Performance Analysis of a Hybrid Renewable-Energy System for Green Buildings to Improve Efficiency and Reduce GHG Emissions with Multiple Scenarios

Abstract

A hybrid system, such as solar and wind, may be more successful than nonhybrid systems in accelerating the transition from conventional to renewable power sources. However, these new energy sources have several challenges, such as intermittency, storage capacity, and grid stability. This paper presents a complete analysis and study of a hybrid renewable-energy system (HRES) to convert a facility into a green building and reduce its dependence on conventional energy by generating clean energy with near-zero greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. The proposed system aims to reduce the energy bill of a hotel in Petra, Jordan, by considering different sustainable energy resource configurations in a grid-connected hybrid renewable energy system (GHRES). The hybrid optimization of multiple energy resources (HOMER) grid software was utilized on the hybrid systems to study ways to improve their overall efficiency and mitigate GHG emissions from an economic perspective. The hybrid system components included in the simulation were a solar photovoltaic (PV) system, a wind turbine (WT) system, a diesel generator (DG), and a converter. Five scenarios (PV–Converter–DG–Grid, PV–Converter–Battery–DG–Grid, WT–DG–Grid, PV–WT–Converter–Battery–DG–Grid, PV–WT–Converter–DG–Grid) were considered. The optimal configuration had a USD 1.16 M total net present cost, USD 0.0415/kWh cost of energy, 15.8% effective internal rate of return, and an approximately 77% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the base case.