Abstract
The electricity access in Sub-Saharan African countries is below 10%; thus, introducing a microgrid for rural electrification can overcome the endemic lack of modern electricity access that hampers the provision of basic services such as education, healthcare, safety, economic and social growth for rural communities. This work studies different possible comparison methods considering variations such as land area required, location for the storage, efficiency, availability and reliability of energy resources, and technology cost variability (investment cost and levelized cost of electricity), which are among the major key parameters used to assess the best possible utilization of renewables and storage system, either using them in the form of integrated, hybrid or independent systems. The study is carried out largely with the help of the Micropower optimization modeling simulator called HOMER for Ethiopia. As a result, the study proposes the use of Photovoltaic (PV)–Wind–Hydro–Battery hybrid system model that concludes the optimal configuration of power systems at affordable price for underserved rural communities.
Highlights
IntroductionPrimary energy sources take many forms, including nuclear energy, fossil energy (such as oil, coal and natural gas) and renewable sources (such as wind, solar and hydropower)
Primary energy sources take many forms, including nuclear energy, fossil energy and renewable sources
The electricity access in Sub-Saharan African countries is below 10%; introducing a microgrid for rural electrification can overcome the endemic lack of modern electricity access that hampers the provision of basic services such as education, healthcare, safety, economic and social growth for rural communities
Summary
Primary energy sources take many forms, including nuclear energy, fossil energy (such as oil, coal and natural gas) and renewable sources (such as wind, solar and hydropower). If renewable power is only partially available (e.g., due to clouds) or not available at all (e.g., no wind), the stored energy using hydrogen fuel cell and/or battery can compensate for intermittency or even provide full power. This makes the production of electrical energy comparatively difficult: it needs a back-and-forth conversion process, which reduces efficiency [5]
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