Implementation of Solar Cells and Natural Gas Fuel Cells as a Green Hybrid Power Plant

Authors

  • Abolfazl Halvaei Niasar Faculty of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Kashan
  • Robert Vartanian Texas A&M University, College Station
  • Hassan Moghbelli Texas A&M University, P.O. Box 23874, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar,

Keywords:

Hybrid power plant, solar cell, fuel cell, natural gas.

Abstract

Global warming is a major concern in today’s world. To address this issue, most countries are working on the usage of renewable energy sources like solar energy, clean fuels (hydrogen) and trying to increase the efficiency of fossil fuel plants. This paper discusses the hybridization of the renewable solar energy source with highly efficient and clean usage of natural gas fossil fuel. The hybrid power plant used in this project uses renewable energy sources as a reliable power supply with stand-alone and grid-connected capability which can increase network power quality. Simulation results have been discussed to show the contribution of natural gas fuel cells, photovoltaic power plants, and electric energy storage in supplying a constant load. Keywords: Hybrid power plant, solar cell, fuel cell, natural gas.

Author Biographies

  • Abolfazl Halvaei Niasar, Faculty of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Kashan
    Abolfazl Halvaei Niasar was born in Kashan, Iran in 1974. He received his B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in 1998, 2000, and 2008 from Isfahan University of Technology (IUT), university of Tehran (UT) and Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) all in electrical engineering respectively. He is currently with the Department of Electrical Engineering, at University of Kashan, Iran. His research interests are mainly PM and Brushless DC motor drives, sensorless drives, DSP based control systems and the industrial control systems. Dr. Halvaei is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
  • Robert Vartanian, Texas A&M University, College Station
    Robert Vartanian received B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from Isfahan University of Technology (IUT), Isfahan, Iran, in 1999 and 2001 respectively. Then he joined Electric Power Technology Development Center (MATN) as a research engineer. From Fall 2007 he's started his PhD program at electrical and computer engineering department of Texas A&M University. He is now working on permanent magnet assisted synchronous reluctance machines. His research interests include advanced machine design, power electronics; DSP based electric machine control, and hybrid electric vehicles.
  • Hassan Moghbelli, Texas A&M University, P.O. Box 23874, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar,
    Hassan Moghbelli received his B.S., in electrical engineering from Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) in 1973, his M.S. in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University in 1978, and his Ph.D. in electrical engineering with specialization in electrical drives and power electronics from University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC) in 1989. Dr. Moghbelli was an instructor at Isfahan University of Technology (IUT) from 1978 - 1984, an assistant professor at Purdue University, Calumet (PUC) from 1989 - 1993, and an Associate Professor in IUT and IUST from 1989 - 2002. He has done several projects in the area of electrical drives, power electronics, and hybrid electric vehicles. He served as the Head of School of Railway Engineering at IUST from 2000 - 2002. He served as a consultant at Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District from 1991 - 1993 and at Isfahan and Tehran Regional Metro Companies from 1993 - 2002. He has directed several projects in the area of electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles. He also was a research associate in the Advanced Vehicle Systems Research Program in the department of Electrical Engineering at Texas A&M University from 2002 to 2004. Furthermore, he successfully implemented the Hybrid Electric Vehicles on a Saypa mini bus which was funded by Ministry of Industry in Iran. He was a senior lecturer in Math department at TAMU during 2004 - 2006. He joined the Math and Science Department at Texas A&M, Qatar in January of 2007 and he is working on NPRP2 research project for Qatar Foundation. His research interests are mainly the control, electric drive train, power electronics, hybrid electric vehicles, CNG vehicles, alternative energy, and power systems. He has published more than 95 scientific papers in these areas. He is a member of SAE, ASME, and IEEE.

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Published

2013-03-21

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2013)

Section

Research Articles

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