Considering renewable energy in small isolated power system expansion

The application of renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic and wind energy sources, is rapidly increasing, especially in meeting energy demands in small isolated power systems located in remote areas. These energy sources can significantly offset costly fuel and can also have considerable impact on the system reliability. The rapid growth of renewable energy sources is mainly influenced by public support due to environmental concerns, leading to governmental policies implemented to promote renewable energy. With increasing applications of these types of energy sources, it becomes increasingly important to make decisions on their application based on realistic cost and reliability evaluation. This paper presents quantitative analyses to determine appropriate expansion of power systems when renewable energy sources are also considered.