Simulation For Control Strategies Of Hybrid Wind/ Hydrogen Systems For Smart Grid Applications In Kampala And Tororo-Uganda

Abstract

The production of electrolytic hydrogen using electricity generated from a non-polluting source is one of the strategies to promote access to sustainable energy in Africa. One of such system is the wind energy conversion system (WECs). This paper presents results of a system consisting of a wind turbine of 200 kW, an Electrolyzer, and a 3.5kW peak electric load connected to an electric grid required to produce 4-5kg of hydrogen per day. The electric grid is taken as large enough to serve as a back-up supply. Mathematical equations are derived for the interconnecting components of the system and programmed in MATLAB to simulate the operation and control strategies of the system. The model has been tested using wind speeds for Kampala City and Tororo Town in Uganda. This results show that it’s feasible to produce 4-5 kg of hydrogen from a non-polluting source. The smart grid monitors the hydrogen flow within storage and optimizes the flow of power from the wind generator and the electric grid to meet the hydrogen and load demand for the day. The paper demonstrates that such an integrated system has the potential to support remote investments in the production of electrolytic hydrogen from a non-polluting source for stationary and transportation activities.