Optimal sizing hydrokinetic-photovoltaic system for electricity generation in a protected wildlife area of Ecuador

Abstract

Rural electrification is one of the most significant issues faced by electricity companies. For this reason, thesecompanies are choosing alternative sources to generate energy in isolated regions. Furthermore, hybrid generation systemsare an effective option for supplying protected areas. In this context, this research aims at designing an autonomoushybrid system to meet the annual electricity demand of the inhabitants of a national park. Fluvial and solar energiesare the best options to reduce environmental impact and to ensure the conservation of the endemic fauna and flora ofthe island at a low carbon footprint. The system comprises a series of subsystems modeled using commercial softwarefor sizing and optimization. The main generation subsystem contains a hydrokinetic turbine and photovoltaic panels,the storage subsystem contains a battery bank, and the backup subsystem consists of a diesel generator used in case oflack of energy from the rest of suppliers of the hybrid system. The main results of the simulation show an optimizedsystem that fulfills the energy demand while minimizing the use of the diesel generator to 5668 kWh/year (14.3%) ofthorough generation. The hydrokinetic generator supplies 20,330 kWh/year (51.4% of the total generation) and the solargenerator supplies 13,580 kWh/year (34.3%).