A Feasibility Evaluation of a Combined Solar and Wind Energy System in Taiwan

Solar energy and wind energy can be converted to electrical power by photovoltaic (PV) cell and wind turbine, respectively. A combined generation system using the both energies has widely been adopted in the world especially for isolated areas with high levels of irradiation and wind speed. In this paper, solar radiation upon a single-axis tracked panel and wind speed data in the northern, central and southern regions of Taiwan are analyzed according to different time periods. Both the total energy of the combined system and associated energy ratios are determined too. It is found that the solar and wind energy compensate each other very well, irrespective of the regions studied, and reveal a balance situation near April and September. Generally, during the winter months, wind potential energy is higher while solar energy is lower and vice versa during the summer months. That is, electricity generated by PV cell and wind turbine can be delivered to the same grid system to enhance its reliability. Several numerical examples of design areas for PV cell and wind turbine in the combined system are proposed for a specified power demand.