Brochet is a remote, off-grid community located in Northern Manitoba, Canada. The existing diesel generating system is characterized by high economic and environmental costs. As the existing diesel generators are nearing the end of their operational lifespan, this study uses the HOMER model to determine an optimum electricity system design at Brochet that has high electrical reliability, least cost, and low emissions. Three potential power generation options were considered and evaluated, namely: 1) only diesel, 2) only wind, 3) a mix of both. The wind-diesel hybrid system performed best for all the evaluation criteria. While maintaining high reliability, this hybrid system design resulted in 19 % reduction in electricity cost, and 30 % reduction of CO2 when compared to the existing electricity system at Brochet. Thus, this study concludes that the wind-diesel hybrid system is the optimum electricity system design for Brochet and proposes this system replace the existing system.

Brochet is a remote, off-grid community located in Northern Manitoba, Canada. The existing diesel generating system is characterized by high economic and environmental costs. As the existing diesel generators are nearing the end of their operational lifespan, this study uses the HOMER model to determine an optimum electricity system design at Brochet that has high electrical reliability, least cost, and low emissions. Three potential power generation options were considered and evaluated, namely: 1) only diesel, 2) only wind, 3) a mix of both. The wind-diesel hybrid system performed best for all the evaluation criteria. While maintaining high reliability, this hybrid system design resulted in 19 % reduction in electricity cost, and 30 % reduction of CO2 when compared to the existing electricity system at Brochet. Thus, this study concludes that the wind-diesel hybrid system is the optimum electricity system design for Brochet and proposes this system replace the existing system.

Les générateurs diesels sont la principale source d'énergie électrique qui alimente la plupart des régions éloignées et isolées dans le monde. Malheureusement, ces moteurs posent encore d'énormes défis techniques, financiers et environnementaux. Toutefois, la combinaison de ces générateurs avec des sources renouvelables comme l'énergie éolienne dans un système éolien-diesel hybride (WDS) pourrait réduire ces déficits en réduisant la consommation de combustibles fossiles et de la durée de fonctionnement des moteurs diesels et en réduisant le coût de l'exploitation et les émissions nocives. L’intermittence de l'énergie éolienne et sa dissipation pendant les périodes venteuses exigent un système de stockage d'énergie. Dans cette thèse, un nouveau système hybride éolien-diesel avec compression d'air adiabatique et stockage à pression constante (ACP-WDCAS) a été proposé. Ce système combine les technologies de stockage d'énergie hydropneumatiques et les systèmes de stockage de l'énergie sous forme d’air comprimé avec le système éolien-diesel. L'objectif de ce système est d'optimiser les performances des moteurs diesel et de réduire la consommation de carburant sans apporter de modifications majeures à l'architecture de ces moteurs dans les sites isolés. Une simulation numérique, une modélisation mathématique et une analyse des évolutions possibles du système seront de ce fait étudiés. / Diesel generators are the main source of electrical energy that supply most of the remote isolated areas in the world. Unfortunately, these motors still pose enormous technical, financial and environmental challenges. Therefore, the combination of these generators with renewable sources like wind energy in a wind-diesel hybrid system (WDS) could reduce these deficits by reducing the fossil fuel consumption and the operating time of diesel engines and by shortening the operation cost and environmental harm. And because the intermittency of wind energy and its dissipation during windy periods require an energy storage system. In this thesis, a new wind-diesel hybrid system with adiabatic air compression and storage at constant pressure (ACP-WDCAS) was proposed. This concept combine compressed air and hydro pneumatic energy storage technologies with wind-diesel system. The objective of this system is to optimize the performance of diesel engines, and minimize fuel consumption without making major changes to the architecture of these engines in remote sites. A numerical simulation, a mathematical modeling and an analysis of the possible evolutions of the system are studied.