Operational behaviour of wind diesel systems incorporating short-term storage: An analysis via simulation calculations

The introduction of wind energy into autonomous electricity supplies based on a diesel generator aims at the reduction of the fuel consumption of the diesel. A storage unit integrated into the system may compensate for fluctuations in the power output of the wind turbine and raise the fuel saving potential. With the help of simulation calculations we investigate the long-term behaviour of wind diesel systems regarding different storage sizes for a site near the North Sea coast. Special emphasis is put on the stress the storage undergoes. The constraints on the application of batteries for use in wind diesel systems are highlighted. For this analysis highly resolved wind speed data are necessary. The generation of such data is described in the appendix.