A synergistic model framework for identifying variable renewable energy integration capacity and deployment sites for hydro-wind-PV integrated energy bases

A critical challenge in hydro-wind-PV integrated energy bases (HWPIEBs) construction is effectively balancing the large-scale variable renewable energy (VRE) development with land conservation around hydropower stations. Despite many research efforts placed on how to size the VRE capacity integrated into the hydropower stations, few studies have considered the land conservation. To this end, by fusing the Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis technologies and a HWPIEB capacity planning model, this study proposes a synergistic method framework to simultaneously identify the VRE integration capacity and its suitable deployment sites. First, a land suitability analysis for VRE around hydropower stations is performed on the ArcGIS platform using a multi-criteria layers overlay method to rank areas from least to most suitable, identifying optimal deployment sites. Second, to identify the VRE capacity at the potential deployment sites, a HWPIEB capacity planning model is constructed, in which the 8760-h-time-series operating simulation is embedded and different hydro-VRE complementary modes are adopted to match hydropower flexibility changing in the dry and wet seasons. A case study implemented on a real HWPIEB located in China verify the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed synergistic method.