Design and energy control of stand-alone hybrid wind/photovoltaic/fuel cell power system supplying a desalination unit

Abstract

Faced with increasing trend of water demand and decreasing resources of fossil fuels and their high costs, desalination units based on renewable energies have become the best solution to face this challenge. This paper aims to investigate the design and the operation strategy of stand-alone hybrid renewable power generation system supplying a desalination unit which feeds the Kerkennah islands (Tunisia) with fresh water. The sizing of all the main hybrid system components such as photovoltaic generator, wind turbine, a fuel cell, and an electrolyzer is investigated in order to obtain some technical and economic profitability. In order to ensure the optimal use of the produced energy and satisfy the fresh water needs, a novel power management algorithm that allows controlling the energy flows within the system components is developed. Simulation results were carried out over the two months of January and July, and its results are shown in our paper. These results demonstrate the feasibility and the efficiency of the used control strategy and the performance of the hybrid system.