Use of Maximum Power Point Tracking Signal for Instantaneous Management of Thermostatically Controlled Loads in a DC Nanogrid

In the pursuit of incentivising photovoltaic (PV) installations at a household level, this paper presents a nanogrid control system that utilizes thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) to increase the correlation between power consumption and PV production. The maximum power point tracking signal is used to implement instantaneous control based on PV power availability, as the TCLs are used to store thermal energy and shift consumption. A model of the nanogrid has been created and simulated under a variety of load and solar irradiance conditions. The results show the system can reduce power purchased from the grid by 44%.