Optimal battery energy storage sizing for grid connected PV system using IHSA

In this paper, the size of the battery energy storage system (BESS) of a grid-connected PV system is determined so that the system will be sufficient to supply the load as well as the total annual operating cost (AOC) remains as minimum as possible. Here the feed-in-tariff plan is adopted, where power can be bought from the grid as well as can be sold back to the grid if surplus power is available at the consumer end. So the consumer is equipped with a net metering system to calculate the net electricity cost. Depending upon the peak/off-peak hours and availability of sunshine, the system will charge or discharge the storage to supply the demand. Improved Harmony Search Algorithm (IHSA) optimization technique is used to determine the size of the BESS with an objective of minimizing the total AOC within the frame work of system operation constraints. The outcomes verify that the IHSA is efficient, robust, fast and capable of solving optimization problems.