Effective Planning and Analysis of Solar Panels in the Wind Farm

The hybrid power plant, which combines solar and wind energy, offers a compelling solution for generating renewable energy with improved consistency and reliability. By leveraging the unique strengths of each technology, the hybrid approach optimizes the utilization of available renewable resources, compensating for their weaknesses. This integration also mitigates the challenges of intermittency commonly associated with renewable energy sources. Furthermore, the grid integration of solar and wind hybrid plants holds the potential to meet substantial power demands during peak periods. This research focuses on an existing wind power plant situated in Isapur, India, and employs Wasp software simulation to evaluate wind potential and PVsyst software to forecast the solar generation in the considered area. Specifically, the unused areas between wind turbines are utilized to maximize energy generation through the strategic placement of solar panels. Both landscape and portrait orientations of PV panels are considered during the design phase within the unused areas of the wind farm. Comprehensive shadow analyses are conducted using SketchUp and PVsyst software tools. The 3D models of wind turbines and solar panels are seamlessly imported into PVsyst for accurate shadow analysis. The simulation results are subsequently compared for both portrait and landscape modes of PV panel placements, with and without regions affected by shading. A case study of the Isapur wind site was done with the results of 33 GWh/year of energy from combined wind and solar generation. These results also found a 10% increase in AEP in landscape mode compared to portrait mode of PV panel placement and a 20% increase in solar power after considering shadow regions with shadow losses.