Review of software tools for hybrid renewable energy systems

Hybrid energy systems are being utilized for supplying electrical energy in urban, rural and remote areas to overcome the intermittence of solar and wind resources. A hybrid renewable energy system incorporates two or more electricity generation options based on renewable energy or fossil fuel unit. The techno-economic analysis of the hybrid system is essential for the efficient utilization of renewable energy resources. Due to multiple generation systems, hybrid system analysis, is quite complex and requires to be analyzed thoroughly. This requires software tools for the design, analysis, optimization, and economic viability of the systems. In this paper, 19 softwares with their main features and current status are presented. The softwares studied are HOMER, Hybrid2, RETScreen, iHOGA, INSEL, TRNSYS, iGRHYSO, HYBRIDS, RAPSIM, SOMES, SOLSTOR, HySim, HybSim, IPSYS, HySys, Dymola/Modelica, ARES, SOLSIM, and HYBRID DESIGNER. The research work related to hybrid systems carried out using these softwares at different locations worldwide is also reviewed. The main objective of the paper is to provide the current status of these softwares to provide basic insight for a researcher to identify and utilize suitable tool for research and development studies of hybrid systems. The capabilities of different softwares are also highlighted. The limitations, availability and areas of further research have also been identified.