Assessment of time resolution impact on the modeling of a hybrid CSP-PV plant: A case of study in Chile

Abstract

This study analyzes the time resolution impact on the modeling of a hybrid CSP-PV plant integrated with thermalstorage and a battery bank for two locations in Chile. Daily and annual results were evaluated varying the timeresolution from 1, 5, 10, 15, 30 to 60 min, as well as the capacity factor and LCOE. In this way, the CSP plant wasthe component most affected by the time resolution, followed by the battery dispatch, while the effect on PVproduction estimation was marginal. Control procedures of the receiver and power block were more realisticallycaptured with time steps between 1 and 5 min, while with higher time steps, variability effects were neglected.Annual and techno-economic results indicate an overestimation of the total yearly production of the hybrid plantas the time step is increased, leading to an underestimation of the LCOE. Variations in the capacity factor andLCOE were around ±2–3% in both locations using the 5-minute time step (with respect to the 1-min results),and between ±4–6% using 10–60 min time steps. Different cases of study varying the dispatch strategy andcomponents sizing were evaluated, showing that time resolution impact is lower for oversized PV configurationswith respect to the CSP plant, and higher when the CSP plant is oversized with respect to the PV, regardless thedispatch strategy. Finally, this work provides some recommendations analyzing the advantages and drawbacksof implementing different time steps at each stage in the development of a hybrid solar power plant.