Hybrid Optimization Of Multiple Energy Resources Research Articles

Quantitative Analysis of Green H2 Production Costs: A Comparison between Domestic Developed and Imported Electrolyzers

This study aims to present a quantitative cost analysis of hydrogen utilizing a developed alkaline electrolyzer, a similar-capacity imported alkaline electrolyzer, and a similar-capacity PEM electrolyzer.The research also finds the key parameters that can reduce or increase the production cost. One of the subjected electrolyzers is a locally developed Alkaline Electrolyzer (AE); the other two are similar-capacity imported AE and Polymer Electrolytic Membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. The study uses the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software for estimating the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) and the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) method for hydrogen production cost estimation. Results show that the imported electrolyzers have higher production costs due to import duty, fees, and taxes. The estimated cost is 88.4% (AE) and 110.3% (PEM), higher than the locally developed electrolyzer. The economic changes also significantly impact production costs. Government policies can reduce the cost by rescheduling the hydrogen components taxes.

Optimizing Renewable Energy Integration through Innovative Hybrid Microgrid Design: A Case Study of Najran Secondary Industrial Institute in Saudi Arabia

Amidst a growing global focus on sustainable energy, this study investigates the underutilization of renewable resources in the southern region of Saudi Arabia, with a specific emphasis on the Najran Secondary Industrial Institute (NSII). This research presents an in-depth analysis of installing a hybrid microgrid (MG) system on the roofs of NSII buildings, exploring six cases with varying tilt and azimuth angles. The study innovatively integrates architectural design and system administration, a novel approach for this location, and benchmarks the optimal angles against Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software defaults. The proposed system consists of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, a battery storage system (BSS), a converter, a diesel generator (DG), and a grid. The selected model balances technological and economic viability with environmental considerations, ensuring a reliable power supply within the NSII’s roof area constraints. An extensive sensitivity analysis evaluates the system’s resilience across different scenarios. The current system, which is grid-only, has an estimated Net Present Cost (NPC) of about USD 7.02M and emits 1.81M kg/yr of CO2. The findings point to installing a microgrid with a 20.97° tilt and 50° azimuth angle as optimal, demonstrating 54.69% lower NPC and 92% lower CO2 emissions, along with zero kWh/year unmet electrical load when applying the resilience assessments. This outcome highlights Saudi Arabia’s southern region’s renewable energy potential, aligning with national mega-projects and energy initiatives.

Multi-objective optimization of the hybrid photovoltaic-battery-diesel-desalination system based on multi-type of desalination unit.

Meeting the energy and water demands of remote areas has created significant challenges globally. To address this issue, the utilization of hybrid energy-water systems, integrated with renewable energies, has been highlighted as a viable solution. This work has been focused on the multi-objective optimization of a hybrid energy system, encompassing photovoltaic panels, batteries, diesel generators, and desalination units. The design goals to achieve the optimal configuration include minimizing system costs, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, enhancing the renewable factor, and improving reliability. Also, for the mentioned design goals, the performance of three desalination methods including reverse osmosis (RO), multi-stage flash (MSF), and multiple-effect distillation (MED) was evaluated by Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software. Our findings reveal that the RO desalination method, when combined with renewable energy, outperforms other methods both economically and environmentally. Notably, the RO method reduces net present cost (NPC) by 6.18% and 8.25% and carbon dioxide emissions by 38% and 46%, respectively, compared to MED and MSF methods. Additionally, sensitivity analysis, considering factors such as interest rate, photovoltaic panel cost, battery cost, and fuel cost, was conducted on NPC. The results showed that with a 2% decrease in the interest rate, the amount of NPC increases by about 2.4% due to the increase in the share of renewable energy. Therefore, reducing the interest rate helps to design a system with less carbon dioxide emissions. This work, by highlighting the economic and environmental implications of different desalination methods, as well as key cost factors, contributes to the optimal design of combined energy-water schemes for remote areas.

