Evaluating the Dependability Measures of a Hybrid Wind–Wave Power Generation System Under Varied Weather Conditions

Abstract

New renewable energy exploitation technologies in offshore structures are vital for future energy production systems. Offshore hybrid wind–wave power generation (HWWPG) systems face increased component failure rates because of harsh weather, significantly affecting the maintenance procedures and reliability. Different types of failure rates of the wind turbine (WT) and wave energy converter (WEC), e.g., the degradation and failure rates during regular wind speed fluctuation, the degradation and failure rates during intense wind speed fluctuation are considered. By incorporating both WT and WEC, the HWWPG system is designed to enhance the overall amount of electrical energy produced by the system over a given period under varying weather conditions. The universal generating function technique is used to calculate the HWWPG system dependability measures in a structured and efficient manner. This research highlights that intense weather conditions increase the failure rates of both WT and WEC, resulting in higher maintenance costs and more frequent downtimes, thus impacting the HWWPG system’s reliability. Although the HWWPG system can meet the energy demands in the presence of high failure rates, the reliance of the hybrid system on both WT and WEC helps maintain a relatively stable demand satisfaction during periods of high energy demand despite adverse weather conditions. To confirm the added value and applicability of the developed model, a case study of an offshore hybrid platform is conducted. The findings underscore the system’s robustness in maintaining energy production under varied weather conditions, though higher failure rates and maintenance costs arise in intense scenarios.

Keywords

Wind energy / Wave energy / Offshore hybrid platform / Dependability measures / Markov chain / Universal generating function

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Harbin Engineering University and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature