PVT-Biomass-Battery systems optimized with evolutionary algorithms for small and highly shaded environments

Abstract

When the space where we have to build a PV Solar Plant is not enough to satisfy appropriately the user’s demand, a geometric problem arises in its design. To find the optimal location of the panels, the distances between them, their tilt, or even the number of panels itself, may result in a complex work; much more in small spaces with obstacles near the modules. In these cases, the economically optimal solution(s) is strongly related to these geometric constraints, in addition to the more common variables considered in this type of problems: like electrical loads, or local temperature and cloudiness. This work collects two proposals to mitigate the problem: a Photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar collectors (PVT)-Biomass Battery system which significantly increases the generated energy per square meter; and a computational methodology, based on evolutionary algorithms, to calculate it.