Efficiency of solar and wind energy use in the countries of Central and North-East Asia

Abstract

This paper investigates the effectiveness of renewable energy sources using solar and wind energy in the countries of Central and North-East Asia. The analysis was carried out in two stages. At the first stage, the efficiency of wind and solar installations in different climatic conditions was compared by the criterion of the cost of electricity. At the next stage of analysis, an optimization mathematical model was used to study the system that simultaneously includes wind and solar installations, backup energy sources and batteries. The model takes into account system effects caused by the interaction of the system elements between themselves and with the environment. It solves the problem of mathematical programming — the search for the minimum of the objective function (total costs) at some constrains. The model is used to study the economic efficiency of the large-scale construction of solar power plants in the Gobi Desert. It is shown that the joint use of solar and wind energy gives a positive economic effect, i.e. energy cost are less than with separate use of these energy sources. Under suitable wind conditions such systems reduces the cost of electricity by more than a quarter compared to the option of using solar energy only.