Hybrid Renewable Systems for Small Energy Communities: What Is the Best Solution?
Source abstract
Abstract
This research developed smart integrated hybrid renewable systems for small energy communities and applied them to a real system to achieve energy self-sufficiency and promote sustainable decentralized energy generation. It compares stand-alone (SA) and grid-connected (GC) configurations using a developed optimized mathematical model and data-driven optimization, with economic analysis of various renewable combinations (PV, Wind, PHS, BESS, and Grid) to search for the optimal solution. Four cases were developed: two stand-alone (SA1: PV + Wind + PHS, SA2: PV + Wind + PHS + BESS) and two grid-connected (GC1: PV + PHS + Grid, GC2: Wind + PHS + Grid). GC2 shows the most economical with stable cash flow (−€123.2 annually), low CO2 costs (€367.2), and 91.7% of grid independence, requiring 125 kW of installed power. While GC options had lower initial investments (between €157k to €205k), the SA configurations provided lower levelized costs of energy (LCOE) ranging from €0.039 to €0.044/kWh. The integration of pumped hydropower storage enhances energy independence, supporting peak loads for up to two days with a storage capacity of 2.17 MWh.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems · Integrated Energy Systems Optimization · Wind Energy Research and Development
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Instituto Superior Técnico, CERIS, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering Department, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Instituto de Hidráulica y Saneamiento Ambiental, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena 130001, Colombia
Agrifood and Rural Engineering Department, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
School of Engineering, RMIT University, 124 La Trobe St, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
Funding
FCT · INTERREG ATLANTIC AREA PROGRAMME
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