Sizing of Hybrid Power Systems for Off-Grid Applications Using Airborne Wind Energy

Abstract

The majority of remote locations not connected to the main electricity grid rely on diesel generators to provide electrical power. High fuel transportation costs and significant carbon emissions have motivated the development and installation of hybrid power systems using renewable energy such these locations. Because wind and solar energy is intermittent, such sources are usually combined with energy storage for a more stable power supply. This paper presents a modelling and sizing framework for off-grid hybrid power systems using airborne wind energy, solar PV, batteries and diesel generators. The framework is based on hourly time-series data of wind resources from the ERA5 reanalysis dataset and solar resources from the National Solar Radiation Database maintained by NREL. The load data also include hourly time series generated using a combination of modelled and real-life data from the ENTSO-E platform maintained by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity. The backbone of the framework is a strategy for the sizing of hybrid power system components, which aims to minimise the levelised cost of electricity. A soft-wing ground-generation-based AWE system was modelled based on the specifications provided by Kitepower B.V. The power curve was computed by optimising the operation of the system using a quasi-steady model. The solar PV modules, battery systems and diesel generator models were based on the specifications from publicly available off-the-shelf solutions. The source code of the framework in the MATLAB environment was made available through a GitHub repository. For the representation of results, a hypothetical case study of an off-grid military training camp located in Marseille, France, was described. The results show that significant reductions in the cost of electricity were possible by shifting from purely diesel-based electricity generation to an hybrid power system comprising airborne wind energy, solar PV, batteries and diesel.

The potential role of airborne and floating wind in the North Sea region

“…The capacity factors for AWE systems considered in this study are in line with previous site-specific studies and reference models by Malz et al [27], Trevisi et al [18], Reuchlin et al [8]. The difference between capacity factors for AWE compared to onshore wind turbines that were identified in these studies was expected to play out at a large scale as well when evaluating the difference in wind resource that was found by Bechtle et al [2].…”

“…Combining these properties leads to a potentially high annual energy generation [6,7]. Due to this high resource potential and degree of flexibility [8], AWE systems are considered very promising for integration into the energy system [9,10]. Furthermore, AWE systems require fewer raw materials than conventional wind turbines to generate a given amount of energy [11,12].…”

“…So far, the focus for future upscaling of AWE systems has been on reference designs [14,15] and performance estimation [16], as well as on creating maximal economic value [17]. Maximal capacity factors found in earlier site-specific studies reach values from 54% [8] up to 68% [18]. A recent International Renewable Energy Agency report refers to AWE systems as a 'potential game-changer' [19].…”

“…The work found that the economic added value of AWE is highest when applied in limited amounts and at poor wind sites. Finally, a recent study [8] investigated the use of AWE as part of off-grid energy systems and found that AWE can reduce off-grid energy system costs significantly compared to conventional wind turbines.…”

Exploring the Potential of Kite-Based Wind Power Generation: An Emulation-Based Approach

“…The potential application of this technology is as a stand-alone power generation unit in a region where conventional wind turbines are not practical. Kite-based power generators can be installed in remote locations where the utility grid is not available [46]. The kite power system in combination with battery storage system [47] can also be employed in remote locations where an uninterrupted power supply is necessary [48,49].…”