Abstract
A large number of telecommunication base stations operate on unreliable grid or no grid at all, and rely on batteries or diesel generators for primary or back-up energy. This paper proposes an autonomous renewable energy micro-grid, using Solar Photovoltaics and Wind Turbine to generate electricity, and a Regenerative Hydrogen Fuel Cell as back-up power for up to 10 days. The system is validated using MATLAB/Simulink software and real-life weather data and optimized for a 25kW micro-grid near Dakar, Senegal. The simulations show a smart load-following system that instantaneously recognizes the cheapest source of electricity to power the load. Levelised Cost of Electricity based on the outcomes of the MATLAB/Simulink model show the economic potential of an RHFC as back-up for micro-grids, allowing cheap and reliable electricity to rural areas in developing countries, with a LCOE of 6.71 p/kWh, RHFC is by far the cheapest back-up for this application.
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