Optimal dispatch strategy in remote hybrid power systems

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Solar Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-092X(96)00087-4· OSTI ID:501964

Barley, C D; Winn, C B ^[1]

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1. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

For small villages in developing countries, local stand-alone power systems are often more cost-effective than utility grid extension. Various combinations of wind turbine generators, photovoltaic arrays, diesel gensets, and batteries - remote hybrid power systems - may be preferred to diesel-only systems. Dispatch strategy is the aspect of control strategy that pertains to energy flows among components. In systems with both batteries and diesel genset(s), dispatch affects the life-cycle cost through both the fuel usage and the battery life. In this study, dispatch strategies are compared using (1) an analysis of cost trade-offs, (2) a simple, quasi-steady-state time-series model, and finally (3) HYBRID2, a more sophisticated stochastic time-series model. An idealized predictive dispatch strategy, based on assumed perfect knowledge of future load and wind conditions, is developed and used as a benchmark in evaluating simple, non-predictive strategies. The results illustrate the nature of the optimal strategy and indicate that one of two simple diesel dispatch strategies - either load-following or full power for a minimum run time - can, in conjunction with the frugal use of stored energy (the Frugal Discharge Strategy), be virtually as cost-effective as the Ideal Predictive Strategy. The optimal choice of these two simple charging strategies is correlated to three dimensionless parameters, yielding a generalized dispatch design chart for an important class of systems. 30 refs., 17 figs., 3 tabs.

• DOE Contract Number: AC36-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 501964
• Report Number(s): CONF-950901--
• Journal Information: Solar Energy, Journal Name: Solar Energy Journal Issue: 4-6 Vol. 58; ISSN 0038-092X; ISSN SRENA4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
CONTROL
COST
DESIGN
DIESEL FUELS
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ENERGY STORAGE
HYBRID SYSTEMS
LIFE CYCLE
LOAD ANALYSIS
POWER SYSTEMS