Dire Dawa University

Institute of Technology
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
MSc Program in Power Electronics and Drives
Power Electronic Converters for Renewable
Energy Systems-ECEg6332
By: Dr. Milkias B. (Ph.D.)
Adama Science and Technology University
mil_ber2000@astu.edu.et/milkiasber@gmail.com
Power Electronic Converters for Renewable Energy Systems

Hybrid Power Technology

 What is Hybrid Renewable energy

• A system that combines various energy sources is called a “hybrid” system

• Diesel generators are often used for “reliable” power, and wind or solar are used to
decrease the fuel costs
• Studies of a site can indicate the optimal combination of wind, solar, and diesel (or
gasoline) to provide power at the lowest overall annual cost
 Hybrid Power Technology
• A hybrid energy system is a system that consist of two or more alternative energy sources (ex: solar and
wind).
• Hybrid energy systems are growing in popularity due to the reliability of stand alone solar or wind
power sources.
• “The Time” for on-grid renewable energy has already come
— Utility-scale (>1.5 MW) onshore wind = 6 to 12 cents/kWh
— Medium-scale (100 kW – 500 kW) wind = 14 to 25 cents/kWh
— Solar photovoltaic, grid tied = 14 to 22 cents/kWh
• “The Time” for hybrid technology is approaching
— Hybrid involves any combination of renewable generation, diesel backup, and/or storage providing reliable, steady
power
— System size ranges from small (100 kW peak) to large (>20 MW peak) where the renewables can displace anywhere
up to 90% of diesel fuel use
• Hybrid systems have a proven track record
— In Alaska: 16 communities with wind-diesel hybrids totaling 13 MW
— Many systems in other remote locations: Australia, Antarctica, etc.
— Many systems have been operating for over 10 years
Possible Renewable Hybrid Energy Systems
1) Wind/PV/FC/electrolyzer/ 9) FC/battery, or super-capacitor
system
battery system
10) Wind/FC system
2) Micro-turbine/FC system
11) Wind/diesel system
3) Microturbine/wind system
12) Wind/PV/battery system
4) Gas-turbine/FC
13) PV/diesel system
system
14) Diesel/wind/PV system
5) Diesel/FC system
15) PV/FC/ SMES system
6) PV/battery
7) PV/FC/electrolyzer
8) PV/FC/electrolyzer/battery system
Wind and solar power generation are two of the most promising
renewable power generation technologies.
6
HYBRID CONTROLLER FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY POWER PLANT IN STAND-ALONE 6
SITES
• Because the peak operating times for wind and solar systems occur at different times of
the day and year, hybrid systems are more likely to produce power when you need it.
• According to many renewable energy experts, a small "hybrid" electric system that
combines home wind electric and home solar electric (photovoltaic or PV) technologies
offers several advantages over either single system.
• Mostly, wind speeds are low in the summer when the sun shines brightest and longest.
• The wind is strong in the winter when less sunlight is available.
• Because the peak operating times for wind and solar systems occur at different times of
the day and year, hybrid systems are more likely to produce power when you need it.
• Many hybrid systems are stand-alone systems, which operate "off-grid" -- not connected
to an electricity distribution system.
• For the times when neither the wind nor the solar system are producing, most hybrid
systems provide power through batteries and/or an engine generator powered by
conventional fuels, such as diesel.
• If the batteries run low, the engine generator can provide power and recharge the batteries.
• Adding an engine generator makes the system more complex, but modern electronic
controllers can operate these systems automatically.
• An engine generator can also reduce the size of the other components needed for the
system. Keep in mind that the storage capacity must be large enough to supply electrical
needs during non-charging periods.
• Battery banks are typically sized to supply the electric load for one to three days.
• Microgrids are independently controlled (small) electric
networks, powered by local units (distributed generation).
Distributed Generation: Concept (a first approach)
Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems
 On the other hand, the proposed renewable energy based system helps in:

❖Decrease environmental pollution

❖ Reduction of air emission

❖Energy saving
❖ Reduces production and purchase of fossil fuels

❖Abatement of global warming

❖ CO2 and other green house gases are not produced

❖Socioeconomic development
❖ Develops employment opportunities in rural areas

❖Fuel supply diversity

❖ Diversity of energy carriers and suppliers

❖Distributed power generation

❖ Reduces requirement for transmission lines within the electricity grid

HYBRID CONTROLLER FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY POWER PLANT IN STAND-ALONE SITES 13

 Challenges
Site dependence of renewable sources
➢Site survey with long term data acquisition & forecasting

Hybrid renewable energy system design

➢Configuration and sizing of the hybrid system components with the
objectives:
➢Supplying the power reliably under varying atmospheric conditions
➢Minimizing the total cost of the system
➢Maximizing the system efficiency by efficient energy flow management strategies

➢Optimization through simulation studies under real operating conditions for

a reasonable tradeoff among conflicting design objectives

14
Challenges

Economic viability
➢Cost-benefit analysis of hybrid system for reasonable payback period

Real world application

➢ Design of power conditioning devices with maximum power point
operation of energy sources
➢ Optimal energy management strategies and their testing with laboratory
prototype hybrid controller
➢ Development of hardware and associated software for field-
implementation

15
 Sustainable Energy for All
• UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls on
governments, businesses, and civil society to
make significant commitments to accomplish
three objectives by 2030
 STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES

• Energy storage is important for utility load leveling, electrical vehicles, solar energy
systems, uninterrupted power supply, and energy systems in remote locations.
• Energy storage has always been closely associated with solar installations, including
solar heating and PV.
• Storage options are particularly essential when variable sources are used in islanding
and standalone power systems.
• Figure 5.5 presents a sample topology for a microgrid system.
Figure 5.5. Microgrid topology with storage technologies.
There are two principal reasons why energy storage will grow in importance with the
increased development of RER:
1. Many important RER are intermittent, generating when the weather dictates, rather than
when energy demand dictates.
2. Many transportation systems require energy to be carried with the vehicle. Storage
options can be evaluated based on the characteristic of the application, for example,
whether the application requires portable or fixed storage methods, the duration when
storage will be operational, and the maximum power needed for the application. The
selection of the proper storage technology is based on the following parameters:
• Unit Size : Scale of technology. Storage technologies have an associated range for
application, for example, large units support grid - connected RER technologies.
• Storage Capacity : Total store of available energy after charging.

• Available Capacity : Average value of power output based on the state of charge/depth of

discharge.
• Self - discharge Time : Time required for a fully charged, non – interconnected storage

device to reach a certain depth of discharge (DOD), this is contingent on the operational
condition of the system.
• Efficiency : Ratio of energy output from the device to the energy input issue of conversion

technology and design of RER and storage and conversion needed.

• Durability or Life - cycle : Number of consecutive charge - discharge cycles a storage
installation can undergo while maintaining the installations and other specifications within
limited ranges. Life - cycle specifications are made against a chosen DOD depending on the
applications of the storage device.
• Autonomy: Ratio between energy capacity and maximum discharge power; indicates the

maximum amount of time the system can continuously release energy.

• Mass and Volume Densities: Amount of energy accumulated per unit mass or volume of

the storage unit.

• Cost: Cost of installation, operation, and maintenance of storage technology; cost should

be analyzed throughout system lifespan.

• Feasibility: Degree of adaptability to the storage applications.

• Reliability: Guarantee of service.

Additional information characteristics include monitoring and control equipment,

operational constraints, environmental impacts, ease of maintenance, simplicity of design,
operational flexibility, and response time for energy release. Table 5.2 compares the
options.
TABLE 5.2. Comparison of Storage Technology Options
Cont...
THANK YOU!!!