Design and Construction of a Prototype Hybrid Solar-Wind Power System

Abstract

Nigeria is gradually moving toward the point where the country's energy requirements cannot be met by conventional energy sources. This necessitates spending money on environmentally friendly energy sources that are also plentiful, clean, and sustainable, but also simple to assess. The authors reviewed this research and developed a small horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) using materials obtained locally. Analysis of the wind speed data from the institution led to the conclusion that the average wind speed of 0.7 m/s was too low to be an appropriate location for a hybrid solar-wind farm. According to the analysis, the wind turbine's power capacity is 40, 41, and 43W, respectively, based on the voltage and current outputs read from three average wind speed changes of 5, 10, and 15m/s using handheld digital anemometers. With an R2 value of 0.9602, a regression study of the power capacity of the turbine and wind speed revealed that low wind speeds of 5 m/s are ideal for operation. In order to provide a more reliable power supply, a hybrid power system with a 40W solar tracking system as the second energy source was attached to the constructed wind turbine. HAWT's design makes it useful as a teaching tool. Additionally, the hybrid solar-wind power system suggests a less expensive, more dependable, and sustainable energy source.