A Selection Criterion for Grid-connected Photovoltaic Systems

Minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency are the priorities to expand the potential of photovoltaic systems. In this paper a small scale grid-connected photovoltaic system design and a selection criterion to define the most adequate photovoltaic modules and inverters are presented. Unlike the commercial software found on the market, the methodology aims to customize the selection of the photovoltaic modules and inverters based on their performance and cost. The results obtained with the proposed method are compared with results obtained from commercial software in order to validate the methodology.