UNIT SIZING AND CONTROL OF HYBRID WIND-SOLAR POWER-SYSTEMS

The aim of this paper is to provide the core of a CAD/CAA tool that ca n help designers determine the optimal design of a hybrid wind-solar p ower system for either autonomous or grid-linked applications. The pro posed analysis employs linear programming techniques to minimize the a verage production cost of electricity while meeting the load requireme nts in a reliable manner, and takes environmental factors into conside ration both in the design and operation phases. While in autonomous sy stems, the environmental credit gained as compared to diesel alternati ves can be obtained through direct optimization, in grid-linked system s emission is another variable to be minimized such that the use of re newable energy can be justified. A controller that monitors the operat ion of the autonomous/grid-linked systems is designed. Such a controll er determines the energy available from each of the system components and the environmental credit of the system. It then gives details rela ted to cost, unmet and spilled energies, and battery charge and discha rge losses.