MODELLING GRID-CONNECTED PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS: CASE STUDY OF SOME CITIES IN BRAZIL USING A COMPUTATIONAL TOOL

摘要

The photovoltaic technology is along the years taking an increasing share on the electric energy production. The grid-connected application became the most used due to easy installation, maintenance, minimum environmental impacts in the energy generation process and also the possibility of its use as distributed and complementary generation. In some countries, where there are incentives for production and consumption of energy generated by this technology, it plays an important role as a feasible and economically viable alternative. Brazil has a great solar resource availability and the grid-connected PV application could be used as a complement of the established hydroelectric plants installed all over the country. However, the difficulty of access and the high prices still remain as obstacles to the beginning of the PV boom in Brazil.