CENTRALES HÍBRIDAS EN EL CONTEXTO DE LA

TRANSICIÓN ENERGÉTICA

HYBRID POWER PLANTS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE

ENERGY TRANSITION

Vinicius Santos Pereira1, Edmar Luiz Fagundes Almeida2

Marco Antonio Haikal Leite3, Sergio Luiz Pinto Castiñeiras Filho4

Recibido: 28/10/2024 y Aceptado: 12/3/2025

1.- vinicius.pereira@aluno.puc-rio.br

2.- edmar@puc-rio.br

3.- mahaikal@puc-rio.br

4.-sergiocastfh@gmail.com

Las centrales híbridas están ganando protagonismo en el escenario de la transición energética por su

capacidad para integrar múltiples fuentes de energía, renovables o no, en un único sistema de generación.

Este enfoque, a menudo complementado con sistemas de almacenamiento, pretende maximizar la

producción de energía y reducir la variabilidad del suministro, lo que se traduce en un abastecimiento más

able y económico.

Este artículo pretende analizar el atractivo y las posibles aportaciones de las centrales eléctricas híbridas en

el contexto de la transición energética, centrándose en su competitividad económica, sus ventajas técnicas y

sus retos normativos. Se presenta y analiza el concepto de centrales híbridas y su aplicación en la regulación

brasileña. A continuación, el documento señala las principales motivaciones para el uso de sistemas híbridos

de generación, centrándose en los impactos de la difusión de las energías renovables variables, como la

energía solar distribuida, en la curva de demanda de energía despachable se discuten. El precio horario de la

energía debido a la variabilidad de la carga se analiza en la tercera sección, destacando las oportunidades de

las centrales híbridas en el mercado actual. El documento también analiza la popularización de las centrales

híbridas debido a la reducción del coste de las tarifas por el uso de la red de distribución y la contribución

potencial de las centrales híbridas a la descarbonización de los sistemas aislados. Por último, el documento

presenta ejemplos de proyectos de generación híbrida en Brasil y explora la agenda de investigación

relacionada con las centrales híbridas, destacando un proyecto piloto que está desarrollando el Instituto

de Energía de la PUC-Rio. En resumen, las centrales híbridas representan una estrategia prometedora para

afrontar los retos de la transición energética, ofreciendo una solución exible y económicamente viable para

la generación de electricidad.

Hybrid plants are gaining prominence in the energy transition scenario due to their ability to integrate

multiple energy sources, whether renewable or not, into a single generation system. This approach, often

complemented by storage systems, aims to maximize energy production and reduce variability in supply,

resulting in a more reliable and economical supply.

This article aims to analyze the attractiveness and potential contributions of hybrid power plants in the

context of energy transition, focusing on their economic competitiveness, technical advantages, and

regulatory challenges. The concept of hybrid power plants and their application in Brazilian regulation is

presented and analyzed. Next, the paper points out the main motivations for the use of hybrid generation

systems, focusing on the impacts of the diusion of variable renewable energies, such as distributed solar

energy, on the dispatchable energy demand curve are discussed. The hourly pricing of energy due to load

variability is analyzed in the third section, highlighting the opportunities for hybrid plants in the current market.

The paper also discusses the popularization of hybrid plants due to the reduction in the cost of taris for use

of the distribution network and the potential contribution of hybrid power plants to the decarbonization of

isolated systems. Finally, the paper presents examples of hybrid generation projects in Brazil and explores the

research agenda related to hybrid plants, highlighting a pilot project being developed by the Energy Institute

of PUC-Rio. In summary, hybrid power plants represent a promising strategy for meeting the challenges of

the energy transition, oering a exible and economically viable solution for electricity generation.

PALABRAS CLAVE: centrales híbridas, transición energética, energías renovables, almacenamiento de

energía, energía solar distribuida, taricación horaria de la energía, descarbonización, sistemas aislados,

proyecto piloto, generación de energía eléctrica.

