Hybrid Solar Wind System: Pros And Cons

Before diving nose-down to find out everything about a hybrid solar wind system, we’d like to make you aware of the biggest debate of the decade – whether or not renewable energy sources can replace fossil fuels!  

Stepping towards a sustainable environment is the need of the hour. Since fossil fuels are killing the planet, only renewable energy sources can beat the need for fossil fuels.  

The two most abundant renewable energy sources are the sun and the wind. Combined and converted into a single energy source via artificial means, they are known as hybrid solar wind systems.

What is a hybrid solar wind system? 

Hybrid systems, mostly known as solar wind hybrid systems, are more advantageous than single-powered systems, such as wind and solar lights. 

In this system, solar and wind energies are combined to produce green electricity. 

Do you know in which states of India wind energy is predominant? Well, in the states like Gujarat, Goa, Orissa, and many others, located near the seaside, wind speed is quite high, reaching up to 29 kmph during monsoons. 

These massive wind speeds are sufficient to fuel windmills and turbines to generate electricity. 

Fun fact: Winds are stronger in winters due to less sunlight and high atmospheric pressure. 

Why Do We Need A Hybrid Solar Wind System?

Sunlight is at its peak during summers. A single solar or wind system installed in your home will produce ample electricity in summer. The efficiency, sadly, will drop in the winter season. 

During winters, a single energy system cannot operate at its maximum efficiency. Hence, the better choice is to install a hybrid solar wind system. 

The cost might be more than installing a single system, but it will be a one-time investment and better in the long run. 

How Does The Hybrid Solar Wind System Work? 

Solar wind hybrid systems are needed to generate electricity during the summer and winter seasons. 

The variation in the intensity of sunlight and wind speed throughout the year does not organically affect the working of hybrid solar wind systems. It can produce power at any time of the year. 

But, how are they installed?

In a large area, both solar panels and windmills are installed. They are connected to a gigantic battery bank that is further joined to a regulation and conversion unit. 

The energy produced through windmills and solar panels is stored in the battery, which is later on transferred to the load in the powerhouse for distribution. 

If the energy is needed urgently, it can be transferred to the generator to produce electricity directly. 

With technological advancement, ‘stand-alone systems’ have also become popular. They operate only to produce energy stored in batteries or a generator. They are not connected to any of the electricity distribution systems. 

Do you know? The constituents of a hybrid solar-wind system are – solar panels, wind turbine, charge controller, battery bank, inverter, and power distribution panels. 

Pros Of Installing A Hybrid Solar Wind System

There are many advantages of installing a hybrid solar wind system in both residential and commercial sectors. 

But there’s one advantage that’s better than the rest. Wondering which one? Well, these systems are cost-effective. You can easily afford them. Isn’t that appealing? 

Rather than installing two individual systems with a high installation cost, it is better to install hybrid systems. 

Other benefits of a hybrid solar wind system include the following.

• The solar wind hybrid system generates approximately twice as much wind or solar energy than the singly-installed systems. 
• Installing these hybrid systems will enhance the reliability of the power generation systems. 
• The battery size can be minimised as the dependency on a single source for generating electricity is less. 
• Unlike individual energy systems, hybrid systems do not require grid expansion. It is because they produce power at different courses of time and during different seasons. 
• The overall cost of installing a hybrid system is lesser than installing an individual energy system. The project cost of the hybrid system can be reduced by as much as 2-2.5% of the total project cost of installing either a solar or a wind system. 
• Acquiring land for a hybrid system is easier. It is because you do not need separate pieces of land to install solar panels and windmills. Both can be installed on a single piece of land.  

Cons Of Installing A Hybrid Solar Wind System

The following list illustrates the cons of the solar wind hybrid system:

• The initial investment is very high, though it is less than the combined cost of solar and wind projects.  
• Hybrid systems cannot be installed in urban areas. That is because the wind speed is lesser in these areas due to the friction forces against the surface of skyscrapers. As a result, windmills cannot operate with full efficiency in these areas. 
• Wind turbines are of different types. These are installed depending on the location. Due to this drawback, not all types of wind turbines can be installed as the wind speed differs in different places. 
• Due to restricted space, if the hybrid system is installed in such a way that sunlight does not fall directly on the panels, it won’t be able to generate electricity as required. The same scenario can occur if the wind is not falling directly on the blades of the windmills. 

Conclusion 

What can we conclude from the points mentioned above? The independent energy systems are not as efficient as the hybrid systems owing to the former’s lack of efficiency during certain weathers or seasons. 

Installing a hybrid system gives you an upper hand in terms of both efficiency and long-term cost of investment. 

FAQs

Q1. How are wind turbines connected with the solar panels in a hybrid system? 

In a hybrid system, the solar panels and wind turbines are connected through a battery. A hybrid charge controller helps both the turbines and the panels to receive the required charge.

They are a great source of renewable energy and can be easily installed. 

Q2. Is the hybrid solar wind system better than an independent renewable energy system? 

Yes, hybrid solar wind systems are the best choice if you want to invest in renewable energy sources to ensure sustainability.

These systems help reduce electricity bills and give an uninterrupted power supply. 

Q3. Which one is better – grid or hybrid solar system? 

Hybrid solar systems have high installation costs. However, they are more reliable. You can recover the installation cost quicker than grid systems.