Off-grid hybrid system for the Berlenga Island

Abstract

The Berlenga Island is an environmentally protected area for its biodiversity and is currently supplied by diesel generators for most of the year. This kind of conventional generation abides for obvious environmental and safety risks regarding maritime transportation, storage and transfer of diesel fuel. Furthermore, there are several costs incurred by this type of generation during a year of energy supply. The Berlenga Project aims for a more sustainable solution for the energy supply of the island while guaranteeing a cost-effective solution and compliance with all its environmental protection measures, as well as adapting the regulatory framework, which was defined before European unbundling directives, forbidding the DSO of having generation activities. Though various solutions and mixed renewables systems were considered, the supply system chosen for the island was a solar + storage + backup diesel off-grid solution, which best responded to the major concerns regarding environmental issues and presenting itself as the most cost-effective solution when in comparison with a submarine cable (both in investment and maintenance).