© Prospects Of Autonomous/Stand-Alone Hybrid (Photo-Voltaic Plus Diesel Plus Battery) Power Systems In Commercial Applications In Hot Regions Shaahid, SM; Elhadidy, MA PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, RENEWABLE ENERGY; pp: ; Vol: 29 King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals Summary Most of the world's energy consumption is greatly dependent on fossil fuel, which is exhaustible and is being used extensively due to continuous escalation in the world's population and development. This valuable resource needs to be conserved and its alternatives need to be explored. In this perspective, dissemination and utilisation of renewables such as solar energy has gained worldwide momentum since the onset of oil crises of 1970s. Moreover, burning of fuels is the principal Cause of air pollution, and possibly environmental warming. Saudi Arabia, being blessed with a fairly high level of solar radiation, is a suitable candidate for deployment of solar photo-voltaic (PV) panels for power generation during crisis. Literature indicates that commercial/residential buildings in Saudi Arabia consume an estimated 10-45% of the total electrical energy generated/consumed. In the present study, hourly mean solar radiation data for the period recorded at the solar radiation and meteorological monitoring station, Dhahran (26degrees 32' N, 50degrees 13' E), Saudi Arabia, have been analyzed to investigate the potential of utilizing hybrid (PV+diesel) power systems to meet the load requirements of a typical commercial building (with an annual electrical energy demand of 620,000 kWh). The monthly average daily solar global irradiation for Dhahran ranges from 3.61 to 7.96 kWh/m(2). The hybrid systems considered in the present analysis consist of different combinations of PV panels/modules (different array sizes) supplemented with a battery storage unit and Copyright: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals;

© diesel back-up. The study shows that with a combination of 3700 m(2) PV together with 12 h of battery storage, the diesel back-up system has to provide 6% of the load demand. However, in the absence of a battery bank, about 56% of the load needs to be provided by the diesel system. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. References: *KFUPM, 1992, PN KFUPM RES I *MIN IND EL, 1997, EL GROWTH DEV KINGD *NO POW SYST, 1994, REP BRIEF CAS STUD S *SAUD CONS EL CO, 1999, ANN REP, P25 *WMO, 1971, 8 WMO ABDULRAHMAN SH, 2002, P 1 S EN CONS MAN BU, P103 ALI S, 2001, 7 AR INT SOL EN C SH, P4 BERGEY M, 1993, WIND EN APPL TRAIN S CHOWDHURY BH, 1988, IEEE T POWER SYSTEMS, V3, P900 COIANTE D, 1996, SOL ENERGY, V57, P DOUGLAS B, 1997, SOLAR TODAYMAY, P16 ELHADIDY M, 2000, RENEW ENERG, V21, P129 ELHADIDY MA, 1994, SOL ENERGY, V52, P439 ELHADIDY MA, 1998, WORLD REN EN C 5 FLO ELHADIDY MA, 1999, RENEW ENERG, V18, P77 ELRAFEY E, 1988, SOL ENERGY, V41, P531 ERHARD K, 1991, RENEW ENERG, V1, P745 FRANK W, 1992, SOLAR ENERGY TEC SED, V13, P75 HANSEN U, 1998, ENERGY J, V19, P63 JEFFERY K, 1990, SUN WORLD, V14, P44 JOYASHREE R, 1996, SOL ENERGY, V57, P231 LUIZ CGV, 1998, ENERGY, V23, P317 MAHMOUD M, 1990, IEE P C, V37, P391 NAYAR CV, 1993, SOL ENERGY, V51, P65 OMAR B, 2002, P 1 S EN CONS MAN BU, P175 POST HN, 1988, SOL ENERGY, V41, P465 RICHARD NC, 1989, SOL ENERGY, V43, P71 ROGER HB, 1993, ENERGY, V18, P681 SHAAHID SM, 1994, ISA, V40 TRACA A, 1983, IEEE T POWER APPARAT, V102, P1515 For pre-prints please write to: Copyright: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals;