Energy and Power Engineering, 2023, 15, 517-526

[Link]
ISSN Online: 1947-3818
ISSN Print: 1949-243X

Evaluation of the Performance of Lithium-Ion

Accumulators for Photovoltaic Energy Storage

Toussaint Tilado Guingane1,2, Dominique Bonkoungou1,2, Eric Korsaga1, Dieudonné Simpore1,

Soumaila Ouedraogo1, Zacharie Koalaga1, François Zougmore1
1
Laboratoire des Matériaux et Environnement (LA.M.E.), Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences Exactes et Appliquée
(UFR/SEA), Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
2
Laboratoire de Sciences et Technologies (LaST), Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences et Techniques (UFR/ST),
Université Thomas SANKARA, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

How to cite this paper: Guingane, T.T., Abstract

Bonkoungou, D., Korsaga, E., Simpore, D.,
Ouedraogo, S., Koalaga, Z. and Zougmore, In a context of climate change exacerbated by the increasing scarcity of fossil
F. (2023) Evaluation of the Performance of fuels, renewable energies, in particular photovoltaic solar energy, offer a prom-
Lithium-Ion Accumulators for Photovoltaic
ising alternative. Solar energy is non-polluting, globally available and the
Energy Storage. Energy and Power Engi-
neering, 15, 517-526. most widely distributed resource on Earth. However, the intermittency of this
[Link] energy source considerably limits its expansion. To solve this problem, sto-
rage techniques are being used, in particular, electrochemical storage using
Received: November 7, 2023
lithium-ion batteries. In this article, we will evaluate the performance of lithium-
Accepted: December 26, 2023
Published: December 29, 2023
ion batteries when integrated into a photovoltaic grid. To do this, modelling
and simulation of a photovoltaic system connected to a lithium-ion battery
Copyright © 2023 by author(s) and storage system will be carried out using MATLAB/Simulink software. A di-
Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
agnostic of the energy consumption of the Kaya Polytechnic University Cen-
This work is licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution International
tre will be carried out, and the data will then be used in the simulator to ob-
License (CC BY 4.0). serve the behaviour of the PV-Lion system. The results obtained indicate that
[Link] lithium-ion batteries can effectively meet the centre’s energy demand. In ad-
Open Access dition, it was observed that lithium-ion batteries perform better under high
energy demand than the other battery technologies studied. Successive sto-
rage systems with the same capacity but different battery technologies were
compared. It was found that these storage systems can handle a maximum
power of 4 × 105 W for lead-acid batteries, 6.5 × 105 W for nickel-cadmium
batteries, 8.5 × 105 W for nickel-metal-hydride batteries, and more than 10 ×
105 W for lithium-ion technology.

Keywords
Photovoltaic Energy, Energy Storage, Lithium-Ion Accumulator, Modeling,
MATLAB/Simulink Simulation

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2023.1512029 Dec. 29, 2023 517 Energy and Power Engineering
T. T. Guingane et al.

1. Introduction
In a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world final energy
consumption in 2021 is estimated at 418 EJ (ExaJoule) compared with 194 EJ in
1973, an increase of 115% in 46 years [1]. In the global energy environment, there-
fore, we are witnessing a growing trend in energy demand, as well as increasing
scarcity and persistent instability in the main areas of production of fossil energy
sources. In addition, there are the effects of fossil fuels on climate changed and the
continued degradation of the environment [2]. As a result, global energy policies
are focusing on renewable energies such as solar photovoltaics (PV). However, the
intermittent nature of this energy source is a barrier to its widespread use [3]. In-
deed, the production of PV electrical energy depends essentially on meteorolog-
ical data, which in no way follows consumption needs.
Energy storage is the best possible way of making renewable energies such as
solar PV permanent. The techniques used for energy storage are numerous and
their performance depends on the field of application [4]. Of these storage tech-
niques, electrochemical accumulators are the most widespread, and lithium-ion
technologies are now a mature and credible alternative [5]. Li-ion batteries have
excellent energy density, no memory effect and a long service life. This technol-
ogical prowess will provide new directions and form the basis for development
and innovation in the mobile electronics sector, the housing sector and, above
all, the automotive sector, where the major firms are throwing themselves into
the clean vehicle battle [6].
The aim of this work will be to contribute to making photovoltaic solar energy
available at all times through storage in batteries. More specifically, we will ex-
amine the behaviour of lithium-ion batteries when integrated into a PV grid, and
assess their ability to withstand high power levels.
To do this, we will first use Matlab Simulink to model the photovoltaic mod-
ule, the Buck-Boost converter, the lithium-ion batteries and other elements of
the PV-L system. Finally, we will analyse the performance indices of the system.
Finally, we will analyse system performance indices (PV-Li) such as battery
voltage and power response during charging conditions using a simulation with
real data, as well as a comparative study of several battery technologies to find
the maximum power for each battery technology.

