Design and techno-economical optimization for hybrid PV/wind system under various meteorological conditions S. Diaf a, * , G. Notton a , M. Belhamel b , M. Haddadi c , A. Louche a a Universite ´ de Corse CNRS – UMR 6134, Centre Scientifique de Vignola, Route des Sanguinaires, F-20000 Ajaccio, France b Centre de De ´veloppement des Energies Renouvelables, B.P. 62 16340 Bouzareah, Algiers, Algeria c Ecole Polytechnique d’El harrach, Algiers, Algeria Received 4 December 2007; received in revised form 16 February 2008; accepted 17 February 2008 Available online 2 April 2008 Abstract The optimal design of the renewable energy system can significantly improve the economical and technical performance of power supply. In this paper, the technical-economic optimization study of a stand-alone hybrid PV/wind system (HPWS) in Corsica Island is presented. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to estimate the appropriate dimensions of a stand-alone HPWS that guarantee the energy autonomy of a typical remote consumer with the lowest levelised cost of energy (LCE). A secondary aim is to compare the performance and the optimal sizing of two system configurations. Finally, to study the impact of the renewable energy potential quality on the system size, the optimum dimensions of system are defined for five sites in Cor- sica Island. In this context, a complete sizing model is developed, able to predict the optimum system configuration on the basis of LCE. Accordingly, an integrated energy balance analysis is carried out for the whole time period investigated. The simulation results indicate that the hybrid system is the best option for all the sites considered in this study, yielding lower LCE. Thus, it provides higher system performance than PV or wind systems alone. The choice of the system con- figuration type affects the state of charge variation profile, especially at low wind potential sites, while the system size and the LCE are significantly influenced. It is shown that the LCE depends largely on the renewable energy potential quality. At high wind potential site, more than 40% of the total production energy is provided by the wind generator, while at low wind potential sites, less than 20% of total production energy is generated by the wind generator. Ó 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Hybrid system; Optimum system sizing; Energy balance; Cost analysis 1. Introduction The absence of an electrical network in remote regions and the prohibitively high connection cost-due to large distances and irregular topography lead often the various organizations to explore alternative solutions. 0306-2619/$ - see front matter Ó 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2008.02.012 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +33 495524152; fax: +33 495524141. E-mail addresses: sdiaf@hotmail.com (S. Diaf), gilles.notton@univ-corse.fr (G. Notton), mbelhamel@cder.dz (M. Belhamel), Mourad_haddadi@yahoo.fr (M. Haddadi), alain.louche@univ-corse.fr (A. Louche). Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Applied Energy 85 (2008) 968–987 www.elsevier.com/locate/apenergy APPLIED ENERGY