Power Plants Based on Renewables and Electrochemical Energy Storage and Generation Systems for Decentralized Autonomous Power Supply

Abstract

A series of power plants based on the renewables (sun and wind) and electrochemical energy storage and generation systems that provide independent power supply of remote customers with power from hundreds of watts to a few kilowatts have been considered. A distinctive feature of the developed model series of power plants is their Arctic design, which allows operation in an air temperature as low as –50°C, an ultrahigh level of snow cover, and under conditions of polar night, windstorms, and other severe weather factors, which are typical for the northern regions of Russia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, the United States, and Canada. Another important advantage of the developed power plants in comparison with existing analogs that they dispense with air-polluting diesel generators used as auxiliary power supplies and their replacement with electrochemical generators based on direct methanol fuel cells. The power plants are equipped with software and hardware complexes that allow for remote monitoring and control over operation.