Addressing Resource Intermittency Through Co-Locating Utility-Scale Wind And Pv Systems: Strategies For Meeting Regional Electrical Demand With Renewable Energy

This thesis identifies and analyzes the benefits of co-locating wind and PV power production technologies. To analyze the benefits of co-locating wind and PV power production technologies, a novel empirically driven economic optimization model was developed. The optimization model determines the lowest possible cost system consisting of wind, PV, and storage capacity that meets the required load and energy reserve margin for any selected location. The optimization model also assumes a 100% renewable energy environment. In a 100% renewable energy environment, the total sum of power a technology can produce is only one factor. A technology’s consistency and variability of power production, the timing of its power production in comparison to peak loads, and its cost, are also significant factors in determining a location’s optimal combination mix of renewable energy technology capacities.The main goal is to always meet load demand for the least expensive cost. A mix of renewable energy technologies that can always satisfy load demand at exceedingly high probabilities, and do so at the lowest expense, should be preferred.