2. Description and Presentation of the Study Site

To account for the performance of lithium-ion batteries in photovoltaic applica-
tions, we defined a simplified energy requirement profile based on the consump-
tion patterns of the Kaya Polytechnic University Center (Figure 1), located in sec-
tor 6 of the commune of KAYA, in the CENTRAL NORTH of BURKINA-FASO.
The CENTER is connected to the national electrification network (SONABEL)
to meet its electricity demand, but has no other energy source for backup power.
This exposes it to frequent disconnections/disconnections from SONABEL’s
power supply, especially during periods of high demand such as the hot months

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2023.1512029 518 Energy and Power Engineering

 T. T. Guingane et al.

Figure 1. Load curve.

(March, April, May). This all too often leads to malfunctions at all levels, both in
the administration and in the classrooms at the CENTRE.
The results of an energy audit carried out on site enabled us to draw up a
quantitative and qualitative assessment of the electrical equipment used in the
center and their consumption. Analysis of these results enabled us to obtain the
CENTRE’s hourly load table (Table 1), and thus to draw up the load curve (Figure
1).
In red, corresponds to the CENTER’s power demand during SONABEL’s peak
periods. SONABEL’s peak hours are from 10 am to 2 pm and from 4 pm to 7 pm.
During these hours, SONABEL’s demand for power is enormous, causing cov-
erage problems.
We therefore propose to hybridise the main power supply (SONABEL) with a
PV field, taking into account the need, but also the constraint linked to the sur-
face area available for the installation of a large field at the CENTRE.

3. System Sizing
The PV system is sized for a daily requirement covering not only the peak pe-
riod, but also taking into account SONABEL load shedding/outages. The sizing
of the batteries therefore requires particular attention in order to optimise their
service life and, at the same time, reduce the overall cost of the system [7]-[18].

3.1. Sizing the PV System with Storage

 Peak power
Bj
PC = (1)
E j × ηbat × ηins

where Bj is the daily requirement, Ej is the solar radiation of the worst month,
ηbat is the battery efficiency and ηins is the plant efficiency.
 Number of modules in series
Vins
NmS = (2)
Vm

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2023.1512029 519 Energy and Power Engineering

T. T. Guingane et al.

Table 1. Power requirements at each hour of the day.

CENTRE hourly requirement

Time of day 00 h - 01 h 01 h - 02 h 02 h - 03 h 03 h - 04 h 04 h - 05 h 05 h - 06 h

Power (W) 225 225 225 225 225 225

Time of day 06 h - 07 h 07 h - 08 h 08 h - 09 h 09 h - 10 h 10 am-11 am 11 am-12 pm

Power (W) 0 61776 61776 110086 107456 62146

Time of day 12 pm-1 pm 1 pm-2 pm 2 pm-3 pm 3 pm-4 pm 4 pm-5 pm 5 pm-6 pm

Power (W) 9762 9762 9762 62146 62146 9762

Time of day 6 pm-7 pm 7 pm-8 pm 8 pm-9 pm 9 pm-10 pm 10 pm-11 pm 11 pm-00 am

Power (W) 9987 9987 9987 9987 225 225

where Vins is the system voltage and Vm is the module voltage.

