Techno-Economic Analysis of a Grid-Connected Hybrid Solar–Wind Energy System

Abstract

Solar and wind resources are the two renewable energy sources that are generating the major portion of the renewable energy-based electricity. Both these sources are intermittent in nature when considered separately. But when solar and wind system are combined and operated in hybrid mode, the reliability of electrical system is much better in comparison with the system based on single source of renewable energy. In this paper, a grid-connected hybrid energy system (HES) consisting of solar photovoltaic (SPV) and wind energy (WE) system which is modelled to supply power to 50 MW constant load. HOMER software is used for solar–wind hybrid system modelling by considering five cases in which the load share of SPV are 0, 30, 50, 70 and 100%, while remaining percentage of load is supplied through wind energy system. Soda site at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan (India), is considered for installing the Solar PV–Wind hybrid system. The variations in net present cost and levelized cost of electricity are analyzed by varying turbine loss factor and grid power purchase price. It was estimated that the renewable fraction is maximum for the hybrid system in which share of each of solar and wind energy is 50% of the load, if turbine losses are taken into consideration. Assuming the power purchase price of Rs. 6/kWh from the grid and supply price of Rs. 5/kWh to the grid, levelized cost of electricity for the system is Rs. 2.92/kWh, Rs. 3.37/kWh and Rs. 3.24/kWh when the wind turbine overall loss factor is assumed as 0, 11.55 and 16.20%, respectively.