Minding the P\u27s and Q\u27s: Real and reactive power assessment of hybrid energy conversion systems with wind and solar resources

摘要

The growing concern over environmental degradation resulting from combustion of fossil fuels and fluctuating oil prices has raised awareness about alternative energy options and has encouraged many countries to provide new policies promoting renewable energy. Such variable renewable energy sources like wind and solar are environment friendly and have potential to be more widely used. Combining these renewable energy sources with back-up units to form a Hybrid Energy Conversion System (HECS) can provide a more economic and reliable supply of electricity under different load demand conditions compared to single use of such systems.A major limitation of the wind and solar options is their inherent variability and dependence on weather conditions. Their power outputs are not dispatchable by system operators as conventional generation. However, it may be possible to avoid the emergency circumstances surrounding fluctuations in renewable energy production like sudden drops or surges by evaluating complementary characteristics of some renewables. Because, different alternative energy sources can complement each other to some extent, multi-source hybrid energy systems have greater potential to provide higher quality and more reliable power to customers than a system based on a single resource. This project proposes a comprehensive planning approach to tackling the issues of wind and solar integration into the power grid and develops a procedural tool that will facilitate hybrid generation.The scope of this dissertation addresses the development of optimal planning procedures for power generation from non-dispatchable wind, solar and other dispatchable facilities. Several tools have been developed with focus ranging from resource identification to optimal sizing determination and grid connection. Historical meteorological data for solar irradiance and wind speed and power transmission information have been analyzed to provide suitable hybrid locations and optimal sizing. Models for wind, solar and reserves for power system simulation studies have been developed. Long term voltage stability has been evaluated iteratively through system studies and contingency analysis. Based on the application of the developed methodologies on a sample PSSE 23-bus system and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) system, several conclusions and performance indicators for HECS have been drawn.