Simulation and Optimisation of Utility-Scale PV-Wind Systems with Pumped Hydro Storage

Based on economic feasibility, renewable generators can use pumped hydro storage (PHS) to improve their profitability by performing energy arbitrage under real time pricing (RTP) schemes. In this paper, we present a new method to optimise the size and manage utility-scale wind-PV systems using PHS with energy arbitrage under RTP. The storage in the PHS is used to supply load consumption and/or energy arbitrage. Further, both load supply and power-generating systems are considered, and a genetic algorithm metaheuristic technique is used to perform the optimisation efficiently. Irradiance, wind speed, temperature, hourly electricity price, component characteristics, and financial data are used as data, and the system is simulated in 15 min time steps during the system lifetime for each combination of components and control variables. Uncertainty is considered for the meteorological data and electricity prices. The pump and turbine efficiencies and available head and penstock losses are considered as variables (not fixed values) to obtain accurate simulations. A sample application in Spain is demonstrated by performing a sensitivity analysis of different locations, electricity prices, and costs. The PHS is not worth considering with the present cost of components.