HYBRID
SYSTEMS
POWERING THE FUTURE.
Hybrid energy systems integrate several types of energy generation equipment such as electrical energy generators, electrical energy storage systems, and renewable energy sources. They may be utilized in grid-connected mode or isolated from grid and are designed to overcome uncertainties associated with renewable power production and load demands.
In much of the United States for example, wind speeds are low in the summer when the sun shines brightest and longest. The wind is strong in the winter when less sunlight is available. Because the peak operating times for wind and solar systems occur at different times of the day and year, hybrid systems are more likely to produce power when you need it.
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Many hybrid systems are stand-alone systems, which operate "off-grid" -- not connected to an electricity distribution system. For the times when neither the wind nor the solar system are producing, most hybrid systems provide power through batteries and/or an engine generator powered by conventional fuels, such as diesel. If the batteries run low, the engine generator can provide power and recharge the batteries.
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Adding an engine generator makes the system more complex, our electronic control system can operate everything automatically. An engine generator can also reduce the size of the other components needed for the system.
Hybrid energy systems represent a very promising sustainable solution for power generation in stand-alone applications. Research and development carried out in these emerging technologies show continual reduction in the cost of the systems, despite the complex procedure involved in the design and optimization of these systems.
Hybrid energy systems can offer better energy security, as they incorporate diverse energy sources for better sustainability. Usually, hybrid systems are designed in conjunction with renewable energies, with the goal of compensating for the fluctuating and intermittent nature of those energies. Sometimes these hybrid systems are called integrated renewable energy systems and normally follow one of these two main options:
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• The hybrid system is primarily based on renewable energies and uses a conventional power generation subsystem (e.g., diesel generator) in the periods when there is a peak demand or not sufficient availability of the primary resource.
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• The hybrid system is primarily based on a conventional power generator and uses some renewable energy subsystems to supplement the power generation or to save fuel, especially during the off-peak periods.
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Contact ProGen to see if your next Power Project would benefit from a Hybrid Solution