Techno-economic analysis of solar photo-voltaic/diesel generator hybrid system using different energy storage technologies for isolated islands of India

Abstract

This paper exclusively investigates techno-economic performance of solar photo-voltaic (SPV)/diesel generator (DG) hybrid system using four different battery energy storage (BES) technologies namely lead acid battery, lithium ion battery, vanadium redox battery, and zinc bromine flow (ZBF) for the isolated Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands of India. The analysis has been performed using Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) software at Baratang and Minicoy islands of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep, respectively, in which SPV/DG/ZBF hybrid system (20 kW SPV, 7 kW DG, 100 kWh ZBF batteries and 20 kW converter) found to be most techno-economic viable optimized solution for both locations. The net present cost, levelized cost of energy, and operating cost of this configuration are found to be $23927.21, $0.167/kWh and $338.20, respectively, for Baratang island; and $22366.64, $0.155/kWh and $217.49, respectively, for Minicoy island. Using this system as baseline configuration, analysis was extended to different BES technologies to evaluate the performance parameters like system cost, return of investment, simple payback period, energy produced, pollutant emissions, renewable penetration etc. The effectiveness of the ZBF technology is justified with the obtained results which show highest value of return of investment and renewable penetration with lowest simple payback period and pollutant emission. Finally, sensitivity analysis of the system was performed using a unique three-dimensional approach.