Renewable Hybrid Power Solutions
More than just a trend
According to the International Energy Agency, the world added more renewables-based power generation capacity in 2015 than all other technologies combined for the first time ever, and this movement is only expected to accelerate over the coming decades. In its baseline New Policies Scenario, the IEA predicts that by 2040, total global generation capacity will increase by more than 60%, and renewables will make up over 45% of that total.
This shift, combined with the other transformations in the energy ecosystem require new ways of thinking about the electricity system and power generation that can be supported by the existing grid infrastructure. One idea? Hybrid power solutions which leverage synergies between multiple generation sources.
Hybrid power plants combine various sources of power generation and storage to accentuate the positive aspects and address the challenges of a specific generation type. Think about wind and solar energy and their complementary generation profiles, for instance—with solar available during the day and wind being more available at night. The result? Power that’s more affordable, reliable, and sustainable. Each application is unique, and the hybrid solution that works best for a specific situation will depend on numerous factors.
Renewable energy hybrid solutions can comprise any combination of one or more renewable generation assets with either one another and/or the integration of storage (battery or pumped). One may even find hybrids where one or more renewable generation assets are combined with conventional generation assets.
With GE Renewable Energy hybrid solutions, you have
- Reduced overall CAPEX per MW output by leveraging existing electrical infrastructure and Balance of Plant equipment
- Reduced O&M costs for all generation sources through shared services
- Increased annual energy production at a lower cost than installing separate standalone solutions
- More variability through storage and combination of complementary energy sources (like wind and solar), serving as baseload generation
- Less CO2 with more dispatchable energy replacing conventional generation and lowered fuel costs from replacing diesel generation with renewables
The best part? GE makes it easy for customers, offering:
- Plant and grid feasibility studies and equipment design via our Energy Consulting teams
- Financing solutions via our EFS/GE Capital group
- Equipment and software solutions
- Turnkey construction
- Operations and maintenance
- Remote monitoring, forecasting abilities and diagnostics via Predix, the platform for the Industrial Internet
Integrating at the wind turbine level leverages the existing wind converter as a hybrid converter to source AC and DC power together, eliminating the need for a separate solar inverter.
Learn MoreGE has combined hydro & wind power technology to deliver reliable power. Learn more about this one of a kind, integrated power plant, based in Germany.
Learn MoreGE is a world leader in pumped storage plant equipment and supplies in-house capabilities not only for turbines and generators but also the full electrical balance of plant.
Learn MoreLearn how our Renewable Energy Storage System Solution works, including safety features, protective controls, battery life and integration. Read more from GE.
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Have questions on other ways you can incorporate hybrid technology into your energy plan? Looking for hybrid solutions that involve gas turbines? Check out GE Power’s Hybrid web page to learn more!
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With solar becoming cost competitive with wind, towards 2020, wind and solar together are expected to become the largest generation source of new renewable energy installs going forward. While both sources on their own suffer from a degree of variability (the wind doesn’t always blow and neither does the sun always shine), both of them paired together deliver a much more reliable energy stream than each would on its own. Juhl Energy, an established leader and pioneer in the renewable energy industry with a focus on competitive, clean energy solutions, including wind, solar and hybrid power project development and management, approached GE Renewable Energy in terms of using GE’s Wind Integrated Solar Energy (WiSE) platform for one of its first First Commercial U.S. Integrated Solar-Wind Hybrid Projects.
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