Optimum operation strategy and economic analysis of a photovoltaic-diesel-battery-mains hybrid uninterruptible power supply

This paper presents the optimum operation strategy and economic analysis of a photovoltaic-diesel-battery-mains hybrid uninterruptible power supply (UPS). The system involves a photovoltaic, battery and bi-directional inverter that is connected in parallel to the grid. A diesel generator is required when the grid is not available for a longer time. The optimum operation strategy of the system is proposed for the diesel-connected mode (when the grid fails for several hours), while the economic analysis is evaluated for the grid-connected mode. The optimum strategy determines the 'set point' value for starting and stopping the diesel generator, resulting in a lower system operation cost within its lifetime. The optimum value is obtained by comparing the cost of the diesel fuel consumption and the battery wear. The economic analysis includes the system operation as UPS and demand side management. The system will reduce the power flow from the mains by increasing the power from the inverter to the load when the tariff is high. However, when the grid tariff is low, the power from the mains is used to charge the battery and to meet the load simultaneously. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.