 Number of parallel modules
PC
NmP = (3)
NmS × Pm
where Pm is the power of a PV module and Nms the number of modules in series.
 Number of modules total
=
Nm NmS × NmP (4)
 Total system capacity
B j × Aut
Cins = (5)
ηbat × Vins × DOD
Aut is the system autonomy and DOD the battery depth of discharge.
 Number of batteries in series
Vins
NbS = (6)
Vbat

 Number of parallel batteries

Cins
NbP = (7)
Cbat

 Total number of batteries

N=
bat NbS × NbP (8)

Analysis of the CENTRE’s energy balance shows that the energy requirement
during peak hours is Bj = 230 kWh. Table 2 shows the sizing results.
We’ve set the DC bus operating voltage to 150 V. This means that the conver-
ters used must all have 150 V outputs.

3.2. Sizing Boost Converters

To connect the PV field to the DC bus, we use:
- Four (4) 20 kVA, 96 V - 150 V boost converters. Each converter is connected
to 76 panels (4 series 19 parallel), then connected to the DC bus.

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2023.1512029 520 Energy and Power Engineering

 T. T. Guingane et al.

Table 2. Results of design calculations.

Sizing a PV system with storage

Sizing the solar field

Daily requirement (kWh) Bj 230

Unfavourable solar radiation (kWh/m2/d) Ej 5.19

Battery efficiency ηbat 80%

Installation efficiency ηins 90%

Peak power of the PV array (kWp) Pc 62

Power of a module (W) Pm 200

Module voltage (V) Vm 24

Number of modules in series Nms 4

Number of modules in parallel Nmp 77

Total number of modules Nmt 308

Sizing the storage system

Installation voltage (V) Wines 96

Installation autonomy Aut 1

Depth of discharge DOD 85%

Installation capacity (Ah) Cins 3523.28

Battery capacity (Ah) Cbat 200

Battery voltage (V) Vbat 12

Number of batteries in series Nbs 8

Number of batteries in parallel Nbp 18

Total number of batteries Nbt 144

- One (1) 1 kVA, 96 V - 150 V boost converter. This converter is connected to

4 panels in series, then linked to the DC bus.

3.3. Sizing Buck-Boost Converters

Six (6) 11 kVA, 96 V - 150 V buck-boost converters are used to connect the bat-
tery pack to the DC bus. Each converter is linked to 24 batteries (8 series, 3 pa-
rallel), then connected to the DC bus.

3.4. System Presentation in Matlab/Simulink

Figure 2 is the synoptic diagram of our system.
The system consists of:
 A PV array consisting of Appolo Solar Energy ASEC-200G6M modules. The
characteristics of these modules are given in Table 2.
 A lithium-ion battery pack for storage.

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2023.1512029 521 Energy and Power Engineering

T. T. Guingane et al.

Figure 2. System block diagram.

 A booster or boost converter ensures the transition of energy from the PV

field to the DC bus with a rise in voltage. This converter is fitted with MPPT
control to track maximum power.
 A bidirectional buck-boost converter links the bus to the battery pack. This
converter is controlled by a logic circuit (not) and operates in two stages.
When the load is connected to the SONABEL network and the field is active,
all the energy coming from the field is stored in the batteries with a drop in
voltage (buck operation). When the SONABEL supply is interrupted acci-
dentally or programmed, the battery pack supplies the load with a rise in
voltage (boost operation). In fact, we have programmed the system so that
during peak hours the Centre operates solely on the basis of the photovoltaic
installation.
 Protection boxes and surge protectors are used to protect the system.
 An external control activates the boost or buck function of the batteries. This
control takes into account SONABEL’s supply and peak times.

4. Simulation Result
4.1. System Response under Load
Figure 3 shows the power transfers between system components over the course
of the day.
Figure 4 shows the variations in battery, PV array and load voltages over the
course of the day. In this figure, the battery terminal voltage is virtually constant.
This means that the batteries are not subject to overcharging or undercharging
during the day.

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2023.1512029 522 Energy and Power Engineering

 T. T. Guingane et al.

Figure 3. Variation of available power, PV field, battery and SONABEL over the course of the day.

