Optimal Sizing of Hybrid Renewable Energy Sources Under Cable Pooling Conditions

As renewable energy sources (RESs) become increasingly prevalent, limitations on connecting new sources arise due to insufficient suitable locations and grid constraints. Existing RES installations introduce challenges such as generation variability, the necessity for costly reserves, and overproduction, which can lead to forced outages. In response, grid operators have adopted more flexible connection policies, notably “cable pooling”, which only restricts the power injected at a given node rather than the total capacity of the connected sources. This article proposes a method for optimal sizing of diverse RES combinations connected to high-voltage networks under cable pooling conditions from an investor’s perspective. The most prominent findings show the existence of a strong relationship between optimal RES sizing and composition on financial objectives, revenue sources, and market prices. Subsequent achievements involve demonstrating that the profitability of energy storage without subsidies is essentially limited to participation in the capacity market and that the reduction of RES generation depends on the investor’s financial objective, not on the market type.