Renewable self-consumption maximization in railway electrical substations. A comparative analysis of possible configurations

The paper describes a study aimed to increase the self-consumption of electrical energy produced from a photovoltaic power plant connected to a TPSS (Traction Power Substation) in a 3 kVdc traction power system. The study compares the energy demand for a railway line powered from three TPSS and a photovoltaic power plant connected to one of these TPSS, illustrating how in different scenarios, the regulation of no-load voltage on adjacent TPSS enables optimal energy flow management increasing the selfconsumption. Finally, the sizing of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is proposed.