The University of Aberdeen is a world-leading research institution renowned for innovation, collaboration and international reach.

The following is an example case study relating to the COP26 themes; Adaption and Resilience, Nature, Energy Transition, Clean Transport and Finance. More case studies are available to view here.

Improving the design and efficiency of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems

What’s the problem?
Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES) combine two or more renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, to provide a more efficient energy system that can balance more than one energy source.

The performance of HRES systems can be affected by the uncertainties caused by the availability (or lack of) of renewable resources and demand load, this often means that the HRES does not perform as effectively as promised by the supplier. Traditional analysis can lead to overdesigned and costly systems and typically do not take into account for the customer’s requirements during the process.

What did we do about it?
A new tool developed by the University of Aberdeen uses algorithms to predict different outcomes and consider renewable energy uncertainties.

This tool, known as the Multi-objective Optimisation of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (MOHRES), quantifies the uncertainties (such as how much solar or wind exposure will be available/ per day), which allows the system to be optimised and take into account these uncertainties’ - leading to more realistic results and ensures the customer’s needs are met. The analysis is used to translate end user requirements into technical performance and ensures that the HRES solution is bespoke, cost-effective and reduces financial risk for both the customer and supplier.

Who led the project?
Dr Alireza Maheri, Reader in Engineering at the University of Aberdeen

What happened next?

• Al-Narjes (Ltd) has adopted MOHRES for planning and delivering HRES 30 plus projects in Jordan
• Supported by a Scottish Funding Council Innovation Voucher, Aberdeen-based manufacturing firm Aashraya Ltd utilised MOHRES to design more cost-effective and adaptable renewable products for rural communities in challenging environments such as Sub-Saharan Africa and India
• MOHRES has also been used for producing energy transition scenarios in Mauritius by the Faculty of Sustainable Development and Engineering Universite Des Mascareignes. These scenarios have offered insight into new opportunities such as the production of hydrogen for export, distributed storage systems, and the utilisation of the current diesel power stations as backup systems

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: University of Aberdeen