Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES), a combination of two or more energy generation sources, are gaining increasing prominence in the clean energy sector.

The market is growing rapidly — at approximately 8.33% annually. Governments are supporting hybrid projects, new public–private partnerships are being formed, and current technology enables many hybrid combinations beyond the traditional solar–diesel scheme.

Utility-scale power plants are adopting hybrid systems to meet growing energy demand. Some are considering “hybridizing” facilities that are already in operation, while others are building modern hybrid plants from scratch.

Why Are Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems on the Rise?

For a long time, renewable energy systems relied primarily on a single resource: solar, wind, or hydropower. Although this approach was cleaner than using fossil fuels, it presented a major challenge: higher intermittency.

• Solar energy
• Wind energy
• These resources have a high degree of uncertainty in their predictability.

Another key factor was the rapid increase in renewable energy production, driven especially by the European Union’s carbon neutrality targets. While systems were prepared to manage excess energy, the associated costs were very high.

For this and other reasons, development moved toward hybrid systems to achieve a more homogeneous renewable generation profile, both daily and seasonally.

What is a Hybrid Renewable Energy System? 

An HRES combines two or more renewable generation technologies and, in many cases, energy storage systems, operating in a coordinated manner to improve the reliability, stability, and efficiency of electricity supply.

Depending on its design, an HRES can integrate different generation technologies, such as:

• Solar photovoltaic
• Wind energy
• Hydropower
• Geothermal energy, among others

Additionally, many hybrid systems incorporate battery energy storage systems (BESS) to manage renewable resource variability and decouple generation from consumption.

To ensure safe, efficient operation and compliance with grid requirements, these systems typically rely on control and conversion elements such as:

• Converters and inverters
• Energy Management Systems (EMS)

These components do not define the hybrid nature of the system, but they are essential for coordinating different energy sources, optimizing dispatch, and ensuring operational stability.

Types of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems

In theory, the possibilities of a hybrid system are infinite. However, some of the most common configurations currently used in the utility sector include:

Solar + Wind

Photovoltaic cells generate energy when there is solar radiation, while wind energy is produced whenever wind conditions allow. By operating in a complementary and simultaneous manner, both technologies reduce system variability and improve supply stability.

Solar + Hydropower

The combination of solar and hydropower allows for highly flexible operation, as hydroelectric generation can be adjusted to compensate for solar variability.

A common use case is the installation of floating solar panels on hydroelectric reservoirs, but this hybridization is not limited exclusively to floating PV configurations. It can also be implemented through ground-mounted solar plants located near existing hydroelectric infrastructure, sharing grid connections, control systems, or evacuation points.

Benefits:

• Better use of space and existing infrastructure
• Reduced variability and greater system regulation capability
• Increased total energy production without the need for new hydropower concessions

Hydropower + Wind

In this configuration, the regulation and dispatch capability of hydropower generation allows it to compensate for the inherent variability of wind energy. When wind resources decrease, hydroelectric production can be increased to maintain supply stability, and vice versa.

This complementarity reduces the limitations of single-source systems, improves operational continuity, and enables more predictable management of the energy delivered to the grid.

Other configurations include solar + geothermal, renewables with diesel backup, or even solar + hydrogen production.

Advantages of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems

Hybrid systems optimize the entire renewable energy process — generation, storage, and distribution — offering a level of reliability that single-source systems can rarely match. By combining multiple renewable resources and complementing them with modern storage solutions, HRES provide a more stable and predictable energy supply.

1. Uninterrupted Supply and Greater Reliability

One of their main advantages is continuity. By not relying on a single resource, the system can reduce the “intermittency problem” that affects traditional renewable configurations. When one source underperforms — for example, solar on cloudy days — another source or the battery system can compensate. This reduces waste, minimizes power fluctuations, and ensures a more constant energy flow to the grid or end users.

2. Improved End-to-End Efficiency

Efficiency also increases significantly thanks to a clear separation between strategic optimization and operational control.

The Energy Management System (EMS) is responsible for high-level decision-making, such as economic optimization, operation planning, cost analysis, and generation and demand forecasting. Based on these criteria, the EMS defines optimal operating setpoints and strategies.

Real-time execution at the plant level is handled by the Power Plant Controller (PPC), which acts on the various assets — generation, storage, and conversion — ensuring compliance with EMS setpoints and grid requirements.

This separation of functions enables a more efficient, reliable, and scalable operation, better prepared to adapt to both market conditions and dynamic system variations.

3. Versatility in Grid Integration

Another important benefit is flexibility in grid integration. Hybrid systems can operate connected to the main grid or independently in isolated (off-grid) environments. When grid-connected, they help stabilize voltage levels and improve overall system resilience. In addition, their scalability makes them more economically viable, enabling larger deployments without compromising performance.

Applications of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Utility-Scale Power Plants

For large energy providers, hybrid systems offer clear operational and financial advantages. They enable optimization of generation and storage, improve supply continuity, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. They also facilitate more efficient management of existing infrastructure, minimizing mechanical failures and maximizing total energy production.

Hybrid systems allow better use of land and existing infrastructure. By combining two renewable energy sources at the same facility, plants can maximize output from current assets and leverage synergies between generation and storage.

Although the initial investment in hybrid systems is usually higher than in single-source plants, long-term benefits include greater supply stability and reduced dependence on fossil fuels, protecting plants from fuel price volatility.

For large-scale energy providers, the transition to hybrid renewable energy systems — or the modernization of existing infrastructure with hybrid capabilities — often becomes a strategic decision that improves both performance and profitability over time.

The Bluence Advantage

Bluence offers a SaaS platform designed to simplify and optimize renewable power plant operations at all levels. Through its Central SCADA, operators gain remote, real-time visibility of all renewable assets, seamlessly integrating monitoring at both plant and portfolio levels.

At the plant level, local SCADA systems and the Master Power Plant Controller (PPC) are responsible for executing real hybridization: coordinating generation from different sources, managing storage, and ensuring real-time compliance with grid requirements. Meanwhile, the Asset Performance Manager (APM) enhances the performance of existing systems through intelligent analytics, identifying optimization opportunities and enabling predictive maintenance.

Thanks to this combination, Bluence enables an integrated and efficient operation, where strategic planning is translated into real and effective control of hybrid energy within the plant.

If you are ready to discover how Bluence can support your energy operations, you can book a demo and experience its capabilities in action.