Technical-economic analysis of the insertion of PV power into a wind-solar hybrid system

In order to mitigate the lack of energy production, several types of energy sources have been combined in a so-called hybrid energy system; however, some economic analysis must be performed to evaluate whether the hybrid business is financially feasible. This work aims to evaluate wind-PV hybrid systems technical and economically through the simulation of a hypothetical hybrid power plant in which a case study is presented. The economic viability of PV power into wind systems is assessed by the comparison of distinct scenarios, which consider different rated power for each type of source. The paper regards the context of the Brazilian energy market and is geared toward the rules, the current tariff prices, and the mean investment applied for the construction of wind and PV systems in Brazil nowadays. The results show that a pure wind energy system is economically ideal and the continuous insertion of PV power into the wind system decreases the chances of profitability. However, for certain amount of PV rated power installed in the complex, the project maintains a high probability of being successful.