KEYWORDS: emissions, methane, natural gas supply chain, mitigation measures, abatement costs.

Resumen

Abstract

1. INTRODUCTION

The global energy transition is reshaping the

electricity sector, driven by economic, regulatory,

and technological transformations. One of the key

developments in this transition is the increasing

deployment of hybrid power plants, which integrate

multiple energy sources to enhance reliability,

optimize costs, and reduce environmental

impacts. Hybrid power plants play a crucial role

in addressing the intermittency of renewable

sources while maximizing the eciency of existing

energy infrastructure.

Hybrid power plants combine dierent primary

energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydro,

biomass, and fossil fuels, often incorporating energy

storage systems to improve supply stability. This

integration allows for better adaptation to uctuating

energy demand, reducing supply disruptions

and optimizing the utilization of transmission and

distribution networks. Consequently, hybrid power

plants contribute to system resilience, economic

eciency, and the overall sustainability of electricity

generation (Wichert, 1997; Manwell, 2004; Lazárov

et al., 2005).

The Brazilian electricity sector is undergoing

signicant changes to incorporate hybrid power

generation. The regulatory framework established

by the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel),

particularly Normative Resolution No. 954,

provides guidelines for implementing hybrid and

associated power plants in the country. These

regulations aim to facilitate the integration of

renewable energy sources, improve grid stability,

and reduce costs associated with energy

generation and distribution. In this context, hybrid

power plants have emerged as a strategic solution

for both interconnected and isolated power

systems.

This article aims to assess the role of hybrid

power plants in the energy transition by analyzing

their technical, economic, and regulatory

aspects. Specically, it explores how hybridization

strategies can be optimized to improve

energy reliability, reduce costs, and support

decarbonization eorts. The study also examines

how hourly energy pricing, network usage costs,

and regulatory incentives inuence the adoption

of hybrid power plants, providing insights into

their economic competitiveness and potential for

widespread implementation.

To achieve this objective, the article is structured

around the following key topics:

• Denition and regulatory framework of

hybrid power plants in Brazil – An overview

of hybrid power plant congurations and

their regulation under Aneel’s Normative

Resolution No. 954.

• Impact of renewable energy penetration

on dispatchable generation – Analysis of

how the expansion of variable renewable

energy sources aects the demand for

dispatchable energy and grid stability.

• Hourly energy pricing and hybrid power

plants – Investigation of how hybrid

generation systems can optimize energy

sales and system operation under hourly

pricing mechanisms.

• Reduction of network usage costs

through hybridization – Assessment of

how hybrid plants can lower transmission

and distribution costs by optimizing energy

generation proles.

• Decarbonization potential of hybrid power

plants in isolated systems – Evaluation of

how hybridization can replace fossil-fuel-

based generation in remote areas, reducing

carbon emissions and operational costs.

• Economic competitiveness and feasibility

of hybrid power plants – Examination of

key factors inuencing the nancial viability

of hybrid systems under dierent market

conditions.

2. CONCEPT OF HYBRID POWER PLANTS

A variety of technological combinations may be

employed to facilitate the hybridization of existing or

novel generation systems. Potential combinations

include a wind power plant with photovoltaics and

batteries; a hydropower plant with photovoltaics;

a biomass thermal power plant with a gas power

plant and photovoltaics; among others. The

specic combinations to be pursued will depend

on the opportunities for reducing generation

costs by leveraging common infrastructures

and the complementarity of generation sources.

Furthermore, there may be signicant gains

associated with the ability to adapt energy supply

to the characteristics of demand.

The generation hybridization strategy can

be adapted to the specic characteristics of

the demand curve of a region or consumer,

considering the availability of natural resources

and local needs. The combination of dierent

energy sources in a single installation has the

potential to enhance operational eciency,

improve the reliability of electricity supply, and

reduce dependence on a single energy source.

