Wind-Solar Hybrid System Faults & Solutions

1. Common Faults and Causes in Wind Turbines

As a key component of wind-solar hybrid systems, wind turbines primarily experience faults in three areas: mechanical structure, electrical systems, and control functions. Blade wear and fracture are the most common mechanical failures, typically caused by long-term wind impact, material fatigue, or manufacturing defects. Field monitoring data show that the average blade lifespan is 3–5 years in coastal regions, but may shorten to 2–3 years in northwest regions with frequent sandstorms. Additionally, eccentric bearing wear is particularly prominent in horizontal-axis turbines, mainly due to prolonged off-center operation and uneven stress distribution.

In electrical systems, output phase loss and voltage instability are two typical issues. Wind turbines generate three-phase AC power, and poor connections or loose wiring can easily lead to unbalanced or missing phases. Industry statistics indicate that about 25% of turbine failures are related to wiring issues. Another common problem is brake system malfunction, where the rotor speed fails to drop significantly after a three-phase short circuit, possibly due to brake wear or electrical control failure.

Controller faults mainly manifest as flawed power distribution logic. Traditional fixed-threshold strategies cannot adapt to complex and changing weather conditions. For example, during early mornings with light wind and increasing sunlight, traditional control keeps turbine output at only 30%–40% of rated power due to insufficient wind speed, wasting significant wind energy. Statistics show that wind-solar hybrid systems using traditional control strategies have average energy utilization rates 15%–20% lower than intelligent systems.

2. Common Faults and Causes in Solar Panels

Solar panels in hybrid systems also face various failure risks. Surface damage and terminal connector failures are the most visible physical faults, often caused by harsh weather, sand impact, or improper installation. In high-wind areas, solar panels suffer an average annual damage rate of 5%–8%, requiring regular inspection and maintenance.

Electrically, hot spot effects and partial shading are key factors affecting photovoltaic efficiency. When part of a panel is shaded, energy from unshaded areas flows reversely into the shaded area, causing localized overheating and forming hot spots. Prolonged hot spot effects can reduce panel efficiency by 15%–20% and even cause permanent damage. Additionally, PID (Potential Induced Degradation) is a significant factor affecting panel lifespan, especially in high-humidity environments, where efficiency can drop by 5%–10% within 1–2 years.

Performance degradation is mainly due to light-induced degradation and encapsulation material failure. Industry standards require high-quality PV modules to have an annual degradation rate below 0.3%–0.5% over a 25-year lifespan. However, in practice, environmental factors and material aging can cause annual degradation rates of 0.8%–1.2%, significantly impacting overall system efficiency.

3. Fault Analysis of Controllers and Battery Systems

As the "brain" of the wind-solar hybrid system, the controller’s performance directly affects system stability. The main issue lies in the limitations of traditional power distribution strategies, which rely on fixed empirical parameters and simple threshold judgments, making them unable to adapt to real-time energy fluctuations. Under complex weather conditions, these controllers cannot adjust power allocation promptly, leading to deteriorated power stability. For instance, during sudden weather changes such as rapid wind shifts or fast-moving cloud cover, traditional controllers may take several minutes or longer to respond, failing to meet the stringent power quality requirements of modern industrial equipment.

Battery system faults are mainly categorized into undercharging, water ingress, and capacity degradation. Undercharging occurs when voltage drops below the controller’s startup threshold; prolonged undercharging leads to deep discharge, shortening battery life. Water ingress is often due to improper installation or poor sealing, resulting in extremely low, zero, or false voltage readings, causing severe battery damage. Statistics show that about 15% of hybrid system failures are related to battery water ingress.

Capacity degradation is a natural aging process, but environmental factors can significantly accelerate it. In plateau regions, nighttime low temperatures can reduce solar panel performance by 30%–40%, while also decreasing battery usable capacity, making it difficult to meet load demands under low-light conditions. Moreover, high-salinity environments significantly corrode batteries; in coastal areas, battery lifespan in hybrid systems is typically 30%–50% shorter than in inland regions.