Optimal sizing of a grid-connected hybrid renewable energy systems considering hydroelectric storage

International policies encourage increasing penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) into the electrical grid in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cover ever-increasing demands. However, the high variance of RES complicates their integration into the power system and complicates their transition from central to distributed energy sources. On the other hand, increasing the penetration of RES in electrical networks stimulates the demand for large capacity for energy storage. This paper presents a new approach to optimize the size of grid-connected renewable energy systems integrated to pumped-storage system using Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA). This approach allows the examination of various energy sources and their combination to touch the base in the optimal configuration of the hybrid system. The impact of the system under study on the network utility is examined according to the power exchange values between the system and the network. Moreover, different scenarios are offered for optimal operation. The simulation results indicate that these hybrid systems can reduce power exchange with the grid. Furthermore, the results indicate the technical feasibility of seawater hydroelectric power plants in increasing the capacity of the electric grid to allow for high penetration of RES.