LAUSR

Abstract Hybrid power systems are alternative devices to isolated power demands, which can also contribute to reducing fossil fuel dependence. They typically combine renewable and fossil sources with energy storage devices, being flexible, reliable, and economically attractive. This paper presents the Hybrid Systems Sources Diagram (HSSD), an algorithmic methodology, which, from a set of energy sources and respective features and availability, allows the definition of the best source scheme allocation, corresponding to the minimum target of outsourced electricity, considering or not the presence of batteries. Moreover, in a unique structure, start-up and daily operations, energy losses and also intermittent behaviors of the sources and demands can be easily treated. Results show that loss considerations achieve a more realistic outlook since the minimum target of outsourced electricity considering losses is 165% larger than neglecting them. One case study shows the application when intermittent sources and demands have a variable power rating, where HSSD achieves the same results comparing to other technique. Also, a sensitivity analysis was made to show the effect of available source variations on the minimum battery capacity and outsourced electricity, showing that the wind source reacts more sensitively to changes than the solar.