Abstract
Nowadays, the Iraqi power system requires additional power due to its growing population and demands. Utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plants are generally feasible in geographic areas exposed to greater than 3 kWh/m2 /day of solar irradiance. This study aims to analyze the possibility of expanding in use of PV systems in Iraq; thus, the main challenges facing the Iraqi electrical power system are discussed in this paper. Furthermore, the ability to implement a large-scale PV power plant in Iraq to increase the system's reliability is studied. The system advisor model (SAM) was used to achieve this analysis. As a result, based on the simulation results, the PV power plant is approved as a feasible solution in Iraq.