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Energies
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Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Remote Sites 2019
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Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Remote Sites 2019

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A: Sustainable Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2019) | Viewed by 27250

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Adrian Ilinca

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
École de Technologie Supérieure, Université du Québec, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
Interests: hybrid energy systems; engineering; aeroelasticity; wind–diesel coupling with storage; wind power; digital fluid mechanics; energy storage; cold climate renewable energy systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In remote areas, which are difficult to access and not connected to the main electric grids, electricity is commonly provided by diesel generators. They represent a continuous, stable, and safe energy supply. However, for economic and environmental reasons, hybrid systems using renewable energies are increasingly used. Based on solar, wind, biomass, or hydraulic energy, these hybrid systems face challenges associated with intermittency and the variability of renewable sources. Energy storage and charge management are among the technology solutions used to increase the penetration of renewable energy.

This Special Issue focuses on recent advances in the design, optimization, operation, and test cases of hybrid renewable energy systems in remote sites.  The issue addresses a wide range of topics, including

  • Renewable energy sources estimation in remote sites
  • The design and optimization of renewable energy technologies and hybrid systems for remote sites and isolated grids
  • Energy storage technologies adapted for hybrid energy systems
  • Installation and operation challenges associated with hybrid systems in remote sites
  • Charge control and smart grid technologies for isolated grids

Prof. Dr. Adrian Ilinca
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • renewable energy
  • hybrid energy systems
  • remote sites, isolated grids
  • energy storage
  • smart grids
  • charge control