Techno-economic feasibility of stand-alone hybrid energy system with battery storage in educational buildings: A case study of Uttara University

Stand-alone hybrid energy systems (HES) have the potential to significantly reduce pollutant emissions and alleviate strain on the national grid. The selection and sizing of stand-alone HES for buildings can serve as a methodological approach toward establishing a resilient and clean electrical energy system in urban areas of developing countries. To explore this further, a case study was conducted using Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) to assess the feasibility of implementing a HES at Uttara University in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study examined the technical, economic, environmental, social, and reliability aspects of a stand-alone HES. The findings of this study suggested that the PV-WT-DG-BT is the most cost-effective solution for the University when compared to other hybrid configurations. Additionally, this HES benefits the surrounding communities by creating employment opportunities and contributing to human development. The sensitivity analysis showed that the COE and NPC of the optimal HES are sensitive to fuel price changes. A PV slope angle of 23.88° was cost-effective, and a 20-meter wind turbine hub height was optimal. It was observed that increased solar radiation decreases COE. Further, sensitivity analysis showed that fuel costs, CO2 emissions, and NPC will decrease if average daily load demand declines. It was also found that 1 kWh of Li-Ion-based HES performed the best compared to other batteries. Finally, the results of the genetic algorithm (GA), and grey wolf optimizer (GWO) showed that they provide the same optimum configuration as HOMER but with the lowest NPC. The findings of this study can serve as a foundational model for designing HESs in other large educational buildings located in low and middle-income countries with environmental conditions and socio-economic characteristics similar to Bangladesh.

Performance and Techno-Economic Analysis of Optimal Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for the Mining Industry in South Africa

This paper presents an exploration of the potential of hybrid renewable energy systems (HRESs), combining floating solar photovoltaics (FPV), wind turbines, and vanadium redox flow (VRF) battery energy storage systems (BESSs) to expedite the transition from conventional to renewable energy for the mining sector in South Africa. The feasibility study assesses how to enhance the overall efficiency and minimize greenhouse gas emissions from an economic standpoint by using the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) grid software version 1.11.1 and PVsyst version 7.4. Furthermore, the BESS Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES) dispatch algorithm is proposed to make the most of the battery storage capacity and capability, aligning it with the dynamic energy demand and supply patterns of an HRES. The proposed HRES includes a highly efficient SFPV with a performance ratio of 0.855 and an annual energy production of 15,835 MWh; a wind turbine (WT) operating for 2977 h annually, achieving a 25% wind penetration rate; and a dynamic VRF-BESS with a 15,439 kWh life throughput and a 3 s dispatch response time. This HRES has a CapEx of R172 million, a 23.5% Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and an investment payback period of 4.9 years. It offers a low Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE) at 4.27 R/kWh, a competitive Blended Cost of Energy (BCoE) at 1.91 R/kWh, and a positive net present cost (NPC), making it economically advantageous without external subsidies. Moreover, it annually reduces CO2 emissions by 1,715,468 kg, SO2 emissions by 7437 kg, and NOx emissions by 3637 kg, contributing to a significant environmental benefit.

Energy storage system based on hybrid wind and photovoltaic technologies

Clean energy sources like wind and solar have a huge potential to lessen reliance on fossil fuels. Due to the stochastic nature of various energy sources, dependable hybrid systems have recently been developed. This paper's major goal is to use the existing wind and solar resources to provide electricity. A 6 kWp solar-wind hybrid system installed on the roof of an educational building is studied and optimized using HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources) software at different levels of reliability. At an average annual Cost of Energy (COE) of $1.156 per kWh, the system generates 1996 kWh of power overall. Investigations are made on the techno-economic characteristics of real and ideal hybrid system topologies with maximum capacity shortfalls of 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, and 20 %. The hybrid system's sensitivity analysis looks at how a capacity gap affects overall net present costs and excess power generation. A 2 kWp PV system with one string of ten 12V batteries is shown to be more cost-effective than the existing system with a COE of $0.575/kWh. The most effective configuration for utilizing the site's solar and wind resources is demonstrated to be a 5 kWp wind turbine, a 2 kWp PV system, and battery storage. A wind-solar hybrid system is more expensive than the current system. Despite this, an additional 1 kWp solar PV system may be added to the current system due to the reduction in the limit deficit from 22.3 % to 3.1 %. The findings show that solar-wind hybrid energy systems may efficiently use renewable energy sources for dispersed applications. Additionally, new research directions are noted.

