Subtle Influence of the Weibull Shape Parameter on Homer Optimization Space of a Wind Diesel Hybrid Gen Set for Use in Southern Brazil

Wind power is an increasingly important alternative for obtaining energy supplies, both in large interconnected power systems and in smaller hybrid systems and even in backup systems. The temporal and spatial variability of the winds represent an obstacle to be overcome so that wind energy can be increasingly used. The capacity factor of wind farms shows how this variability impacts the operation of the plants and its value is of the order of 30% to 35%. The variability of the wind speed is influenced if the point of interest is on land or on sea, the shape of the surface, the proximity of water bodies, among other factors. The availability of wind is best described by the Weibull probability distribution, which has as one of its defining parameters one which is termed as shape parameter. This parameter is much higher as higher is the variability of the wind speed. This paper studies the subtle influence of Weibull shape parameter on the optimal combination of components in a wind diesel hybrid system, by means of computer simulations with the well known software Homer. The results indicate a relatively small influence (as expected) in the studied system, which appears particularly when the cost of diesel is higher and the availability of wind is lower.

Future Hybrid of Photovoltaic and Fuel Cell for Langkawi SkyCab

Langkawi SkyCab has the highest energy demand in Langkawi Island and the demand keeps increasing year by year.This study proposed alternatives energy of a hybrid photovoltaic(PV)and fuel cell system for the SkyCab’s operation.The best sizing and configurations were chosen based on Homer simulation software.A comparative study was done between a conventional system and other hybrid combinations.The results revealed that the proposed system had reduced the cost as well as CO2 emission almost by 39%and 79%,respectively.The hybrid PV and fuel cell system is aligned with the Malaysian government’s goals of reducing carbon emissions 40%by the year 2030.

Techno-Economic Evaluation and Optimization of Grid Connected PV and Wind Generating System for Riyadh City

The risks and challenges faced by human society at the moment are global warming, climate change and pollution. In addition to their effect on the atmosphere, the quantity of fossil fuels is beginning to decrease, and countries have taken steps to encourage greater use of renewable energy resources. This article explores the feasibility of supplying electricity from a hybrid power system (HPS) comprising wind/photovoltaic (PV) and batteries. Taking into account residential buildings that consume the largest portion of energy in Saudi grid, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is the preferred city with distinctive geographical and climatic conditions. The hourly electricity demand data must be over 8760 hours during a 1-year analysis in order to assess the optimum design and operational planning of the HPS. The economic analysis is carried out by applying HOMER software on the basis of net present cost (NPC), energy cost (COE) and the renewable fraction for all situations. In addition, to specify the effect of fuel costs on the scheme, sensitivity tests are carried out by considering two separate tariff rates for residential consumers. The results of the economic analysis show that current tariff is not economic to use HSP under warm and temperate climate conditions compare to using electricity from grid and the expected forecasted tariff shows it’s economic to use HSP compare to grid electricity.

Feasibility Study of a Hydro PV Hybrid System Operating at a Dam for Water Supply in Southern Brazil

Dams for water supply usually represent an untapped hydroelectric potential. It is a small energetic potential, in most situations, usually requiring a particular solution to be viable. The use of pumps as power turbines often represents an alternative that enables the power generation in hydraulic structures already in operation, as is the case of dams in water supply systems. This potential can be exploited in conjunction with the implementation of PV modules on the water surface, installed on floating structures, both operating in a hydro PV hybrid system. The floating structure can also contribute to reducing the evaporation of water and providing a small increase in hydroelectric power available. This paper presents a pre-feasibility study for implementation of a hydroelectric power plant and PV modules on floating structures in the reservoir formed by the dam of Val de Serra, in southern Brazil. The dam is operated to provide drinking water to about 60% of the population of the city of Santa Maria, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil. The pre-feasibility study conducted with Homer software, version Legacy, indicated that the hydroelectric plant with a capacity of 227 kW can operate together with 60 kW of PV modules. This combination will result (in one of the configurations considered) in an initial cost of USD$ 1715.83 per kW installed and a cost of energy of USD$ 0.059/kWh.

Feasibility Limits for a Hybrid System with Ocean Wave and Ocean Current Power Plants in Southern Coast of Brazil

Some types of renewable energy have been experiencing rapid evolution in recent decades, notably among the energies associated with the oceans, such as wave and current energies. The development of new energy conversion technologies for these two forms of energy has been offering a large number of equipment configurations and plant geometries for energy conversion. This process can be implemented aiming at the result of feasibility studies in places with energy potentials, establishing minimum feasibility limits to be reached. This work aims to contribute in this sense with a feasibility study of a system with ocean wave power plants and with socio-current power plants to be operated on the southern coast of Brazil. This study evaluates a hybrid system with contributions from energy supplies obtained from wave plants and current plants, connected to the grid and supplying the demand of the municipalities in the North Coast region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. The study was carried out with simulations with the Homer Legacy software, with some adaptations for the simulation of ocean wave plants and ocean current plants. The results indicate that the ocean wave power plants were viable in the vast majority of simulated scenarios, while the ocean current power plants were viable in the scenarios with more intense average ocean current speeds and with more expensive energy acquired from the interconnected system.

Feasibility Study for Power Generation during Peak Hours with a Hybrid System in a Recycled Paper Mill

The differential pricing for peak hours encourages industrial consumers to look for independent power supplies for the period from 19 to 22 hours. This paper presents a study to identify the optimal solution for a recycled paper mill that also intends to work in that period. The factory is located in Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil, and considers the use of a diesel gen set, a micro hydro power plant and possibly PV modules. Two micro hydro power plants were considered in the study, an old plant to be renewed and another to be fully implemented. The software Homer was used as a tool to determine the most feasible combination of components considered in the study. The sale of surplus power to the energy system appears as a key to viability of alternatives that are not based solely on diesel generators. The optimal solution consists of a combination of diesel generators and micro hydro power plant, in one case, and only on hydroelectric power plant in another, with a significant penetration of PV modules if its cost is reduced to 12% of the current price, selling an amount of energy equal to that which is bought. The annual water availability in one of the sites requires diesel supplement, while the other, more abundant, this supplement is not necessary.

An investigation into the feasibility of a hybrid generator-photovoltaic-wind farm with variable load profile:case of headland south-west of Morocco

A hybrid system proposed by three different specifications for the equipment of a tourist lodge in the headland of south-west Morocco was sized by analysing the limits of load profile constraints,such as hour-to-hour variability(HHR),day-to-day variability(DDR)and the operating reserve rate(ROR).Based on the three-factor Doehlert matrix recommendations,the simulations employed an energy-sizing tool for hybrid renewable-energy systems.Testing was conducted with DDR at 5-30%,HHR at 10-30%and ROR at 0-20%.Under these conditions,a second-order polynomial relationship with a correlation rate of~90%was found between the net present cost(NPC)of the system,the levelized cost of electricity and the various constraint factors.The first specification,SPC(1),composed of generators and batteries,was introduced to control and validate the simulation independently of renewable energy,which showed a positive manifestation with the imposed constraints.The analysis expanded by introducing solar and wind energy resources.The SPC(2)configuration added PV modules to the SPC(1)and the SPC(3)configuration added wind turbines to SPC(2).The effect of DDR,HHR and ROR in the trials was significant by linear regression.At the same time,only DDR had a significant quadratic regression.The others,with their pairwise interactions,were insignificant.The desirability procedure made it possible to calculate the maximum limits of load profile constraint variables leading to targets of LCOE=0.41 US$/kWh and NPC=US$320080.1 of the load profile constraints:the DDR=15.47%and the HHR=26.55%at an ROR rate of 17.77%.