Optimization of battery energy storage system with super-capacitor for renewable energy applications

In order to deliver continuous power from renewable energy systems, such as solar and wind power, which may be intermittent, Battery/Super-Capacitor hybrid systems have been proposed. To maximize battery lifespan and storage capacity, charging/discharging cycles should be minimized. In this paper, a control strategy based on Model Predictive Control (MPC) is proposed. Perturbation of battery current is minimized and the rating of super-capacitor is optimally selected, so as to enable the battery to meet the energy demand while having the super-capacitor to meet the power requirement of the load. Simulation in MATLAB shows the proposed control strategy to be achieving a desired and optimal performance.