Assessment of microgrid integrated biogas–photovoltaic​ powered Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS) for sustainable future

Electric Vehicle (EV) usage across the world has rapidly increased in the recent times and has opened the doors for researchers working in the area of EV charging station (EVCS). The presence of EVs in India is equally growing and creating a charging infrastructure resource is a big challenge. In this paper, biogas–solar powered EVCS is proposed for a typical location in South Indian state of Karnataka. Techno economic assessment and environmental analysis of PV-Grid with Biogas Powered EVCS in a microgrid was comprehensively carried out using Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software. Results obtained demonstrated that the dependency on the grid purchase was significantly reduced with improved environment benefits in terms of lesser CO2 emissions. This study shall be beneficial in renewables based EVCS infrastructure development.

Techno-economic assessment and optimal design of hybrid power generation-based renewable energy systems

This study presents a techno-economic analysis of five different hybrid energy systems (HES)-based renewable energy sources (RES) in the northern region of Saudi Arabia. It aims to provide valuable insights into the economic feasibility, technical compatibility, and environmental implications of these systems. To carry out this analysis, hybrid optimization of multiple energy resources (HOMER) software is used. Parameters such as total net price cost (TNPC), cost of energy (COE), initial capital cost (ICC), energy generation and consumption, excess and unmet energy, renewable energy (RE) fraction, and emissions were considered to assess the different HES configurations. The findings demonstrate that the grid-connected photovoltaic/wind turbines (PV/WT) system is the best option in terms of economic perspective with TNPC and COE of $213,099 and $0.0480/kWh, respectively followed by grid-connected PV/fuel cell (FC)/WT and stand-alone PV/diesel generator (DG)/WT/battery systems. The PV/battery and PV/FC/WT/battery green hybridization are the highest cost-effective due to their high initial and replacement battery costs. The grid-connected PV/WT and PV/DG/WT/battery systems are the most efficient in meeting load demand, while the PV/battery and PV/FC/WT/battery hybridization have the highest excess and unmet energy. From an environmental perspective, the stand-alone HES consisting solely of RESs, i.e., PV and batteries, has the lowest emissions, making it one of the most environmentally friendly options. Following closely is the PV/FC/WT/battery configuration, which also demonstrates low emissions. On the other hand, the grid-connected PV/WT system exhibits the highest total GHG emissions, rendering it the least environmentally friendly option. This research provides decision-makers, researchers, and stakeholders with valuable information for selecting the optimal hybrid energy systems, taking into account economic, technical, and environmental considerations.

Effect of economic and environmental parameters on multi-generation of electricity, water, heat, and hydrogen in Saudi Arabia: A case study

Since Saudi Arabia is developing policies and regulatory measures in the field of renewable hydrogen technologies and considering the high potential of solar radiation in Najran, the need to meet the welfare needs of residents of a part of this city by relying on solar energy seems necessary. The present work calculates the amount of electricity needed to supply 720 m3 of purified water in the optimal operating mode of the lowest operating pressure using the reverse osmosis (RO) system using Water Application Value Engine)WAVE (v.1.82q software. Then, the evaluation of electricity supply for agricultural irrigation and residential electricity and heat using a fuel cell-based system has been done by Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) v.2.81 software. The production of electricity, heat, drinking water and hydrogen by a system based on solar energy is done for the first time in this geographical and climatic region. The use of the real grid electricity tariff, the use of batteries and diesel generators as backups, as well as the conversion of excess electricity into heat by dump load, in addition to making the present review comprehensive, can also help investors and decision-makers in the energy field as a road map. By performing sensitivity analysis on economic and environmental parameters, nine different scenarios were evaluated, and the system's performance during the useful life of 25 years was carefully assessed. The results showed that today hydrogen production is not economically viable in Najran. According to the results, the lowest price per kWh of electricity produced with the amount of −0.008 $ is related to the penalty of the pollutants equal to 300 $ and the annual interest rate is 3%. According to the results, the highest percentage of solar energy use is 58%, which leads to preventing the emission of 5364 kg of CO2 pollutants per year and converting excess electricity into 34,056 kWh of heat. Based on the results, the lowest investment return time is 2.57 years, related to the pollutants' penalty of 300 $/ton. The most hydrogen produced with the amount of 2709 kg/year is related to the best performance of the fuel cell (production of 5% of electricity and 1% of heat).

