MEC 61003 Renewable And Alternative Energies

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I. ANALYSIS OF THE PV-DISEL HYBRID SYSTEM
The PV/diesel hybrid system incorporates both photovoltaic system and diesel generator in
supplying electricity to the load. This technology aims in reducing the operation hours of a diesel
generator in every possible means.
1.1 How PV/diesel hybrid system works?
The figure below shows a schematic design of a PV/diesel hybrid system
Figure 1: PV/diesel hybrid system configuration Source:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142061512000373
The solar photovoltaic system and the diesel generator are integrated to harness a clean solar
power and at the consequently compensate for the reduction in the sun incident rays[ CITATION
Ash081 \l 1033 ]. The battery is used for storage purposes to ensure there is uninterrupted steady
supply of electricity to the load terminal. Moreover, the use of diesel generator is not encouraged
since it is costly and produce a lot of noise with emission of harmful gases to the environment
causing air pollution. The use of two sources of energy in collaboration with the battery provides
a smooth and distributed output [4]. This makes the hybrid system to be more reliable and
efficient.

The hybrid system operates as follows; under normal operations, the photovoltaic system will
supply the load terminal with enough electricity with excess being stored in the battery until it is
full. In case, there is excess energy after maximum storage is reached, the excess will be fed into
a dump load. In a situation whereby the PV array and the battery is not capable of supplying
enough electricity to the load, the diesel generator will automatically switch on to provide the
power needed in the load or charge the battery[ CITATION DKL11 \l 1033 ].
The inverter is used in the system to help convert the electric current into either an Alternating
current (AC) or Direct Current (DC) depending on the direction of flow of electric
power[ CITATION DKL11 \l 1033 ]. The PV output uses the DC while the diesel generator output
uses the AC. The battery makes use of the DC to charge while the load can sometimes require
the AC diodes to run motors, power equipment’s, and fridges. Hence the need for an inverter for
optimum power conversion and control in the system. Proper management of the hybrid system
will ensure maximum fuel economy and minimizes emission of CO2.
II. ANALYSIS OF HYBRID POWER SYSTEM (HPS)
The design of the hybrid PV/diesel energy system was obtained using the HOMER software. The
results obtained meant to provide an optimal combination of PV and diesel generation with
energy storage mechanism to provide maximum gains. The main objective of this hybrid system
is to provide a renewable source of energy with a reliable supply of energy needs at a lower cost.
2.1 Energy production
The hybrid system is not solely replaced by solar power, however, there is need for backup of the
diesel generator. This combination could only offset the quantity of diesel used [2]. This
configuration is mainly done In favor of the photovoltaic system due to its sustainability aspects
and climatic changes in order to accommodate the load demands[ CITATION Duf05 \l 1033 ]. Most
of the electricity throughout the months is generated by the photovoltaic system apart from the
rainy seasons.
2.2 Energy Flows