The key learning outcomes of this chapter are:
- Recognize grid-connected photovoltaic systems
- Identify sample applications
- Know some historical developments in Malaysia
1.1 Introduction
Photovoltaic (PV) systems have been widely used worldwide as a mode for electricity generation for quite some time already now. A common type used in the urban setting is the grid-connected (GC) PV system. GCPV systems can be implemented as a centralized generators, or as distributed generators. Its versatility combined with advanced technology, relative ease of installation, and various other factors has proliferated the growth of GCPV systems in many regions around the globe.
A typical GCPV system consists of PV modules that are interconnected to form an array; together with the balance of system (BOS) components, such as a grid-interactive inverter, cables, fuses, switches, etc., make the entire system function.
As the PV modules convert light energy directly into direct current (DC) electricity, some form of inversion is needed to send the DC power into the utility grid, which is in alternating current (AC) form. In a way, the grid acts as a very large temporary storage for the electricity generated by the GCPV systems.
In distributed systems, if the loads are not able to be met by the GCPV system, grid supply is readily available to meet the demand. On the other hand, in centralized systems, GCPV systems are used to directly inject solar electricity into the grid. In short, the usage of GCPV systems has helped to improve the electricity mix in many countries around the world for various reasons.
1.2 Real applications in Malaysia
The first few initiatives on the GCPV system in Malaysia started humbly in various stages, via simulation and demonstration works in the mid-1990s (Shaari, 1998). It gained a strong foothold via a Government of Malaysia (GoM) and the United Nations Development Programme-Global Environmental Facility (GoM-UNDP-GEF) jointly-funded project, called the Malaysian Building Integrated Photovoltaic (MBIPV) Project in 2006-2010. There were four thrust areas covered: institutional matters; financing mechanism; infrastructure; and awareness/education. By the end of the project period, more than 1.5 MW PV array capacity had been installed, besides developing institutional and non-technical infrastructures, including, an industry environment. Beyond 2010, the usage of GCPV systems in Malaysia grew steadily, culminating with a Renewable Energy Act and a Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia Act, both in 2011. The Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) scheme offered in 2011 proliferated the number of systems installed in Malaysia with more diverse applications. These applications included: residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, and communities. The FiT scheme ended around 2017 and was replaced with Net Energy Metering (NEM) and Self-Consumption (SeICo) schemes, along with utility-sized Large Scale Solar (LSS). The PV industry in Malaysia is strongly supported by the business community via a platform named the Malaysian Photovoltaic Industry Association (MPIA). Examples of GCPV systems designed, installed, and commissioned by members of the MPIA are shown in Figures 1.1 to 1.9.
1.3 Situation in South-East-Asia
The development of PV applications in the South-East-Asia (SEA) region has seen one of the fastest growths in the recent decade. It has a population of about 650 million, with a per capita energy consumption below the world average, but the energy demand at a much higher rate than the world average. This means that the growth is on the rise for some time, which naturally includes renewable energy (RE). With the vast expanse of the region comprising a considerable landmass and archipelagic communities, coupled with relatively high solar resources, the use of PV technology is most natural and appropriate. At the moment, the installed capacities in some countries have reached in gigawatts (GW) scale.
The following Tables show a summary of the status of RE and PV capacity in the SEA region.
| Country (Year) | Coal | Gas | Oil | Hydropower | Small-scale hydropower | Biomass | Geothermal | Renewable energy | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunei (2017) | – | 99.0 | 0.5 | – | – | – | – | 0.5 | – |
| Cambodia (2020)* | 30.2 | – | 2.5 | 62.3 | – | – | – | 3.5 | 1.5 |
| Indonesia (2018) | 57.0 | 29.0 | 1.6 | – | – | – | – | 12.4 | – |
| Laos (2020)* | 19.0 | – | – | 79.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | – | – | – |
| Malaysia (2017) | 44.0 | 38.0 | 1.0 | 16.0 | – | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | – |
| Myanmar (2016) | 3.0 | 35.6 | 1.0 | 60.3 | – | – | – | 0.1 | – |
| Philippines (2017) | 50.0 | 22.0 | 4.0 | 10.0 | – | 1.0 | 11.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Singapore (2017) | 1.3 | 94.9 | 0.7 | – | – | 0.5 | – | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| Thailand (2018) | 18.0 | 57.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | – | – | – | 19.0 | – |
| Vietnam (2018)* | 38.0 | 15.0 | – | 35.0 | 6.0 | – | – | 6.0 | – |
| Country | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | % total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunei | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.1 |
| Cambodia | 12 | 18 | 29 | 28 | 98 | 4.3 |
| Indonesia | 51 | 58 | 60 | 62 | 197 | 0.3 |
| Malaysia | 229 | 278 | 370 | 536 | 882 | 2.5 |
| Myanmar | 21 | 32 | 44 | 48 | 88 | 1.4 |
| Philippines | 165 | 776 | 897 | 897 | 922 | 3.6 |
| Singapore | 46 | 97 | 118 | 160 | 255 | 1.8 |
| Thailand | 1,425 | 2,451 | 2,702 | 2,967 | 2,987 | 10.3 |
| Vietnam | 6 | 6 | 9 | 106 | 5,695 | 4.3 |
| Total | 1,956 | 3,717 | 4,230 | 4,805 | 11,125 | – |
| % total | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 4.3 |
For more information on renewable energy and PV development in the SEA region, please visit the ASEAN Centre for Energy. A scenario of other development on PV at the international scene is given by IRENA and IEA.
