| Author(s) and Co-Author(s) with Affiliation: ZAHOOR AHMED(ApSD, BARC), Nilesh Chouhan(ApSD, BARC), Dr. K. K. Yadav(ApSD, BARC), T Rinchen(ApSD, BARC), S Norlha(ApSD, BARC) |
| Abstract: This study presents an advanced energy management framework for a standalone photovoltaic–battery hybrid power system designed to power critical astronomical observatory operations. The system is driven by a 500 kWp solar PV array and engineered to deliver uninterrupted power to telescope instrumentation, observatory auxiliaries, and staff facilities under variable environmental conditions. To ensure operational reliability in high-altitude off-grid deployments, the architecture is optimized to sustain up to three days of autonomous functionality during periods of low solar irradiance, thereby maintaining continuous availability for mission-critical scientific measurements.
A unified adaptive controller forms the core of the proposed architecture, performing real-time power scheduling, load forecasting, and system optimization. Forecasting is executed using predictive models that integrate historical load profiles with meteorological and irradiance variables, enabling highly accurate estimation of nighttime consumption and cloudy-day deficits. Power flow distribution is governed through a Model Predictive Control (MPC) optimization framework, which anticipates forthcoming load-generation patterns and allocates energy between PV generation, storage, and connected loads to minimize battery cycling stress and maximize solar utilization efficiency.
Battery State of Charge (SOC) is estimated using an enhanced Coulomb-counting algorithm reinforced with drift-compensation, enabling high-precision monitoring over extended periods. This method eliminates reliance on voltage-based switching thresholds, reducing DC-bus fluctuations and improving charge-discharge stability. Runtime reliability is further increased through adaptive peak-load control, where non-critical loads are dynamically duty-cycled, deferred, or temporarily shed to preserve power availability for telescope systems under peak demand.
Additional optimization elements—MPPT-enabled solar extraction, PLC based logic control, dynamic inverter efficiency tuning, standby power suppression, and predictive battery scheduling—collectively improve energy security, extend battery life, and enhance system autonomy. Simulation outcomes verify that the proposed energy management strategy significantly reduces operational losses and provides a stable high-availability power supply suitable for remote astronomical research environments.
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