Abstract
The aim of this paper is to propose a new approach allowing the improvement of the operation, the performances and the lifetime of a photovoltaic system. This improvement concerns the energy storage system, and it is essentially ensured by a multi-criteria analysis integrating the dependability analysis tools. In this context, this approach is based on an evaluation focused on several selection criteria and several technical factors to properly determine the most relevant technology for solar batteries such as lead-acid battery, nickel-cadmium battery (Ni-Cd), nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery and lithium-ion battery. The factors that are taken into account by the authors in this multi-criteria analysis are reliability, security, size and cost. The assessment of the reliability of the available battery capacity is established using failure modes, effects and criticality analysis and a classification of failure modes by an appropriate calculation of the number risk priority (RPN). The analysis of the security criteria is based on the development of a preliminary risk analysis which shows the impact of different solar technologies batteries on the environment, human health and physical. This approach is also interested in the evaluation of the cost and the impact of the volume, the number and the mass of the batteries used in the photovoltaic system. Finally, this approach is completed by the utilization of the Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE) to develop a decision-making model and solve the problem of choosing solar battery technology.