Optimization of a hybrid electrical power generation system to minimize fuel consumption and environmental footprint

Growing environmental issues and concerns have led to efforts to reduce CO₂ and greenhouse effect pollutant emissions in the field of electric power generation. This has led Leroy Somer to investigate systems based on hybrid technologies to reduce gen set fuel consumption and operating costs. A methodology is developed in this thesis to address issues of sizing hardware resources and their optimal use. The optimum energy management strategy is based on the dynamic programming algorithm of Bellman. It will be associated to a differential evolution optimization algorithm to optimize the design of the hybrid structure. The objective functions are obtained by developing energetic and economic models. Through this method, we show that the benefits of a hybrid generator are strongly related to its use. In cases where the generator is used on profiles with low load factors, the benefits will be significant. It will be very important to have good knowledge of load profiles applications before sizing the whole structure of the hybrid generator. A prototype of this system has been developed and has confirmed simulation results. (author)