Stochastic energy investment in off-grid renewable energy hub for autonomous building

Abstract

This study forms and optimises the renewable energy hub to supply load demand in the autonomous building disconnected from electrical grid (i.e. net-zero energy building). The proposed energy hub is made of hybrid wind-solar-hydro generation systems and it is also strengthened by pumped-storage hydroelectricity and hydrogen storage systems. The hydro system includes two water reservoirs in cascade connection and one pumped-storage hydroelectricity. The introduced optimisation programming designs proper capacity for cascade water reservoirs and energy storage system as well as optimises their operation. The uncertainties of parameters are included to make the stochastic programming. It is demonstrated that increasing the flow-in of reservoir 1 by 25% decreases the planning cost by ∼2.5% and decreasing the flow-in of reservoir 2 by 50% increases the planning cost by ∼16%. When the hydro system does not operate, the wind power must be increased to 10 kW in order to supply the load. When the wind and solar powers are not integrated, the hydro energy must be increased by 50%. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2019