Optimization of the hybrid power system of the Canary Islands including marine renewable energies.
01 HYB24-16
Presented by: Sara Ramos-Marin
Energy security and global climate goals are driving the world evermore towards an energy transition. As many other small islands, the Canary Islands depend heavily on fossil fuel imports. Currently the archipelago’s electric system is characterised by an electric mix where about the 80% of the power supply comes from thermoelectric and co-generation power plants. Although the penetration of different renewable energy sources (REs) has been increasing within the island’s electricity market, they currently constitute only 20% of the electricity supply (wind, solar PV, hydroelectric, hydric and biogas). Moreover, land availability is often scarce in these islands due to significant and extensive natural and biosphere reserves, as well as a high degree of competition for the available land among various users . However, the archipelago has great marine energy potential, and thus constitutes an attractive opportunity for the development of marine renewable energy (MRE) technologies.
Motivated by the archipelago’s energy transition towards a more sustainable and self-sufficient electricity system, this research assesses the optimal configuration of a hybrid stand-alone grid system for the Canary Islands that attains 100% renewable energy penetration, removing fossil fuel reliance and boosting self-sufficiency. The use of offshore renewable energies has been prioritized. Each island microgrid has been designed to combine currently existing inland renewable energy technologies, complemented by a utility-scale battery and different novel forms of offshore renewable energy: namely offshore wind, floating PV, and wave energy. A genetic algorithm is used to solve the optimization problem, which aims to minimize the total cost of electricity generation by the system, while being subject to reliability and spatial constraints such as the Loss of Power Supply Probability and the maximum available marine space for the exploitation of offshore marine energy.
Input data about climate, technology performance, energy costs and electric demand are retrieved from climate simulation reanalyses, technology developers’ inputs, literature reports and regional statistics, respectively. The ArcGIS tool has been used for the delineation of available marine space, while the MATLAB software has been utilized to program and resolve the optimization problem. Furthermore, the annual operation of the optimum system for each scenario is simulated and the power generation and cost benefits of each component have been analysed.
The results aim to demonstrate the relevance and feasibility of MRE penetration into the Canary Island’s electricity market. They are expected to support energy planners and other decision-makers in prioritising RE integration as part of the electricity sector development, and in defining marine areas for the implementation of new MRE technologies.
Motivated by the archipelago’s energy transition towards a more sustainable and self-sufficient electricity system, this research assesses the optimal configuration of a hybrid stand-alone grid system for the Canary Islands that attains 100% renewable energy penetration, removing fossil fuel reliance and boosting self-sufficiency. The use of offshore renewable energies has been prioritized. Each island microgrid has been designed to combine currently existing inland renewable energy technologies, complemented by a utility-scale battery and different novel forms of offshore renewable energy: namely offshore wind, floating PV, and wave energy. A genetic algorithm is used to solve the optimization problem, which aims to minimize the total cost of electricity generation by the system, while being subject to reliability and spatial constraints such as the Loss of Power Supply Probability and the maximum available marine space for the exploitation of offshore marine energy.
Input data about climate, technology performance, energy costs and electric demand are retrieved from climate simulation reanalyses, technology developers’ inputs, literature reports and regional statistics, respectively. The ArcGIS tool has been used for the delineation of available marine space, while the MATLAB software has been utilized to program and resolve the optimization problem. Furthermore, the annual operation of the optimum system for each scenario is simulated and the power generation and cost benefits of each component have been analysed.
The results aim to demonstrate the relevance and feasibility of MRE penetration into the Canary Island’s electricity market. They are expected to support energy planners and other decision-makers in prioritising RE integration as part of the electricity sector development, and in defining marine areas for the implementation of new MRE technologies.