Selection of energy storage capacity in a railway microgrid for island operation

Authors

  • Piotr Obrycki Office of Research, Development and Aid Financing, PGE Energetyka Kolejowa Operator S.A.
  • Krzysztof Perlicki Warsaw University of Technology

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for optimizing the operation and sizing of a railway energy microgrid intended for island operation. The analyzed system integrates photovoltaic generation, battery energy storage, and traction substation load demand. The proposed model assumes that locally generated photovoltaic energy should primarily supply the traction load and charge the storage system, while energy export to the distribution grid is eliminated. A Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm is used to determine the required battery storage capacity under power balance, state-of-charge, depth-of-discharge and converter constraints. Simulations are performed for a traction substation using annual load data and photovoltaic generation profiles for south- and east-west-oriented panels. The results show a polynomial relationship between photovoltaic power and required storage capacity. For island operation, a one-hour autonomy criterion based on the P95 load level gives a storage capacity of 1437 kWh. State of Charge analysis confirms that this value covers most historical load windows, although extreme cases may still cause it to be violated.

Additional Files

Published

2026-10-26

Issue

Vol. 72 No. 4 (2026)

Section

Power, Industrial Electronics

License

Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Electronics and Telecommunication

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