Optimal Planning of Hybrid Microgrid-A Validation

With the growing awareness of greenhouse gas emissions and their consequences along with the ever increasing electric energy demand, researchers and policy makers are looking forward for renewable energy sources. Consequently, microgrids with different kinds of energy sources have taken a leap over a past decade, making pathways for integration of hybrid microgrids with the existing power systems. However, a critical study of practical problems in planning a microgrid is necessary prior to its commissioning, to maintain satisfactory level of availability with reduced cost of energy being produced. In this connection, this paper investigates various analytic and soft computing techniques that address the single objective as well as multi-objective optimization problems encountered in optimal planning of hybrid microgrid. Further, to quantify the merits and demerits of the considered methods, a case of grid connected hybrid microgrid powered by PV, wind and battery sources is studied and the conclusions are reported.