Electricity supply resiliency evaluation by a hybrid renewable energy system for a petrochemical plant: Frameworks and quantitative assessment methodologies

Abstract

The escalation of harm inflicted upon energy systems, has spurred the investigation of energy system resilience. In this regard, the measurement of resilience capacity can serve as a valuable metric for assessing the energy system's ability to withstand a variety of events that may result in potential adverse outcomes. For renewable energy systems, the measurement of resilience is imperative due to the inherent unpredictability and unreliability in their nature. Often, resilience studies lack the comprehensiveness required to fully comprehend the intricate interdependencies within integrated hybrid renewable energy systems. This research delineates the essential factors required to facilitate a comprehensive understanding and advancement in the quantification of such integrated systems in small-scale. Pardis Petrochemical Company, located in Asalouyeh city, Iran, has been chosen as case study. Four distinct configurations of hybrid renewable energy systems—comprising Photovoltaic panels, Photovoltaic panels + Wind Turbines, Photovoltaic panels + Wave energy converters, and Photovoltaic panels + Wind Turbines + Wave energy converters— connected to grid, have been developed. These configurations are the result of a multi-objective optimization process, considering the following metrics: the cost of electricity (as an economic metric), CO₂ emissions (as an environmental metric), loss of power supply probability (as a reliability metric), and exergy efficiency (as a technical metric). Subsequently, a methodological framework for multicriteria decision support is introduced. This framework is constructed based on primary resilience dimensions, namely: “resist,” “restabilize,” “technology,” and “withstand” serve as a tool for measuring the resiliency of the optimized configurations. The findings indicate that the Photovoltaic panels + Wind Turbines + Wave Energy Converters configuration is as the most resilient system among the studied alternatives.