Parametric study of hybrid (wind plus solar plus diesel) power generating systems

The combined utilization of renewables such as solar and wind energy is becoming increasingly attractive and is being widely used for substitution of oil-produced energy, and eventually to reduce air pollution. In the present investigation, hourly wind-speed and solar radiation measurements made at the solar radiation and meteorological monitoring station, Dhahran (26 degrees 32'N, 50 degrees 13'E), Saudi Arabia, have been analyzed to study the impact of key parameters such as photovoltaic (PV) array area, number of wind machines, and battery storage capacity on the operation of hybrid (wind + solar + diesel) energy conversion systems, while satisfying a specific annual load of 41,500 kWh. The monthly average wind speeds for Dhahran range from 4.1 to 6.4 m/s. The monthly average daily values of solar radiation for Dhahran range from 3.6 to 7.96 kWh/m(2), parametric analysis indicates that with two 10 kW wind machines together with three days of battery storage and photovoltaic deployment of 30 m(2), the diesel back-up system has to provide about 23% of the load demand. However, with elimination of battery storage, about 48% of the load needs to be provided by diesel system. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.