Cost effective solar wind hybrid power system for coastal area

Abstract

Bangladesh is a densely populated country located at the South-East corner of Asia. Only 48.5% of people here have access to the grid electricity. Sustainable social and economic development depends on adequate power generation capacity of a country. There is no other way for accelerating development except to increase the power generation by fuel diversification. Development of Renewable Energy is one of the important strategies adopted as part of fuel diversification for economic development of coastal area a well designed solar wind hybrid energy system can be cost effective has a high reliability and can improve the quality of life of coastal areas. With right mix of solar and wind power, along with the optimum size of battery in an autonomous solar wind hybrid power system, can deliver reliable power to the coastal areas. This will reduce the over reliance on national grid and other sources of energy e.g.- diesel, natural gas etc. Consequently the greenhouse gas emission will be reduced. In this study we have first analyzed the current situation of energy and power in Bangladesh. Amidst the present situation we have built on it and from the denouement of that analysis we have gone on to assess the solar and wind energy at different coastal locations in Bangladesh. In the subsequent analysis we have tried to figure out whether the solar-wind hybrid power system is at all feasible or not. Then we have analyzed the operation of a solar-wind hybrid power system using appropriate software and finally have developed a control system for it. From the analysis is found that solar energy alone is not capable of supplying energy for the mentioned amount of load; hence wind energy or other sources are required. But wind energy is not feasible at all the locations. Wind energy was assessed for the coastal area of Bangladesh and has been found that apart from Chittagong other locations are not feasible, but can be used in conjunction with other sources. Despite using solar wind hybrid power system over 50% of unmet energy realized for every coastal location and also around 25% of excess energy is lost due to lack of storage and load. Hence unmet energy could be satiated by the prevalent power sources and excess energy could be sold to the grid with proper infrastructure. This development makes the apparent unfeasible hybrid power system a feasible one.