Balancing Cost and Performance in a PV/Wind/Battery

Hybrid Power System

Ahmad Zahedi1, Akhtar Kalam2
Monash University, Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering
Clayton, Victoria, 3800, AUSTRALIA
Fax :++61 3 9905 3454, E-Mail: zahedi@eng.monash.edu.au
2
Victoria University of Technology, Footscray Park Campus, Victoria, Footscary, AUSTRALIA
1

Abstract
This paper aims mainly to outline the features and design aspects of a hybrid power system that will
target rural users up to 2kW. And also this paper presents the results of a research conducted on a
photovoltaic (PV) hybrid power system with the goals of designing a reliable autonomous PV
hybrid power system, optimization of size of components in the system and improvement of capital
cost due to size optimization
In this study a system has been chosen to provide electricity for a small and remote located
community. A methodology is developed for calculating the correct size of this hybrid system and
for optimizing the management of this system. The power for the hybrid system comes from PV
panels. A wind turbine and a diesel generator are used as backup units. The combined system is as a
stand alone system, in the sense that no national grid electricity is brought in to meet the load. The
system is considered as autonomous system, which means the loss of load probability is 0%.
Introduction
A PV- hybrid energy system includes devices that rely on an auxiliary source to compliment the
local solar source, generally a fossil fuel or a wind generator. PV-hybrid power system generally
uses batteries too, for short term variations of sun light conditions on a daily or weekly basis.
In terms of electricity cost, one of the major components of the price of solar PV electricity is
capital equipment cost. The high capital cost has always been the main barrier hindering
development of solar PV energy utilization. The optimum sizing of a photovoltaic system is very
important, as over-sizing the system has a very detrimental effect on the price of the generated
power. Under-sizing the system, on the other hand, reduces the supply reliability.
PV hybrid power system
A PV hybrid power system, which is a combination of a photovoltaic array, with a back-up diesel
generator, offers a reliable electricity production system. PV hybrid power systems are often the
best solution to electrification of remote areas, where extension of national grid is not a cost
effective option. The system we are studying consists of a PV array, a battery bank, a diesel
generator (3000 or 1500 rpm) as back-up unit, a wind turbine, a charge controller and a DC/AC
converter. In the design and sizing of the system we assume that the system is an autonomous. Such
a constraint leads to an infinite number of possible system configurations. One of the possible
configurations that we used for our study has been shown in Figure 1. This Figure shows the
connections between the various components in the system.

Photovoltaic generator
PV modules are rated under STC (Standard Testing Conditions), which means that under 5.11 PHS
the output of the modules per day will be 5.11 times their rating. For our example we have chosen
the SOLAREXTM MSX-83 modules. Their output characteristics are: Peak power: 83W Voltage at
peak power: 17.1V Current at peak power: 4.85A Short circuit current: 5.27A Open circuit voltage:
21.2V at STC.
More importantly, because the modules are used for battery charging we are more interested in the
current at a good battery charging voltage under normal operating conditions which is 14V. These
modules are rated at 5.1A under normal operating conditions. In our example we have assumed that
a minimum of 90% of the current at 14V under normal operating conditions will be guaranteed
(5.1x90%=4.6A).
System Design
The system was designed by calculating monthly demand of electrical energy required by a small
community in remote area as well as power output of the different solar PV-wind turbine generator
combinations. Following points were taken into account in system design:
Energy required for water heating of the community is provided by the solar water heater.
Short term electrical power storage using lead-acid batteries is considered. The size of battery
bank is worked out to substitute the PV array during cloudy and no-sun days.
Life time of battery bank is considered to be 5 years. This point is important when estimating
the capital costs.
The storage battery bank will be able to supply power during a maximum of 5 days on no-sun
days.
The AC power from the inverter of the system is fed to the distribution network of the
community.
Battery Bank Sizing
The size of the battery bank in a PV-stand alone system is dependent on four main factors:
The number of days that the battery bank should provide the loads without array input from PV
array.
The depth of discharge (DOD) of the battery strongly depends on the application, and can vary
from a few percent to as much as 70%. The fact is that too deep cycling of limited batteries
reduces their life expectancy.
Low temperatures greatly reduce the storage capacity of batteries. The ideal operational
temperature is in the range of 20C to 25C.
The battery capacity decreases with increasing discharge current. Thus, leads requiring high
currents (powers) will need larger battery capacity than low power loads, even if the total energy
consumption is the same.
State of charge of the batteries
The batterys state of charge is computed as:
, where SOC ( t ) is the state of charge,
I (i). t .
SOC(i + 1 ) = SOC(i) SOC (i ).
SDR

