Project Background
A remote residence on the Mongolian steppe faces harsh winters and sits hundreds of kilometres from the nearest power line. In 2023 we designed a 10 kW wind-solar hybrid system to give the household year-round power in one of the world’s most demanding off-grid environments.
The Challenge
Mongolian winters bring -40°C temperatures and snow-covered panels precisely when heating controls need power most. Solar alone would fail through long winter nights, while wind alone would fade on calm summer days – and no service technician would ever be nearby.
Our Solution
The hybrid design pairs a solar array with a small wind turbine: panels generate through calm, sunny days while the turbine complements them through windy nights and winter storms. A hybrid charge controller merges both sources into a battery bank housed in an insulated enclosure rated for deep freezes, and an off-grid inverter delivers 220V household power. All equipment is specified for -40°C operation.
Results & Benefits
- Year-round power for heating controls, lighting and communications, far from any grid.
- Smoothed seasonal output – wind covers winter nights when panels are snow-covered.
- Smaller battery bank than a solar-only design of equal reliability, thanks to source complementarity.
- Extreme-climate durability – -40°C-rated equipment with insulated battery storage.
