System performance improvement provided by a power conditioning subsystem for central station photovoltaic-fuel cell power plant

An augmented power conditioning subsystem (APCS), which can improve the power system performance besides performing DC/AC power conversion, is proposed. With the benefits provided by the APCS, connecting photovoltaic cells, fuel cells, or their combination to a power system would provide not only additional sources and control of real power, but also additional economic reactive power control as well. The basic principle of the APCS, its operation and control, economic considerations, and the results of a preliminary study are presented