BCE

SDR

is the self

discharge rate, I (t) the battery charge (+) and discharge (-) current, t is time in hours,
B

battery charging efficiency. During discharge,

BCE

is assumed to be one. When charging,

BCE
BCE

is
is

0.65 to 0.85, depending on the charging current. When gassing starts at a critical state of charge,

BCE

drops to 0.3 to 0.01. One important point we have to keep in mind is to make sure that the

batteries are not over-charged or over-discharged.

State of charge of battery bank has been shown in Figure 4.

Figure 1. System configuration

Figure 2. Load pattern

Figure 3. The total power generated

Figure 4. The state of charge of batteries
by all generation units (ie. PV, wind and
Diesel)
Technical parameters
The following technical parameters and assumptions were made for the system design:
Angle of tilt of solar PV array is latitude angle. Maximum Power Point Tracking efficiency is 90%.
Battery charge and discharge efficiency is 85%. Inverter efficiency is 95%.
System control
Advanced system control strategies seek to reduce the number of cycles and the depth-of-discharge
(DOD) for the battery bank, maximize the utilization of the renewable resource, and ensure high
reliability of the system. Due to varying nature of the load demand, the fluctuating power supplied
by the photovoltaic generator and the variation of battery state of charge (SOC), the PV system
controller need to respond to continuously changing operating conditions.

Optimum Size
From the mathematical calculations carried out, the most suitable system for the application works
out as follows:
Total energy demand
Energy covered by PV
Energy covered by wind generator
Energy covered by diesel generator
Battery Efficiency
Demand at Array (10,000/0.95/0.85)
IL = 12,384Wh/day /(24hx48V)
Nominal current IP = IL x 24h/PSH, (eg.
PSH=5.82h, Ave/year)
NPVM = IP / IM = (IM = 5.1 A at 14V)
Demand at wind turbine (4,000 Wh/0.8)
Size of wind generator (5000 Wh/24h)
Size of diesel generator, 4h/day operation
Design Insolation
Days of battery storage
Demand at battery bank
(10,000Wh/day*5days/0.7)
Total battery cost (150 A$/ kWh)
Total number of parallel connected modules
Total number of series connected modules
(system operating voltage/nominal voltage of
module)
Total number of modules
Total array cost (Module price: 8.0 A$/WP)

18,000 Wh/day
10,000 Wh/day
4,000 Wh/day
4,000 Wh/day
85%
12,384 Wh/day
10.75 A
50.50 A

56%
22%
22%

9.9
5,000 Wh
208 W
1 kW
5.11 kWh/m2
5 days
71,428.6Wh
A$ 10,714
10
4
40
A$26,560

Table 1
From Table 1, it can be seen that about 56% of the power output of the system will come from solar
energy, while 22% from wind turbine and 22% from diesel generator. The diagram of Figure 3
shows the total power generation over 24 hours.
Results of energy balance
One simple method in designing a PV-hybrid power system and optimizing the size of components
in this system is method of energy balance. This method makes more sense than the other methods
as long as reliability of the system is concerned.
In this method, energy flow in the system is monitored and recorded on hourly basis.
Excess and deficit of Energy of the system under investigation has been shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Energy Balance

Conclusions and Remarks
This paper has described the optimization process of a PV/wind/battery power system. Table 1
gives all information required for designing a PV hybrid system which is to supply electricity to a
remote community of up to 2kW.
A hybrid energy system which combines PV-arrays and conventional energy source (fossil fuel
diesel generators) with lead-acid batteries for energy storage can offer a more cost effective type
than PV-battery system. However, hybrid system depends the user on transportation and storage of
fossil fuel and higher maintenance is required for diesel generators. The cost reductions and
technological developments of PV-battery systems in recent years have been encouraging in
developing PV hybrid systems. At present, PV-battery systems are cost competitive for stand-alone
applications where utilities line extension is limited and expensive.
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