Performance-related dependability evaluation of multi-source renewable energy systems using deterministic and stochastic Petri nets

On a global scale, the energy demand continues to increase. The costs of fossil fuels are uncertain. The liberalization of the electricity market and an environmental conscience are the levers for the development of renewable energies. They have reached a technical maturity that allows them to become an important segment of the energy industry. Their insertion in the energy mix poses new challenges compared to traditional energy sources. With abundant potential still under-exploited, wind and solar (photovoltaic) energy are economically and environmentally beneficial. However, their intermittent nature decreases their energy efficiency when used individually. The use of multi-source systems to combine these renewable energy sources is considered a reliable solution. In this context, we are interested in determining the performances of multi-source renewable energy systems, related to their dependability. Our approach is based on the use of deterministic and stochastic Petri nets for analyzing the dynamic behavior of these systems. By using the developed model for analyzing functional and dysfunctional behavior, we determine the instants of passage from functioning state to breakdown state of multi-source renewable energy systems for calculating their reliability. After that, the overall production time, for these systems, is defined by developing mathematical models to calculate duration of failure and waiting time of each component, according to the architecture of the system to be studied.