A 'feasibility space' as a goal to be achieved in the development of new technologies for converting renewable energies.

This method article proposes the establishment of a feasibility space as an objective to be achieved during the development of new technologies to convert energy from renewable resources. The feasibility space can also be a reference when designing an energy system based on renewable resources. The feasibility space is a set of parameter values for the design stage that define the economic and technical feasibility of an energy system or a new technology, which must be satisfied when the energy system comes into operation or when the new technology for converting power goes into operation. The study of possible feasibility spaces allows characterizing energy systems or new technologies as attractive investments, or on the other hand, as unfeasible ventures.-The method proposes to establish a goal to achieve during the development of technologies for energy conversion.-The method provides a benchmark for both the stages of design and development of generation systems and new technologies.-The feasibility space constitutes a planning tool for power systems based on renewable resources of any size.

Hybrid AC/DC microgrid test system simulation: grid-connected mode.

In this paper, a Microgrid (MG) test model based on the 14-busbar IEEE distribution system is proposed. This model can constitute an important research tool for the analysis of electrical grids in its transition to Smart Grids (SG). The benchmark is used as a base case for power flow analysis and quality variables related with SG and holds distributed resources. The proposed MG consists of DC and AC buses with different types of loads and distributed generation at two voltage levels. A complete model of this MG has been simulated using the MATLAB/Simulink environmental simulation platform. The proposed electrical system will provide a base case for other studies such as: reactive power compensation, stability and inertia analysis, reliability, demand response studies, hierarchical control, fault tolerant control, optimization and energy storage strategies.

Simplified evaluation of energetic complementarity based on monthly average data.

Energetic complementarity is a subject that has been holding more and more attention from researchers in recent years, being a concept that can be applied both in energy planning stages and in phases of operation of energy systems based on renewable energy resources. The complementarity between two renewable sources of energy has three components: time-complementarity, energy-complementarity and amplitude-complementarity, and can be determined between raw energy availabilities or between energy generated by power plants. Complementarity can be evaluated between two renewable resources in the same place or between two renewable resources in different places and these two types can be denominated respectively as temporal and spatial complementarity. This method allows simplified evaluation of the energy complementarity between two renewable resources by comparing basic parameters obtained from series of monthly average values that characterize these resources. Finally, an application example clarifies the application of the method. •The method allows a quick and visual but expeditious evaluation of energetic complementarity.•This method provides a reference value for the application of more complex methods for evaluation of complementarity.•Monthly average data allows the comparison of renewable resources with different characteristics of intermittency and variability.

Qualitative evaluation of spatial complementarity between renewable energy resources with complementarity roses.

Energetic complementarity is a subject that has been concentrating more and more attention of the researchers around the world in the last years, a concept that can be applied both in energy planning and in operation of energy systems based on renewable energy resources. Spatial complementarity is the energetic complementarity evaluated between two renewable resources in different locations and, as well as the complementarity evaluated between resources in the same location, has three components: time-complementarity, energy-complementarity and amplitude-complementarity. At the same site, however, complementarity assessment can involve multiple resources simultaneously, and the study of these circumstances requires appropriate tools to handle such information.This method paper describes a method to build complementarity roses expressing the spatial complementarity between two or more renewable energy resources throughout a region, appropriate for the expression of this complementarity through maps.

Simulating hybrid energy systems based on complementary renewable resources.

The complementarity between energy resources can influence the performance of hybrid generation and storage systems, and can also decisively influence their design. Renewable resources may have intermittent characteristics that make the study of the influence of complementarity on the performance of hybrid systems quite difficult. The establishment of a performance limit of hybrid systems based on renewable resources and the study of the effects of complementarity considering this limit can provide interesting results. This performance limit can be established with an idealization of the mathematical functions describing the energy availability of the explored renewable resources. This article presents a method for analyzing the performance of hybrid systems based on complementary resources. The method allows to evaluate the influence of different levels of complementarity between the exploited resources on the cost of energy and capacity shortage. Utilizing idealized energy availability, the result sets a performance limit. •A method to evaluate the impact of complementarity on the performance and reliability of hybrid systems.•The energy availabilities of the renewable sources are idealized and allow the characterization of a limit of performance.•Different levels of complementarity can be related with design parameters of hybrid energy and storage systems.