Bayesian networks in renewable energy systems: A bibliographical survey

For the last years, the research and development in the field of Renewable Energy has been growing due to the need of Renewable Energy as an extended and reliable source of energy. However, the implementation of renewable energy has many complex problems not easily solved with conventional methods. Recently, Artificial Intelligence techniques such as Artificial Neural Networks, Fuzzy Logic and Genetic Algorithms, have been widely used to deal with these problems in the field of Renewable Energy. Nevertheless, issues with a degree of uncertainty need Bayesian Networks since this is one of the most effective theories to face them. This technique can contribute to the Renewable Energy harnessing and other open issues on this field. In this work we show the state of the art of the applications of Bayesian Networks in Renewable Energy, such as solar thermal, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric energies and biomass. Additionally, we include related topics such as energy storage, smart grids and energy assessment. We classify the literature by areas considering three main subjects: resource evaluation, operation, and applications, and in each section we describe the possible directions to be taken in the research of the field. We find that the main applications are done for forecasting, fault diagnosis, maintenance, operation, planning, sizing and risk management. We conclude that Bayesian Networks are a promising tool for the field of Renewable Energy with potential applications due to their versatility. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.