Did it ever occur to you that when the sun is the strongest, the wind speed is usually low? Similarly, when the wind speed is high, the sun is often the weakest, say, in winter. This simple observation is the core logic behind the hybrid solar-wind energy generator system developed by PolyU’s Renewable Energy Research Group (RERG) and Professor Yang Hongxing, Department of Building Services Engineering. The hybrid system turns out to be a much more reliable source of energy than solar or wind alone because of the complementary nature of the two. In the pilot project at Ma Wan Theme Park, Macau and Guangdong, photovoltaic panels collect solar energy while wind turbines recover wind energy. The power generated is then used for air conditioning and lighting and to drive a biogas power generator at the park.
