A software tool for capacity optimization of hybrid power systems including renewable energy technologies based on a hybrid genetic algorithm—tabu search optimization methodology

This paper presents a software tool that has been developed for optimal configuration of hybrid power systems. These systems can be either interconnected to the main power grid or operated autonomously, and may contain a variety of components, including dispatchable generators (e.g., diesel generators, microturbines, biogas generators), non-dispatchable renewable energy technologies (e.g., wind turbines, photovoltaics), batteries, converters and dump loads. A software tool that optimizes such systems has been developed in MATLAB, using a combination of genetic algorithms and tabu search. The optimal configuration is expressed in terms of minimum cost of electricity (in €/kWh), taking into account operational and component size constraints. The needed input includes weather data (e.g., solar, wind, and temperature time-series), load data, system components data, and general parameters (e.g., project lifetime, discount rate). As a case study, in this paper the tool is used for evaluating an autonomous hybrid power system that includes renewable energy technologies in Chania region, Crete. Moreover, the performance of the tool is investigated for seven additional scenarios of the case study, via sensitivity analysis, studying the effect on the results of the uncertainty of weather and cost data.