Figure 4. Variation of battery, PV array and load terminal voltages.

4.2. Comparative Study of the Response of Several Battery

Technologies
In this section, a comparative study of battery power response for different tech-
nologies is presented.
The power demand is gradually increased, and the behavior of the batteries is
observed. The technologies studied are: lead-acid (a), Nickel-Cadmium (b), Nick-
el-Metal-hydride (c), and Lithium-ion (d).
Figure 5 shows the maximum power that can be delivered by the different
battery technologies studied.

5. Discussion
The purpose of the power exchanges is to keep the CENTER’s loads operational
throughout the day. This indicates that the coupling of the main power supply
and the backup power supply (PV system with storage) is able to support de-
mand during the daytime hours.
Figure 3 shows:
 From 0:00 to 7:00 and from 22:00 to 23:59, the available power is practically
zero. This is because demand in the CENTER is almost negligible (225 W)
compared to demand at other times of the day. This power is supplied exclu-
sively by the main power supply. As there is virtually no irradiance, the PV
field does not produce, and the batteries are also ordered not to supply power
under these conditions (only in the event of load shedding and at peak
times).

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2023.1512029 523 Energy and Power Engineering

T. T. Guingane et al.

Figure 5. Maximum power curves for different battery technologies.

 From 7:00 am to 10:00 am, the available power and the main supply curve are
the same. This means that SONABEL always supplies the power needed for
the load. As solar radiation increases, so does the power produced by the PV
array. At the same time, the power of the battery bank increases in the nega-
tive direction, indicating the load. In this way, the energy produced by the
PV field is stored in the batteries.
 From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (peak hours), the PV-battery system supplies
the power required for charging, as the main power supply is cut off. We can
also see that as irradiance increases, so does the power of the PV array, and
conversely the power of the batteries decreases, becoming negative when the
power supplied by the PV array exceeds demand (from 12:00 onwards). The
intervention of the batteries indicates that the PV field is unable to meet de-
mand, but when the PV field power is high enough, the batteries begin to re-
charge.
 From 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm we’re in peak hours, so the main source resumes
supplying energy for load operation. Energy from the PV field is used to charge
the batteries.
 From 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm (peak hour), the main power source is cut off, and
the PV field and batteries ensure load operation until 6:00 pm. From 18:00 to
19:00, the batteries alone supply the load. For this reason, in this section, bat-
tery power is superimposed on available power.
 After 7:00 p.m., the main power supply takes over, providing power for load
operation.
 Figure 5 shows that the:
 Acid batteries can handle any demand whose power is less than around 4 ×
105 W.
 For nickel-cadmium batteries, the maximum power attainable is just under 7
× 105 W.
 For nickel-metal-hydride, this power is around 8 × 105 W.

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2023.1512029 524 Energy and Power Engineering

 T. T. Guingane et al.

 And Lithium-ion batteries reach a maximum power of over 10 × 106 W.

We can conclude that lithium-ion batteries offer the best maximum power at-
tainable.

6. Conclusions
At the end of this work, we can say that PV-Li systems are effective for use as a
secondary source in addition to SONABEL in large companies or industries that
do not have a large plot of land for the installation of a complete PV camp. In-
deed, by simulation, such an installation will give the Centre partial autonomy
from SONABEL. The installation should cover the Centre’s needs during power
cuts, and better still, during peak hours when kWh billing is high according to
our considerations.
Tests carried out to assess the ability of different battery technologies to with-
stand high power demands have revealed that lithium-ion models perform best.
However, since the simulation was carried out over a short period of time, it is
not possible to assess long-term performance under variable climatic conditions.
For this reason, we plan to simulate the system over a very long period (around
ten years), taking into account our climatic realities (temperature, radiation) and
our loads.

Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this pa-
per.

