Performance evaluation of stand-alone wind/photovoltaic generating systems

This paper describes the development of a computer model for performance evaluation of stand-alone wind/photovoltaic generating systems. Models for different system components are developed, integrated and used to predict the behavior of generating systems based on available wind/solar and load data. The model is useful for evaluating the performance of stand-alone generating systems and gaining a better insight in the component sizes needed before they are built. Simulation results are presented for performance evaluation of a stand-alone generating system that has been previously designed to supply the average power demand of a typical residential house. An electric water heater model is used as a dump load, and the excess available wind/solar-generated power is used to heat the water. The heated water is used as the inlet water to the main house water heater, which is assumed to be nonelectric.