What are the important considerations when simulating hybrid wind-solar energy systems?

System Design: Complementary resource availability: Wind and solar peaks should complement each other. Sustainable technologies: Choose technologies with low environmental impact. Consider climate change: Analyze how future weather patterns might affect resources. Energy generation and sustainability metrics: Analyze both energy output and environmental impact. Grid stability: Consider how the system affects grid performance. Sensitivity and Scenario Analysis: Social and economic impacts: Evaluate potential benefits and risks to communities. Land use and biodiversity: Minimize negative environmental impacts. Circular economy principles: Design for resource efficiency and minimal waste.

Firstly, assessing the type and size of wind and solar components is crucial. So, by understanding the geographical location and climate conditions, helps determine the most suitable technologies, to adopt such as turbine types or solar panel variations, ensuring they complement each other for maximum energy generation. Simulations should focus on optimizing the interface between wind turbines, solar panels, and the power grid. The Integration of power converters and controllers is vital as this involves designing control strategies to manage variable output, harmonizing voltage levels, and ensuring smooth energy transfer. Battery storage and backup options are essential for balancing energy supply and demand.

Assessing wind-solar hybrid energy systems is a complex subject requiring considering several elements. To do it efficiently, we can use simulations, such as: The modeling of renewable energy sources, which depend on weather conditions and geography Modeling of electrical charges, which vary according to the demand and behavior of consumers The modeling of energy storage systems makes it possible to compensate for intermittent renewable sources and optimize energy use. Modeling of electrical networks, which must ensure the quality and reliability of the supply of electricity. It is important to choose the tool most suited to the objectives and constraints of the simulation and to verify the validity and reliability of the results obtained.

Maybe as important as resource assessment itself is assessment of uncertainties associated with the resource assessment. That is because resource assessment invariably involves an expectation about future resources, and that we never know for sure. Thus our best bet is to work out a degree of error we make as to future and account for it at the beginning, and adjusting the financial and utility related expectations accordingly.

The sensitivity analysis makes it possible to assess the impact of parameter variations on output indicators. It measures the robustness and reliability of the system in the face of data uncertainties and fluctuations. For example, we can vary the speed of the wind, solar irradiation, the discount rate, the life of wind turbines, etc., and observe how it affects the updated cost (CAN), levelized cost of energy (LCOE), CO2 emissions, the share of renewable sources, etc. Sensitivity analysis can be done using IT tools, such as HOMER, which offer optimization and simulation features of hybrid systems. It is important to choose the most relevant parameters and variation intervals for simulation and compare the different possible scenarios.

Scenario analysis is a key method to assess the performance and impacts of a hybrid system under various hypotheses, testing its robustness and flexibility. For example, we can compare scenarios according to costs, reliability, safety, efficiency, and emissions, depending on the system's size and configuration according to the grid's pricing and regulation: Scenario 1: The system is autonomous and only uses wind and solar energy to supply a load. Scenario 2: The system is connected to the electrical network and uses wind and solar energy as additional sources. Scenario 3: The hybrid system uses wind, solar, and diesel energy. The analysis would help choose the best option depending on the objectives and constraints of each situation.

Stephane this is an excellent article about the challenges associated with complex systems! I would add to our mutual dedication to systemic thinking pointed out herein that this is a team sport! Moreover this team sport does require applied knowledge from a. collective of many disciplines! Specifically as a “ Community of Practice” that will deliver a diverse and complete end to end solution thru group think. Conclusively our collaboration focused on The capture of Thermal Heat and zero waste applied as a transition applied to all forms of energy is a great application for both commercial buildings and the industrial sector. The Agile Fractal Grid is enthusiastic about our continued collaboration with Smart Phases.