Energy problematic of the power factor in solar installations: case studies, highlighting and proposed solutions

The aim of this article is to highlight the consumption of reactive energy and the consequences of not taking it into account in solar installations. Unlike active power, it is responsible for the magnetization or induction of electrical circuits (enabling the transfer of active power) and remains constant (depending on the type of equipment).The consumption of reactive energy is closely linked to the power factor which for certain installations takes on significant values. If for some equipment such as lighting, this energy is negligible or even zero, this is not the case for others used for comfort (fans, refrigerators, etc.) where its proportion is significant. For the occasion, we based our experimental study by considering the measurements of electrical quantities (power, currents and derived parameters) of a photovoltaic solar installation of an individual in Ouagadougou. These parameters were measured through computer supervision tools of said installation. From this study it emerged that reactive power can occupy up to 50% of the total apparent power. In a photovoltaic solar installation, this energy is provided by solar panels or batteries and its failure to be taken into account during dimensioning leads to premature aging of the batteries which also represent a gigantic proportion in the budgetary cost. There are also system malfunctions during significant power calls. In order to avoid these inconveniences, our study recommends taking reactive energy into account in solar sizing or providing reactive energy compensation.