Solar-PV & fuel cell based hybrid power solution for remote locations

Abstract

Inherently variable nature of renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind, are incapable of meeting continuous supply demand. Combining solar photovoltaic (PV) and fuel cell could offer a feasible solution to the challenge of continuous power supply, particularly in those geographical locations where renewable resources are available in abundance. The present paper investigates a solar PV and fuel cell-based hybrid system in-context to a selected site in Indian subcontinent. The feasibility of harnessing renewable energy per sq. meter of land (i.e. energy density) from a combined solar PV-fuel cell based hybrid system employed in Jodhpur location in Rajasthan is reported. The solar irradiance data for the last three decades corresponding to the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of Jodhpur is collected using PVsyst software. A novel design of PV-fuel cell hybrid system is proposed to gauge the enhanced utilization of the existing space, productivity enhancement, and energy/m2 harnessed from the utilized land. The obtained results of solar irradiance are analyzed for implementation in combination with a modified unitized regenerative fuel cell (URFC). The proposed system would outlay a path for the development of a more sustainable, effective and rugged hybrid renewable energy systems that could furnish the energy demands of the Indian sub-continent and similar geographical locations.