Reconfiguration and Modernization Of Island Grid: A Study of The Bunaken Solar Power Plant System

Abstract

To increase the renewable energy mix and reduce the cost of electricity in the archipelago, reconfiguration and modernization of the island solar power plant system are presented as an innovative solution. This study aims to re-optimize the performance of the Bunaken solar power plant with a capacity of 335 kWp, which has been derating since 2013. The reconfiguration was carried out by mapping 1,344 PV modules, identifying 162 modules with voltages below 30 VDC, and rearranging them into 42 strings to optimize the array voltage. Furthermore, the system topology was changed from DC coupling to AC coupling to increase retrofit flexibility and support future system expansion. Then, the system was also modernized with real-time monitoring based on ESP32, MQTT, and Grafana for ease of maintenance and operational efficiency. The implementation of the study was also followed by testing the hybrid operation pattern of the solar power plant and diesel power plant. From the results of the application, the solar power plant operates stably and has produced green kWh from solar PV. The results demonstrated operation mode and optimalization of the existing assets of solar PV. This study demonstrated improved system reliability, ease of maintenance, efficiency, and potential for implementation on other islands.