For a power-generating plant to be considered

hybrid, the project must contain a single metering

• Case studies of hybrid generation projects

in Brazil – Presentation of real-world hybrid

power plant implementations, highlighting

their benets and challenges.

• Research agenda and pilot projects –

Discussion on ongoing research initiatives,

including the pilot hybrid power plant project

at the Energy Institute of PUC-Rio, which

aims to validate hybridization models and

assess their performance under real-world

conditions.

The article is organized into seven sections.

Following this introduction, Section 2 provides an

in-depth discussion on the concept and regulatory

landscape of hybrid power plants. Section 3

examines the impact of variable renewable energy

sources on dispatchable generation requirements

and explores the role of hybrid plants in adapting

to hourly energy pricing structures. Section 4

discusses how hybridization can reduce network

usage costs. Section 5 evaluates the potential

of hybrid power plants in decarbonizing and

reducing the costs of generation in isolated

systems. Section 6 outlines the research agenda

on hybrid power plants, with a particular focus

on experimental models and pilot projects being

developed to advance this eld. Finally, Section 7

presents the study’s conclusions.

By providing a comprehensive analysis of hybrid

power plants, this study contributes to the

understanding of their potential to accelerate

the energy transition, enhance grid stability, and

improve economic eciency in electricity markets.

system and a single license (Aneel, 2021). There

are also associated generating plants that also

integrate two or more energy sources, but with

dierent licenses and metering, which share the

same energy transmission system.

In Brazil, the National Electric Energy Agency

(Aneel) enacted Resolution regarding hybrid and

associated plants in 2021 through Normative

Resolution No. 954. This regulation involves power

plants with a capacity exceeding 5 MW, including

associated plants. A hybrid power plant is dened

as a facility that produces electricity from a

combination of dierent generation technologies,

with dierent metering per generation technology

or not, subject to a single grant. In contrast, an

associated generating plant is dened as a facility

that produces electricity from a combination of

dierent generation technologies, with dierent

licenses and metering systems, which physically

and contractually share the infrastructure for

connecting to and using the transmission system.

Figure 1 provides a schematic representation of

the hybrid and associated plant concepts.

Figure 1 - Hybrid and Associated Plant Arrangements (Aneel, 2021).

As illustrated in the initial chart of Figure 1, the

associated plants are organized according to a

scheme that encompasses two or more licenses

and the shared utilization of the connection.

Consequently, the aforementioned plants are

subject to two distinct metering but have a single

contract regarding the use of the transmission

system. In contrast, hybrid plants, as illustrated

in the second table, possess a single license

but employ two or more power generation

technologies. These plants can be classi ed in

two distinct manners:  rstly, each technology is

associated with a distinct meter; secondly, a single

meter is utilized, with the technologies sharing the

same transmission system.

It is also important to note that separate

measurements by generation technology are

required for hybrid power plants that employ

technologies centrally dispatched by the

National System Operator (ONS). Furthermore,

it is imperative to underscore that in instances

of hybridization or association of generating

plants, there must be no compromise in meeting

contractual obligations within the regulated

framework. This is to ensure the stability and

reliability of the electricity supply.

As stated by EPE (2018), the primary advantages

of hybrid plants can be summarized as follows:

• Increased utilization of available

transmission and/or distribution system

capacity

• Optimized use of available land area

• Enhanced logistics and implementation

planning through synergies

• Operational synergies

• Shared utilization of system equipment of

restricted interest

• Reduction of generator costs with network

usage tari s

One of the  rst projects to receive approval from

Aneel was the Neoenergia Renewable Complex,

comprising the associations of Neoenergia

Chafariz and Neoenergia Luzia in Figure 2.

These two solar and wind renewable energy

generation facilities are associated with the

objective of supplying energy to Paraíba. The

plants have an installed capacity of approximately

620 MW, distributed between solar panels and

wind generators connected to the National

Interconnected System, which integrates the

production and distribution of electricity in Brazil.

The total output is su cient to supply 1.3 million

homes per year (Neoenergia, 2022).