Analysis of the spatiotemporal balancing of solar and wind energy resources in Andalusia (Southern Spain)methods for reducing their power fluctuations

Abstract

To maintain both, a sustainable economy and supportive global climate system, requires a new energetic scenario where renewable energies play a key role, especially solar and wind energy. Despite the advantages they offer, the main problem is their integration into existing energy supply infraestructue, due to their fluctuating nature, as a consequence of the weather patterns. One of the most promising ways to reduce power fluctuations is to take advantage of their spatial variability over a region for designing an efficient and strategic interconnections between renewble power production systems. In this thesis we propose a methodology for studing the spatiotemporal balancing of wind energy and solar energy in Andalusia, allowing to reduce power fluctuations. Data employed is generated with WRF model, and previously, an evaluation of wind fields estimates, as well as some issues in its configuration (parameterizations, elevations and terrain properties representation and the use of daily updates of Sea Surface Temperature) is carried out. Finally, we evaluated the existence of wind and solar energy resource balancing associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) cycle in the Mediterranean area.