Identifying the Optimal Storage to Solar Panel Ratio for a Grid-Tied PV System

The power grid is facing an unprecedented increase in penetration from solar energy resources. Solar panels are often installed together with battery storage systems to reduce the variability and uncertainty of the intermittent solar energy. In this paper, a methodology for finding the optimal ratio of storage for a given number of solar panels is presented. The methodology is based on an iterative approach that uses real weather data and load data to simulate the different system configurations. The configurations were found as a function of the desired level of system autonomy from the grid which would run for a user-defined amount of time without falling out of specifications due to component aging. Identifying the optimal ratio of storage per panel for a given autonomy requirement has a large impact on both the cost and the performance of the system.