MWp PV solar power plant and the injection point (20kV)
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2.1 Equipment
2.1.1 Description of the system studied
The system studied is mainly composed of the 25 MW PV solar power plant. Its main components are the
photovoltaic modules, inverters, transformers and cable networks. This solar power plant is coupled to the national
electricity grid managed by SBEE (figure 1).
2.1.2 Presentation of the simulation tool
Many software packages have been developed to solve power flow problems. These include Powerworld and
Neplan. These softwares help to carry out graphic modelling of the network elements under study, to simulate the
network and to output the desired results. The NEPLAN software was used in this work. NEPLAN (Network
Planning and Optimization Tool) [12] is a very user-friendly tool for users of planning and information systems for
electricity, gas, water and heating networks.
Figure 2: Operational windows of the User Interface [13]
It receives as input data the consumed (produced) powers and the network topology and provides as results the
vectors with the electric voltages in the nodes, the electric currents on the lines and the global joule losses. To study
the different cases, NEPLAN can create different root variants and combine them with the topology and load data
files.
Figure 3 shows the principle:
Figure 3: Variant Management System with NEPLAN [14].
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The variants are saved together with the root in the project file (.nepprj). As far as topology and load data are
concerned, separated files will be defined. By activating a variant, the topology and the assigned load files are
opened automatically.
In a nutshell, NEPLAN helps to graphically build power networks, modify them, to perform simulations, analyses
and output the results. However, as in theory, the software requires the definition of a balance node that will provide
the active and reactive power needed to balance the exchanges and provide network losses. This means that the
voltage module and its argument must be fixed in this node. This node is chosen arbitrarily but as the voltage is
fixed at this point, a generator with sufficient power must be connected to it.
2.2 Methodology
2.2.1 Sizing of the photovoltaic power plant
Basing on the existing design models [4], [15], [16,17] and taking into account the recommendations proposed by
David et al [18] and Shabaniverki [19], the PV power plant is composed of 17 sub-fields of 1.52MWp each. Each
subfield is composed of 66 module tables. The tables consist of 4 rows of 18 landscape modules, i.e. 72 modules.
In general, it is recommended for the selection of the inverter that the maximum input power should be greater than
or equal to 1.25 times the maximum power generated by the PV field in order not to exceed the limit set by the
manufacturer [5]. Thus, the realization of the 25MW PV power plant at the entrance of the transformer station
requires 748 inverters of 400 V and 30 kW nominal power connected in parallel.
Each sub-field will have a solar controller with a total of 17 solar controllers for the PV power plant.
2.2.2 Description of SBEE's electrical network
The study network is made up of forty-one (41) nodes of which two (02) are 330kV, nine (09) are 161kV, seven (07)
are 63kV, three (03) are 33kV, nine (09) are 20kV, nine (09) are 15kV and two (02) are 11kV. Table 1 shows the
voltage of the various nodes with the cities where they are linked to in the SBEE national grid.
Table 1: Node on the SBEE Power Grid and Cities of Installation
Node Cities
330 kV Sakété, Ikeja-West
161 kV Parakou, Djougou, Bohicon, Cotonou-Vedoko, Maria-Gléta, Avakpa, Onigbolo, Tanzoun,
Sakete
63 kV Bohicon, Cotonou-Vedoko, Gbégamey, Ouando, Seme, Onigbolo, Akpakpa
33 kV Natitingou, Bembereke_1, Bembereke_2
20 kV Parakou, Djougou, Bohicon, Avakpa, Sakété, Onigbolo_1, Onigbolo_2, Tanzoun_1,
Tanzoun_2
15 kV Cotonou-Vedoko_1, Cotonou-Vedoko_2, Cotonou-Vedoko_3, Gbégamey_1, Gbégamey_2,
Maria-Gléta, Ouando, Akpakpa_1, Akpakpa_2
11 kV Wartsila, Cotonou-Vedoko
2.2.3 Simulation method
The power station was connected to the 20kV SBEE busbar located in Onigbolo's CEB transformer station (20kV
voltage level). The following electrical specifications and requirements were imposed on the solar power plant in
order to meet the requirements for power injection into an existing electrical grid [20]:
Normal voltage level variation: +/- 5% of 20kV
Normal frequency variation: 49.5Hz to 50.5Hz
The connection of the control unit to the SBEE network must not, in a fault situation, cause the short-circuit
current to exceed the limit that the 20kV equipment on the SBEE network can withstand.
