Optimum load management strategy for wind/diesel/battery hybrid power systems

Abstract

Abstract This paper discusses a novel load management strategy for the optimal use of renewable energy in systems with wind turbines, a battery bank, and a diesel generator. Using predictions concerning wind speed and power, controllable loads are used to minimize the energy supplied by the diesel generator and battery bank, subject to constraints imposed by the user’s behavior and duty cycle of the appliances. We analyzed a small hybrid power system in Zaragoza, Spain, and the results showed load management strategy allowed improvement in the wind power use by shifting controllable loads to wind power peaks, increasing the state of the charge in the battery bank, and reducing the diesel generator operating time, when compared to a case without load management.