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 859 KiB  
Article
Computer Model for Financial, Environmental and Risk Analysis of a Wind–Diesel Hybrid System with Compressed Air Energy Storage
by Youssef Benchaabane, Rosa Elvira Silva, Hussein Ibrahim, Adrian Ilinca, Ambrish Chandra and Daniel R. Rousse
Energies 2019, 12(21), 4054; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12214054 - 24 Oct 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2785
Abstract
Remote and isolated communities in Canada experience gaps in access to stable energy sources and must rely on diesel generators for heat and electricity. However, the cost and environmental impact resulting from the use of fossil fuels, especially in local energy production, heating, [...] Read more.
Remote and isolated communities in Canada experience gaps in access to stable energy sources and must rely on diesel generators for heat and electricity. However, the cost and environmental impact resulting from the use of fossil fuels, especially in local energy production, heating, industrial processes and transportation are compelling reasons to support the development and deployment of renewable energy hybrid systems. This paper presents a computer model for economic analysis and risk assessment of a wind–diesel hybrid system with compressed air energy storage. The proposed model is developed from the point of view of the project investor and it includes technical, financial, risk and environmental analysis. Robustness is evaluated through sensitivity analysis. The model has been validated by comparing the results of a wind–diesel case study against those obtained using HOMER (National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States) and RETScreen (Natural Resources Canada, Government of Canada, Canada) software. The impact on economic performance of adding energy storage system in a wind–diesel hybrid system has been discussed. The obtained results demonstrate the feasibility of such hybrid system as a suitable power generator in terms of high net present value and internal rate of return, low cost of energy, as well as low risk assessment. In addition, the environmental impact is positive since less fuel is used. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Remote Sites 2019)
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18 pages, 938 KiB  
Article
Computer Model for a Wind–Diesel Hybrid System with Compressed Air Energy Storage
by Nicolas Martinez, Youssef Benchaabane, Rosa Elvira Silva, Adrian Ilinca, Hussein Ibrahim, Ambrish Chandra and Daniel R. Rousse
Energies 2019, 12(18), 3542; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12183542 - 16 Sep 2019
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2921
Abstract
A hybrid system combines two or more energy sources as an integrated unit to generate electricity. The nature of the sources associated varies between renewable and/or non-renewable energies. Such systems are becoming popular as stand-alone power systems to provide electricity, especially in off [...] Read more.
A hybrid system combines two or more energy sources as an integrated unit to generate electricity. The nature of the sources associated varies between renewable and/or non-renewable energies. Such systems are becoming popular as stand-alone power systems to provide electricity, especially in off grid remote areas where diesel generators act as primary energy source. Wind–diesel systems are among the preferred solutions for new installations, as well as the upgrade of existing ones. However, efforts to address technical challenges towards energy transformation for sustainable development are multiple. The use of energy storage systems is a solution to reduce energy costs and environmental impacts. Indeed, efficient and distributed storage not only allows the electricity grid greater flexibility in the face of demand variations and greater robustness thanks to the decentralization of energy sources, it also offers a solution to increase the use of intermittent renewables in the energy mix. Among different technologies for electrical energy storage, compressed air energy storage is proven to achieve high wind energy penetration and optimal operation of diesel generators. This paper presents a computer model for performance evaluation of a wind–diesel hybrid system with compressed air energy storage. The model has been validated by comparing the results of a wind–diesel case study against those obtained using HOMER software (National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States). Different operation modes of the hybrid system are then explored. The impact of hybridization on time and frequency of operation for each power source, fuel consumption and energy dissipation has been determined. Recommendations are made on the choice of key parameters for system optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Remote Sites 2019)
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17 pages, 3909 KiB  
Article
Gen-Set Control in Stand-Alone/RES Integrated Power Systems
by Alessandro Corsini, Luca Cedola, Francesca Lucchetta and Eileen Tortora
Energies 2019, 12(17), 3353; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12173353 - 30 Aug 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2285
Abstract
Power supply in stand-alone power systems, such those in non-grid connected islands, represents an important area of study in investigating smart energy concepts. In particular, the discontinuity in renewable energy availability and the mismatch with power demand are likely to hinder grid stability [...] Read more.
Power supply in stand-alone power systems, such those in non-grid connected islands, represents an important area of study in investigating smart energy concepts. In particular, the discontinuity in renewable energy availability and the mismatch with power demand are likely to hinder grid stability and overall system efficiency. Typically, the load-levelling relies on diesel engine gen-sets which suffer the modulation of power output resulting in increased operation costs and life time reduction. Although energy storage can complement power fluxes balance, a proper dispatch strategy is needed in order to improve diesel engine operations in Renewable Energy Source (RES) integrated systems. The present study investigates the merit of a dispatch strategy aiming at improving gen-set performance in a hybrid RES/storage/Diesel Engine Generator set (DEGS) power configuration. The proposed dispatch strategy is modelled in a transient simulation software, with hourly based analysis over a year period and is applied to a small island case study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Remote Sites 2019)
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19 pages, 8724 KiB  
Article
Economic and Environmental Multiobjective Optimization of a Wind–Solar–Fuel Cell Hybrid Energy System in the Colombian Caribbean Region
by Guillermo Valencia, Aldair Benavides and Yulineth Cárdenas
Energies 2019, 12(11), 2119; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12112119 - 03 Jun 2019
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4032
Abstract
A hybrid system was analyzed and optimized to produce electric energy in non-interconnected zones in the Colombian Caribbean region, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the improvement in efficient energy management. A comparative analysis of the performance of hybrid was [...] Read more.
A hybrid system was analyzed and optimized to produce electric energy in non-interconnected zones in the Colombian Caribbean region, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the improvement in efficient energy management. A comparative analysis of the performance of hybrid was conducted using a proposed model, built with historical data for meteorological conditions, wind speed, and solar radiation. The model is integrated by a Southwest Wind Power Inc. wind turbine AIR 403, a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM), an electrolyzer, a solar panel, and a regulator based on proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) controllers to manipulate oxygen and hydrogen flow entering in the fuel cell. The transient responses of the cell voltage, current, and power were obtained for the demand of 200 W under changes in solar radiation and wind speed for each day of the year 2013 in different meteorological stations, such as Ernesto Cortissoz airport, Puerto Bolívar, Alfonso Lopez airport, and Simon Bolívar airport. Through the adjustment of the hydrogen and oxygen flow into the fuel cell, the maximum contribution of power generation from the fuel cell was presented for the Simon Bolívar airport in November with a value of 158.35 W (9.45%). Multiobjective design optimization under a Pareto diagram front is presented for each place studied to minimize the levelized cost of energy and CO2 emission, where the objective control variables are the number of panel and stack in the photovoltaic (PV) system and PEM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Remote Sites 2019)
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19 pages, 1542 KiB  
Article
Research Insights and Knowledge Headways for Developing Remote, Off-Grid Microgrids in Developing Countries
by Abhi Chatterjee, Daniel Burmester, Alan Brent and Ramesh Rayudu
Energies 2019, 12(10), 2008; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12102008 - 25 May 2019
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4718
Abstract
Recent reports from international energy agencies indicate that more than a billion of the population in the world is deprived of basic electricity provisions, confined mainly to the remote communities of developing nations. Microgrids are promoted as a potential technology for electricity provisions [...] Read more.
Recent reports from international energy agencies indicate that more than a billion of the population in the world is deprived of basic electricity provisions, confined mainly to the remote communities of developing nations. Microgrids are promoted as a potential technology for electricity provisions to off-grid rural communities, but have failed to reach their value proposition in the context of rural electrification access. In view of the rampant rural electrification issues, the objective of this paper is to furnish an understanding of, and advance the knowledge into, methods to facilitate the design and development of microgrid systems for remote communities in developing countries. The methodology involves an integrative review process of an annotated bibliography to summarise past empirical or theoretical literature. As such, this research is based on evaluation attributes, and identifies the challenges and barriers for remote microgrids through an analysis of 19 case studies. The paper concludes by proposing key aspects that need to be considered for developing a framework to improve the sustainability of electricity provisions for off-grid rural communities in developing countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Remote Sites 2019)
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27 pages, 1968 KiB  
Article
Methodology for the Energy Need Assessment to Effectively Design and Deploy Mini-Grids for Rural Electrification
by Valeria Gambino, Riccardo Del Citto, Paolo Cherubini, Carlo Tacconelli, Andrea Micangeli and Romano Giglioli
Energies 2019, 12(3), 574; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12030574 - 12 Feb 2019
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 9365
Abstract
In order to successfully deploy a large number of decentralized energy systems in developing countries, it is necessary to standardize effective methodologies and procedures to develop off-grid/mini-grid systems. Considering that the energy need assessment provides inputs and assumptions used in business modelling and [...] Read more.
In order to successfully deploy a large number of decentralized energy systems in developing countries, it is necessary to standardize effective methodologies and procedures to develop off-grid/mini-grid systems. Considering that the energy need assessment provides inputs and assumptions used in business modelling and mini-grid design, the accuracy of its results directly affects the technical and financial feasibility studies. Thus, the approach for applying a proven methodology for the energy need assessment of rural communities is aimed at obtaining reliable input data for the mini-grid development. This helps in reducing both the financial challenges by mitigating the uncertainties in electricity demand and the technical challenges by contributing to adequately size off-grid power generation systems, with a view to boost toward a common overall objective of mini-grid’s optimization methods and tools. Hence, taking into consideration that target communities differ in terms of needs and context conditions, the proposed paper describes an inclusive methodology that can be adapted case-by-case. It provides an effective applied solution the lack of proven guidelines from project developers or literature, giving priority to data collection methods able to achieve a large sample representative of the market, with high accuracy in estimating the energy consumptions from electricity substitutes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Remote Sites 2019)
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