Wind-Hydro Pumped Storage Power Stations to Meet the Energy Demands of Irrigation: Feasibility, Optimal Design and Simulation of a System

摘要

The present study focuses on design and use of a grid connected optimal hybrid wind-hydro power station to supply energy for irrigation. To select the optimal system components, an optimization program that selects the cost-optimal wind-hydro pumped storage system components is developed and the energy flow in the system is simulated for the optimal system. Economic analysis was performed for the optimal option by calculating the key financial figures such as basic payback period (BPP), net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR). The optimal system is found to be feasible having a basic payback period of approximately eight years. Although the hybrid system has an energy storage component, still grid connection was necessary to ensure cheaper energy flow in some time periods. According the simulation results, all the components of the hybrid system are actively used and a great part of the electricity is supplied from the wind pumped hydro hybrid system. One more observation of this work is that the pumped hydro storage systems are very suitable to be used together with wind energy.