Constructive reactive power capacities: the power plant must be able to supply or absorb, at the connection
point, the following minimum reactive powers:
When the voltage at the connection point is within +/-5% of 20kV, the power plant must be able, without
time limitation, to supply reactive power at least equal to 0.4* Pmax, and to absorb reactive power at least
equal to 0.35* Pmax.
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When the voltage is between 90% and 95% of 20kV and between 105% and 110% of 20kV, the installation
must be able to produce a reactive power at least equal to 0.31*Pmax, and absorb a reactive power at least
equal to 0.31*Pmax.
The network can be operated in several configurations that define its different possible states. Here, only the extreme
operating configurations have been studied. These are the synchronous off-peak configuration (off-peak hours with
the lowest consumption) and the synchronous peak configuration (peak hours with the highest consumption).
In this study, a first simulation is made of the SBEE's electrical network modelled in the NEPLAN software in order
to have reference data. Subsequently, the coupling of the initial grid with the PV power plant was performed and the
simulation results are compared with those without the PV power plant.
3. Results and discussion
3.1 Network simulation in off-peak configuration
Figure 4 summarizes the main voltage results on the electrical network:
Figure 4: Voltage overload on the electrical network
It can be seen that the Bembérékè table (table 33kV) is well beyond the limits of +/-5%. Indeed, there is no
generator at Bembérékè and the 108 km 161kV line between Parakou and Bembérékè is operated at 33kV. Not
knowing when the 161kV line will be crossed, it was considered that it is still operated at 33kV in the configuration.
The calculated Undervoltage is therefore logical since transporting energy over such a long distance in MV
generates significant voltage drops. It should also be pointed out that without PV 25 MWp, we have 95.05% of the
20 kV busbars of Onigbolo (connection point) and 100% with PV 25 MWp. This has improved the voltage plan of
the 20kV switchgear.
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Figure (5a) shows the results in overload synchronous point transformers. These overload findings are related to the
evolution of consumption which will require transformer reinforcements. It can be noticed that the only overloaded
transformer associated with a PV power plant project is the one of Bohicon T1: PV power plant realized within the
framework of the MCA ( Millennium Challenge Account) project.
Figure (5b) shows the results in synchronous line-to-point overload. These overload findings are related to the
evolution of consumption which will require line reinforcements.
Figure 5: a) Overloading of transformers in the electrical network, b) The electric lines' overload
3.2 Network simulation in peak configuration
Figure (6a) shows the overloading of transformers in peak configuration simulation. By observing, it can be noticed
that the 161kV table of Djougou is slightly overvoltage when the PV power plants are producing. Indeed, 4 future
power plants are connected to this node (2 in Natitingou and 2 in Djougou), i.e. 22.5MW. This power is higher than
the power consumed in Djougou and therefore transits over long distances hence the voltage rise.
Figure (6b) shows the results for transformers’ overload. At Djougou (Table 161 kV), the transformer is very
overloaded at maximum PV output. However, when the Djougou Bembérékè line is operated at 161kV, the power
produced by the future Djougou PV power plants will be transmitted to the 161kV grid via another transformer.
Then the integration of the plants will reduce the power imported from Ghana and Nigeria.
Figure 6: a) Voltage overload b) Djougou transformer's overload
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Figure 7 shows the results of an overload of two lines of the network depending on the injection of the power plants
on the network. As it can be seen, the total injection of the whole of the PV production will reduce the overload of
the lines when the demand is at the maximum.
These overload findings are linked to the evolution of consumption which will require line reinforcements.
Figure 7:Observed overload of the two electrical lines
4. Conclusion
In this paper, we simulated the decentralized production of electrical energy via a photovoltaic power plant coupled
to the grid of the Société Béninoise d'Energie Electrique (SBEE). The complete SBEE network was taken into
account, with the Onigbolo source station as the location. The main objective of this study is to contribute to the
reduction of the energy deficit in Benin. To this end, we were particularly interested in the study and dimensioning
of a 25 MWp PV system, the choice of components and then its connection to the grid with the ongoing projects.
The simulations carried out have led to the conclusion that the integration of solar PV power plants will make it
possible to limit the import of energy from Ghana and Nigeria. Moreover, the integration of solar PV plants does not
disturb the voltage plan and power flows as long as the permissible threshold is respected. Finally, the existence of a
cement manufacturing plant in Onigbolo will allow local consumption of the power produced.
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