PSO Optimized PV-Wind-Battery System for Satisfying the Electrical Needs of a Remote Area

With the growing interest in harnessing renewable energy resources because of their natural availability, clean and inexhaustible nature, a hybrid energy system employing renewable energy sources offers an attractive option to meet the electrical demands of remotely located locations. The main focus of this study is to find the optimal system configuration for satisfying the load demand of a cluster of villages located in a remote district of Uttarakhand, India using the available solar and wind resources in the region. A methodology based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) is adopted for optimal sizing of the system. Various system configurations are examined and compared among themselves considering total system cost and cost of energy (COE). According to the study results, the hybrid photovoltaic (PV)-wind-battery system appear cost effective as compared to standalone PV-battery and Wind-battery systems having lowest total system cost of Rs.7.72 lakh and COE of Rs. 18.47. Hence, the hybrid integration of PV-wind-battery system is most techno-economically viable option for the case study area.