Difficulties of Solar PV Integration in Island Electrical Networks – Case Study in the French Islands

Integrating intermittent and non-predictable renewable energy systems in an electrical network is a difficult task and a technical challenge mainly in an island network. The technical problems occurring in small not interconnected networks is explained. The electrical energy situation of several French islands spread over the World is analysed. Various aspects are successively studied: repartition of energy means, renewable energy part in the production with a focus on the intermittent renewable part. The electricity production cost in the islands are presented and the legal and financial features for renewable energy in France are exposed. In a second part, a focus is realized on the Corsica Island situated in the Mediterranean Sea and partially connected to Italy. Successively, the energy mix, the objective of the new energy plan for 2023 and the renewable energy situation, present and future, are presented. Even if the integration of non-programmable renewable energy plants is more complex in small insular networks, the high cost of electricity generation in such territories encourages the introduction of wind and PV systems. The islands are good laboratories for the development of intermittent and stochastic renewable energy systems.