Grid value of co-located offshore renewable energy

Abstract

Co-locating renewable energy sources such as wave power, solar photovoltaic and wind power, forming a hybrid power plant, may reduce the overall variability, increase the utilization of the transmission system, and reduce the needed physical area. An important topic to address regarding the formation of hybrid power plants is which energy sources to co-locate, and to what proportions these energy sources should be included in the hybrid power plant. In this study, offshore hybrid power plants are analyzed in the North Sea region. By minimizing the plant variability the proportions of each energy source are found, forming the plant with minimal need for energy storage for constant power output operation. The added grid value of such plants is analyzed in terms of electrical infrastructure utilization and power production ramping. It is found that in conditions suitable for the wave energy converter used in the study, a plant configuration of 23% wave power, 22% wind power and 55% solar minimizes the need for energy storage. It is shown that the inclusion of wave power in a hybrid power plant lowers ramping of power generation, increases the capacity factor and provides an overall higher grid value compared to stand-alone installations.