Complementarity maps of wind and solar energy resources for Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

If two or more renewable energy sources are available in the same region, their complementary can be advantageous in a hybrid power system. Three indices are defined in this work for assessing the complementarity of solar and wind resources for energy production. Based on existing data of solar radiation and wind speed, these complementarity indices were calculated and represented in the form of maps for the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil. The results found suggest that there are some areas of the state where the use of hybrid wind-solar power systems could be more effective than single photovoltaic or wind systems.