Control algorithm of renewable energy power plant supplied by fuel cell/solar cell/ supercapacitor power source

Abstract

A renewable energy hybrid power plant, fed by photovoltaic (PV) and fuel cell (FC) sources with a supercapacitor storage device and suitable for distributed generation applications, is proposed herein. The PV is used as the main generator; the FC acts as a power source, feeding only the insufficiency power (steady-state) from the PV; and the supercapacitor functions as an auxiliary source for supplying the deficiency power (transient and steady-state) from the PV and the FC. Using the nonlinear approach based on the flatness property, we propose a simple solution to the dynamics, optimization, stabilization, and robustness problems in the hybrid power system. This is the key innovative contribution of this research paper. The prototype small-scale power plant studied was composed of a PEMFC system (1.2 kW), a PV array (0.8 kW), and a supercapacitor module (100 F). Experimental results in laboratory authenticate the excellent control algorithm during load cycles.