A novel off-grid hybrid power system comprised of solar photovoltaic, wind, and hydro energy sources

Several factors must be considered before adopting a full-phase power generation system based on renewable energy sources. Long-term necessary data (for one year if possible) should be collected before making any decisions concerning implementation of such a systems. To accurately assess the potential of available resources, we measured solar irradiation, wind speed, and ambient temperature at two high-altitude locations in Nepal: the Lama Hotel in Rasuwa District and Thingan in Makawanpur District. Here, we propose two practical, economical hybridization methods for small off-grid systems consisting entirely of renewable energy sources-specifically solar photovoltaic (PV), wind, and micro-hydro sources. One of the methods was tested experimentally, and the results can be applied to help achieve Millennium Development Goal 7: Ensuring environmental sustainability. Hydro, wind, and solar photovoltaic energy are the top renewable energy sources in terms of globally installed capacity. However, no reports have been published about off-grid hybrid systems comprised of all three sources, making this implementation the first of its kind anywhere. This research may be applied as a practical guide for implementing similar systems in various locations. Of the four off-grid PV systems installed by the authors for village electrification in Nepal, one was further hybridized with wind and hydro power sources. This paper presents a novel approach for connecting renewable energy sources to a utility mini-grid. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This work was supported by grants from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Korean government (MEST) (Nos. 2011K1A5A2000071, 2014K1A3A9A01033755), and by cluster projects in the School of Engineering of Seoul National University