The exploration of renewable energy resources has gained momentum due to the continuous demand for energy consumption and the depletion of fossil fuel reserves. However, these resources possess an intermittent nature and are only viable in certain geographical locations. To address these challenges, this chapter presents a solution in the form of a hybrid energy system (HES). This system operates in an off-grid mode and is specifically designed for high altitude demographic users who face difficulties in accessing the national grid. This chapter utilizes a well-designed hybrid energy system to enhance the reliability and quality of power generation in rural areas. Also, the design of a linear mathematical model is discussed in this chapter, which aims to determine the optimal working and cost optimization of the hybrid energy generating system. The system comprises a wind-biogas-biomass based power generation system, PV array, fuel cells, a battery bank, and a bidirectional converter. To meet economic constraints and load dispatch, an efficient mathematical modeling is employed.
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The depletion of fossil fuel at a rapid pace has prompted a search for alternative energy sources to meet the growing demands of the world. Another important objective is to reduce our reliance on non-renewable sources in order to combat the escalating issue of global warming. Hence, it is imperative to explore alternative energy sources that can fulfil the ever-increasing energy requirements while minimizing their detrimental environmental impacts. Solar photovoltaic and wind energy are considered viable power generation options due to their convenient accessibility and favourable geographical characteristics for localized power generation in remote areas. Since the oil crisis of the 1970s, the utilization of solar PV and wind energy has gained significant prominence owing to their easy availability and cost-effectiveness. India is blessed with an abundance of solar energy, with a correspondent of 5,000 trillion kWh/year available. The average daily intake of solar energy ranges from 5 - 7 kWh/m2, and with 250-300 sunlit days in many parts of the country, solar energy is a viable option. Wind power in India has been growing since 1990 and has significantly increased in the last decade. As of June 2020, India's total installed capacity is 371 GW, with 87.67 GW coming from renewable generators. Among these generators, wind power has the highest share at 37.82 GW, followed by solar energy at 35.12 GW (Reference 1).
The primary goal of the paper is to develop a hybrid system that utilizes various renewable sources of energies such as solar, wind, biomass, biogas, and fuel cells, despite their reliability challenges. The aim is to integrate these sources into a single system in order to enhance the efficiency of the power grid. A hybrid renewable energy system consists of renewable energy conversion components like PV panels, wind turbines, hydro turbines, as well as traditional non-renewable generators like diesel generators and micro turbines. Additionally, it includes an energy storage device, namely batteries. These components may or may not be incorporated into a hybrid energy scheme. The main objective is to model each individual component to determine the optimal selection of components and provide guidance to researchers new to the field of hybrid renewable energy systems (Vendoti et al., 2021).
Figure 1 depicts the schematic diagram of the suggested hybrid energy system. This system includes solar PV, wind turbine, biogas, biomass, fuel cell generators, battery bank, and electrolyser. Electronic converters are utilized to ensure the provision of both AC and DC buses (Suresh et al., 2020).
The energy generated by the renewable/diesel generator is divided into two streams. One stream supplies the electrical energy directly to the load, while the other stream powers the battery. The load can be served with electrical energy either directly from the renewable/diesel generator or indirectly from the battery. The battery is charged with the energy from all the generators (Pipattanasomporn, 2004).