Recent advances in the integration of renewable energy sources and storage facilities with hybrid power systems

Optimal deployment of renewable and cleaner energy in power system operations has been the topic of interest to achieve deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. However, the intermittency of wind and solar power impedes the large-scale penetration of renewable power generation (RPG) into the power grid. Use of electrical energy storage (EES) facilities has great potential in mitigating the variability of RPG, and will allow reducing the power dependency on fossil fuel based generators (FFBG). Hybrid power systems (HPS) using both RPGs and FFBGs are an alternative means of dealing with variability problem. However, modelling different RPGs integrated with EES and FFBG in consideration of operational constraints, scheduling strategies, and other operational objectives is a challenging task. Previous research and review articles have mostly focused on the modelling, sizing, modes of operation and techno economic aspects of HPS and EES independently. However, no reviews specific to issues of various small scale to large scale EES integrated HPS operation have been published to date. This work presents a comprehensive overview of recent developments in six different EES + HPS and three hybrid EES facilities and underlines the different objectives, detailed real time operational analysis, and solution method-ologies. The discussion covers the operation of HPS in both stand-alone and grid connected mode, and looks at the growing application of artificial intelligence (AI) based scheduling strategies for the evaluation of optimal HPS operational paradigms. The proposed review will strengthen the key directions for future research of EES integration and will provide the context for the development of economic, efficient and reliable cleaner power system.