Abstract
Stand-alone wind power systems provide a solution for the electrification of isolated families. However, optimal sizing is usually based on simplified cost analysis of the initial installation. In this paper, a complete long-term energy production cost investigation is developed. This considers the fixed and variable costs of maintenance, operation and financing, in addition to initial costs. The new model includes local economic parameters, technological improvements concerning the system components and the local wind characteristics. By using the proposed model, the requirements and costs of the appropriate stand-alone system are recalculated and then compared with those based only on the initial installation. According to the results obtained, the proposed configuration uses larger wind turbines and smaller batteries than that the installation-only scenario. Finally, the energy production values are compared to available operational data from autonomous thermal power plant on various small Greek islands.