Estimation of power supply by renewable energy sources to a weather station at Nordlysobservatoriet, Alta

Abstract

For a weather station that will be set up at Halddetoppen, Alta, there will also be installed a hybrid renewable energy system, to supply the station with power. This thesis simulated and estimated the hybrid system as it was planned, to see if it would be enough to give steady supply for the weather station. Different set-ups for the hybrid system was investigated. The set-ups differed in mounting of the solar photovoltaic panels, to see which placement of the panels would give the best and most secure power supply to the weather station. One set-up with only solar power, and one system with only wind power was also simulated. The system with only solar panels proved to be a poor power supply, as there's no solar radiation in the winter. The system with only wind turbines was found to be a better supply, but with fluctuations in wind energy, this system was found to be unsatisfactory. All the simulations with a hybrid system consisting of both wind turbines and solar panels was found to be satisfactory, and estimated to give a steady energy supply for the weather station.