References
[1] IEA (2021) Key World Energy Statistics 2021—Statistics Report. 1-82.
[Link]
[2] Gregg, J.S. and Andres, R.J. (2008) A Method for Estimating the Temporal and Spa-
tial Patterns of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from National Fossil-Fuel Consumption.
Tellus, Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology, 60, 1-10.
[Link]
[3] Vaïtchemé, M.T. (2019) Modelisation Et Simulation D’Un Système De Stockage
Intégré Dans Un Micro-Réseau Autonome Solaire-Eolien. Master’s Thesis, Univer-
sité du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
[4] Korsaga, E., et al. (2018) Comparaison et détermination des dispositifs de stockage ap-
propriés pour un système photovoltaïque autonome en zone sahélienne. Journal Inter-
national de Technologie, De l’Innovation, De la Physique, De l’Energie et de l’Environ-
nement (JITIPEE), 4, 1-26.
[5] Hémery, C.-V. (2014) Etudes des phénomènes thermiques dans les batteries Li-ion.
Ph.D. Thesis, Université De Grenoble, Grenoble.
[6] Badey, Q. (2012) Étude Des Mécanismes Et Modélisation Du Vieillissement Des
Batteries Lithium-Ion Dans Le Cadre D’Un Usage Automobile. Ph.D. Thesis, Un-
iversité Paris Sud, Paris.
[7] Habib, A.J. (2014) Influence de la recharge rapide sur les performances des accu-
mulateurs lithium des véhicules électriques dans le cadre de l’utilisation postale.

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2023.1512029 525 Energy and Power Engineering

T. T. Guingane et al.

Ph.D. Thesis, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux.

[8] Trinh, N.D. (2016) Les batteries lithium-ion à haute densité énergétique: Nouvelle
formulation et caractérisation de matériaux d’insertion substitués pour l’électrode
positive. Ph.D. Thesis, Université du Québec à Montréal Les, Montréal.
[9] Bonnin, R. (2012) Analyse expérimentale des performances d’une batterie au li-
thium pour l’aéronautique. Master’s Thesis, Université du Québec, Montréal.
[10] Allart, D. (2018) Gestion et modélisation électrothermique des batteries lithium-ion.
Ph.D. Thesis, Université de Caen Normandie, Caen Normandie.
[11] Urbain, M. (2009) Modelisation electrique et energetique des accumulateurs Li-Ion.
Estimation en ligne de la SOC et de la SOH. Ph.D. Thesis, Institut National Poly-
technique de Lorraine ecole, Lorraine.
[12] Eduardo, R.I. (2017) Étude Du Vieillissement Des Batteries Lithium-Ion Dans Les
Applications “Véhicule Électrique” : Combinaison Des Effets De Vieillissement Ca-
lendaire Et De Cyclage. Ph.D. Thesis, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon.
[13] Bandhauer, T.M., Garimella, S. and Fuller, T.F. (2011) A Critical Review of Thermal Is-
sues in Lithium-Ion Batteries. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 3, 1-25.
[Link]
[14] LeBel, F.-A. (2017) Méthode de dimensionnement et modélisation de batteries li-
thium-ion. Master’s Thesis, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke.
[15] Baiwir, R. (2017) Modélisation de systèmes de stockage électrique et leur intégration
dans un réseau électrique intelligent. Master’s Thesis, Université de Liège, Liège.
[16] Robinson, J.P. and Koenig Jr., G.M. (2015) Tuning Solution Chemistry for Morphol-
ogy Control of Lithium-Ion Battery Precursor Particles. Powder Technology, 284, 225-
230. [Link]
[17] Cabelguen, P.E. (2018) Analyse de la microstructure des matériaux actifs d’électrode
positive de batteries Lithium-ion. Ph.D. Thesis, Université Grenoble Alpes, Gre-
noble.
[18] Guingane, T.T., Koalaga, Z., Simonguy, E., Zougmore, F. and Bonkoungou, D. (2016)
Modélisation et simulation d’un champ photovoltaïque utilisant un convertisseur
élévateur de tension (boost) avec le logiciel. Journal International de Technologie,
De l’Innovation, De la Physique, De l’Energie et de l’Environnement, 2, 1-15.

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2023.1512029 526 Energy and Power Engineering