Sizing, design, and installation of an isolated wind–photovoltaic hybrid power system with battery storage for laboratory general illumination in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey

Abstract

power generation system of a size able to meet the electric power requirement for general illumination of the electric laboratory at Afyon Kocatepe University was dimensioned and installed. While determining the installation power of the hybrid wind–solar power generation system, the regional wind–solar energy potential and the magnitude of demanded power were the most important factors. It was decided to supply 400 W of the total 500 W of electric power required by the lamp group used for illumination of the electric laboratory from solar panels and 100 W from a wind turbine according to the wind–solar energy potential of the region and the cost analysis. For the hybrid energy-generation system that was designed and installed, by considering the data for the annual mean sunshine period and wind speed, the most suitable system components and thus the installation cost were determined. The electric power generated by the hybrid wind–solar power generation system and the electric power consumed by the laboratory illumination elements supplied with this system during one year were compared. According to the 12-month measurement results for power generation and consumption in the installed system, it was observed that the generated electric power was higher than the consumed electric power. Consequently, by not paying the total electric bill for electric power consumed by the general illumination elements, use of it for other education expenses was made possible. Besides, the installation costs in Turkey were compared with those in the countries of Denmark, Germany, Spain, and Portugal, where two important components of the dimensioned and installed hybrid wind–solar power generation system – wind and solar energy – are used effectively.