Systems and methods for regulating power in renewable energy sources

1. A method for controlling power produced by a renewable energy source, the method comprising:

regulating active power produced by the renewable energy source towards an apparent power setpoint;

determining that a state of switch corresponds to a power factor foldback or a voltage foldback; and

based on the determination, selectively regulating voltage based on the power factor foldback, the power factor being regulated based at least in part on a power factor angle magnitude setpoint, or based on the voltage foldback, the voltage being regulated based at least in part on measured volts-amps reactives (VARs) and an apparent power ratio, the apparent power ratio being about equal to an apparent power divided by the apparent power setpoint, wherein the power factor foldback and the voltage foldback are associated with the renewable energy source.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when the power factor foldback is selected, regulating the power factor associated with the renewable energy source based at least in part on a power factor angle magnitude setpoint, and reducing the power factor angle magnitude setpoint towards zero when apparent power produced by the renewable energy source approaches or exceeds the apparent power setpoint; and

when the voltage foldback is selected, regulating voltage of the renewable energy source based at least in part on measured VARs and an apparent power ratio, wherein the apparent power ratio is about equal to the apparent power divided by the apparent power setpoint.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein reducing the power factor angle magnitude setpoint towards zero further comprises folding back a power factor setpoint angle utilizing a foldback function based at least in part on measured apparent power, the apparent power setpoint, and a power factor foldback threshold.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the foldback function is based at least in part on a ratio of measured apparent power to the apparent power setpoint, and wherein the foldback function reduces the power factor angle magnitude setpoint when the measured apparent power of the renewable energy source is greater than the apparent power setpoint.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the power factor angle magnitude setpoint reduction is a monotonic decrease to zero and is clamped at zero when the measured apparent power reaches or exceeds the apparent power setpoint.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein regulating the voltage of the renewable energy source is based at least in part on a voltage foldback function, wherein the voltage foldback function regulates VARs of the renewable energy source by reducing the magnitude of VARs when the apparent power ratio approaches or exceeds a voltage foldback threshold.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the voltage foldback threshold is between about 0.90 and about 0.99.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein VARs are regulated by regulating a voltage command signal and an active power command to the renewable energy source.

9. A regulated renewable energy system comprising:

one or more renewable energy sources having a combined output coupled to a utility grid;

one or more measuring instruments configured to provide measurements of at least apparent power and power factor; and

one or more computer processors operable to:

regulate active power produced by the renewable energy source towards an apparent power setpoint;

determine that a state of switch corresponds to power factor foldback or voltage foldback; and

based on the determination selectively regulate voltage based on the power factor foldback, the power factor being regulated based at least in part on a power factor angle magnitude setpoint, or based on the voltage foldback, the voltage being regulated based at least in part on measured volts-amps reactives (VARs) and an apparent power ratio, the apparent power ratio being about equal to an apparent power divided by the apparent power setpoint, wherein the power factor foldback and the voltage foldback are associated with the renewable energy source.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further operable to:

when power factor foldback is selected, regulate the power factor of the renewable energy source based at least in part on a power factor angle magnitude setpoint; and reduce the power factor angle magnitude setpoint towards zero when apparent power produced by the renewable energy source approaches or exceeds the apparent power setpoint; and

when voltage foldback is selected, regulate voltage of the renewable energy source based at least in part on measured VARs and an apparent power ratio, wherein the apparent power ratio is about equal to the measured apparent power divided by the apparent power setpoint.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further operable to reduce the power factor angle magnitude setpoint towards zero by folding back a power factor setpoint angle utilizing a foldback function based at least in part on measured apparent power, the apparent power setpoint, and a power factor foldback threshold.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the voltage foldback function is operable to regulate VARs of the renewable energy source by reducing the magnitude of VARs when the apparent power ratio approaches or exceeds a voltage foldback threshold.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the voltage foldback threshold is between about 0.90 and about 0.99.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the foldback function is based at least in part on a ratio of measured apparent power to the apparent power setpoint, and wherein the foldback function reduces the power factor angle magnitude setpoint when the measured apparent power of the renewable energy source is greater than the apparent power setpoint.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further operable to reduce the power factor angle magnitude setpoint by monotonically decreasing the setpoint to zero and to clamp the setpoint at zero when the measured apparent power reaches or exceeds the apparent power setpoint.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further operable to regulate VARs by regulating a voltage command signal and an active power command to the renewable energy source.

17. An apparatus for controlling power produced by a solar energy source, the apparatus comprising:

one or more measuring instruments configured to provide measurements of at least apparent power and power factor; and,

one or more computer processors operable to:

regulate active power produced by the solar energy source towards an apparent power setpoint;

determine that a state of switch corresponds to power factor foldback or voltage foldback; and

based on the determination selectively regulating voltage based on the power factor foldback, the power factor being regulated based at least in part on a power factor angle magnitude setpoint, or based on the voltage foldback, the voltage being regulated based at least in part on measured volts-amps reactives (VARs) and an apparent power ratio, the apparent power ratio being about equal to an apparent power divided by the apparent power setpoint, wherein the power factor foldback and the voltage foldback are associated with the renewable energy source.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further operable to:

when power factor foldback is selected, regulate the power factor of the renewable energy source based at least in part on a power factor angle magnitude setpoint; and reduce the power factor angle magnitude setpoint towards zero when apparent power produced by the renewable energy source approaches or exceeds the apparent power setpoint; and

when voltage foldback is selected, regulate voltage of the renewable energy source based at least in part on measured VARs and an apparent power ratio, wherein the apparent power ratio is about equal to the measured apparent power divided by the apparent power setpoint.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further operable to reduce the power factor angle magnitude setpoint towards zero by folding back a power factor setpoint angle utilizing a foldback function based at least in part on measured apparent power, the apparent power setpoint, and a power factor foldback threshold.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the foldback function is based at least in part on a ratio of measured apparent power to the apparent power setpoint, and wherein the foldback function reduces the power factor angle magnitude setpoint when the measured apparent power of the renewable energy source is greater than the apparent power setpoint.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further operable to reduce the power factor angle magnitude setpoint by monotonically decreasing the setpoint to zero and to clamp the setpoint at zero when the measured apparent power reaches or exceeds the apparent power setpoint.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the voltage foldback function is operable to regulate VARSs of the solar energy source by reducing the magnitude of VARs when the apparent power ratio approaches or exceeds a voltage foldback threshold.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further operable to regulate VARs by regulating a voltage command signal and an active power command to the solar energy source.