SOLAR-WIND TURBINE SYSTEMS
Many remote towns or sparsely populated areas are not serviced by the main power grid. Power must be generated locally using engine generators powered by conventional fuels, such as diesel. However, the transport and storage of diesel fuel can be expensive and the supply is not always reliable. Therefore, diesel generators are best used on a short-term basis or for emergency purposes. Solar and wind resources are good alternatives to provide more consistent year-round energy powers. Solar and wind are also the most available renewable energy resources on earth, and many remote areas have plenty supply of both.
The sun is the source of all energy on earth. Wind is a form of energy and is caused by the uneven heating of the earth’s surface by the sun. For example, the poles receive less energy from the sun than the equator does, and the dry land heats up and cools down more quickly than the seas do. On much of the earth, wind speeds are low in the summer when the sun shines brightest and longest. The wind is strong in winter when less sunlight is available. Wind speeds are also low during the day when sunlight is strong, but increase after dark when the earth surface is cooler. Because the peak for wind flow and sunlight occur at different times of the day and year, wind energy and solar energy can complement each other. A hybrid solar-wind power system can balance out the ever-fluctuating solar and wind resources and is more likely to produce power when you need it.