Design of hybrid-photovoltaic power generator, with optimization of energy management

A methodology is developed for calculating the correct size of a photovoltaic (PV)-hybrid system and for optimizing its management. The power for the hybrid system comes from PV panels and an engine-generator - that is, a gasoline or diesel engine driving an electrical generator. The combined system is a stand-alone or autonomous system, in the sense that no third energy source is brought in to meet the load. Two parameters were used to characterize the role of the engine-generator: denoted SDM and SAR, they are, respectively, the battery charge threshold at which it is started up, and the storage capacity threshold at which it is stopped, both expressed as a percentage of the nominal battery storage capacity. The methodology developed is applied to designing a PV-hybrid system operating in Corsica, as a case study. Various sizing configurations were Simulated, and the optimal configuration that meets the autonomy constraint (no loss of load) was determined, by minimizing of the energy cost. The influence of the battery storage Capacity on the solar contribution is also studied. The smallest energy cost per kWh was obtained for a system characterized by an SDM = 30% and an SAR = 70%. A study on the effects of component lifetimes on the economics of PV-hybrid and PV stand-alone systems has shown that battery size can be reduced by a factor of two in PV-hybrid systems, as compared to PV stand-alone systems. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.