Hybrid power systems with emission minimization: Multi-objective optimal operation

Abstract

The demand of electrical power and energy is exponentially increased with the advancement of science and technology in past decades. To fulfil this increasing demand of energy, the burden on conventional fossil fuel based units has continuously been raised, which in turn has severe consequences on the environment. A clean pollution free and healthy environment necessitates the reduction in the use of conventional fossil fuel based units. In this context, integration of non-conventional and renewable power generation facilities with conventional power generators, for instance, hybrid power system is gaining attention. However, the intermittent posed by renewable power generation facilities may make the scheduling of generators and power system operation extremely challenging. These issues and its possible solution have been addressed in this proposed study. An attempt has been made in the evaluation of an optimum generation scheduling and coordination among different hybrid power system configurations in the form of wind-thermal, hydro-thermal-wind and hydro-thermal-wind-solar systems. This stochastic optimal power flow problem of the proposed system has been formulated in a multi-objective optimization framework while incorporating real-time operational constraints. A mathematical model, operational analysis and comparative evaluation between the optimum operational paradigms obtained with a modified bacteria foraging algorithm for wind-thermal, hydro-thermal-wind and hydro-thermal-wind-solar systems have been implemented. The effectiveness and promising solutions of hydro-thermal-wind-solar in response to fulfill the operational objectives like cost effective operation, minimization of transmission loss, emission and voltage variation over other hybrid configurations in multi-objective stochastic optimal power flow environment as implemented in IEEE30 bus power system has been demonstrated.