The monastery of St. Panteleimon is located on a narrow peninsula (eastern part of Chalkidiki), the climate is subtropical. The population is about 2 thousand people. Decentralized systems for providing, accounting for solar energy and fossil fuel consumption are used.
The energy needs of the monastery were provided by an autonomous hybrid power system, consisting of diesel generators, solar (photovoltaic) stations, an energy storage system (lead-acid batteries) for night loads. The total installed generation capacity is 420 kW. The total battery capacity is 430 KWh. It is determined that the established average daily consumption ranges up to 1000 kWh.
The study of the energy balance was carried out on the example of several days with different conditions.
The operator can turn off diesel generators, other functions are limited to monitoring currents and voltages in the circuits of photovoltaic stations (PVPs) and the total load. The system has hardware, but does not have software capabilities for centralized control and monitoring of FES and storage systems (based on SMA equipment). The existing system settings are defined as not optimal, which leads to inefficient use of PV power, constant battery charge-discharge cycles, frequent use of diesel generators, sometimes operating in suboptimal modes, and a decrease in the overall system efficiency. There are opportunities to expand the automated control system by revising cable lines for controlling SMA equipment and creating appropriate software.
An assessment of the solar, wind energy potential, technically achievable and economically viable potential of biomass of plant and animal origin, household waste, hydropower is given.
A set of measures to improve the energy supply system is proposed. It is recommended to reconfigure the automated control system to reduce the use of battery energy. It is planned to replace the existing switchboard with a new one equipped with telemechanical switches with a computer interface. To expand the capabilities of the automated control system and optimize its operation, it is necessary to revise the existing cable lines of SMA equipment, connect the equipment in accordance with the operating instructions, and add bus translators. To expand the capabilities of the automated control system and optimize its operation, it was proposed to revise the existing cable lines of SMA equipment, connect the equipment in accordance with the operating instructions, and add bus translators.
The main criterion in determining the performance of the system was considered the satisfaction of night loads and the minimization of unused electrical energy from FES in combination with a reduction in the use of diesel generators.