Different Scenarios for Reducing Carbon Emissions, Optimal Sizing, and Design of a Stand-Alone Hybrid Renewable Energy System for Irrigation Purposes

Irrigation systems to supply water to agricultural land are essential in remote and isolated areas. However, these areas often face challenges and obstacles in obtaining energy for use in irrigation since many depend on diesel generators (DGs) to produce electricity. A farm located in a remote area in Al-Jafr, Jordan, uses a 100 kW DG to supply its need for electric energy for irrigation purposes. Its energy consumption is 500 kWh/day at $0.29/kWh. This paper designs a new hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) for this farm by conducting simulations using the HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources) software. This new system consists of solar photovoltaics (PVs), batteries, an inverter, and a 100 kW DG. The results showed a clear difference between the baseline DG-only system and the hybrid system regarding energy cost and carbon emissions. The energy price for the HRES is $0.107/kWh, and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced to 27,378 kg/yr from 184,917 kg/yr for the DG-only system. In addition, simulations and comparisons for an alternative HRES with a 60 kW DG were conducted. Based on the simulation results, the energy price was $0.091 instead of $0.19, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were 15,847 kg/yr instead of 115,090 kg/yr. It was concluded that using hybrid renewable energy systems to power the irrigation of remote areas successfully reduced the energy cost, fuel consumption, emissions, and overall cost. The HOMER program makes an accurate comparison over extended periods between the four strategies (load following, cycle charging, combined dispatch, and predictive dispatch) and selects the optimal system based on the cost, emissions, fuel consumption, and percentage of renewable energy from the system.

Analysis of Jamrao canal for potential of hybrid photovoltaic/hydrokinetic turbine system

The rapid depletion of fossil fuels, increased electricity consumption, and global environmental concerns have led to shift electricity generation from non-renewable to renewable energy sources. Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is increasing with significant land requirement. To conserve this valuable land and water evaporation, PV panels are being installed on water bodies such as irrigation canals, lakes and dams. Researchers have found that hybrid power generation systems are more efficient than single power generating system, thus by covering canals with solar panels and harnessing the kinetic energy of flowing water using hydrokinetic turbines (HKT), a massive amount of electricity can be generated. The Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software is used in this study to stimulate and acquire the best results and configuration for a hybrid PV/hydrokinetic system in district Sanghar of Sindh province in Pakistan. Model is designed by covering the 1 km canal surface with PV and the hydrokinetic turbines along with it. The overall potential for 1 km length of canal for both PV/hydrokinetic turbine system is found around 2.8 MW with payback period in 5.7 years and by saving 324.58 million cubic meters of water in terms of evaporation with annual saving in GHG emissions of 416,451.74 kg/yr.

Analysis of hydrogen infrastructure for the feasibility, economics, and sustainability of a fuel cell powered data center

Data centers used for internet data services, cloud computing, and/or data storage consume vast amounts of electricity and are increasing rapidly in capacity. Consequently, their power consumption has raised concerns about energy sustainability and environmental impacts. Large-scale, on-site renewable energy could help reduce data centers’ carbon footprint; however, wind and solar power alone cannot provide an uninterrupted power supply to computer servers due to their natural variability. Instead, reliable power integration can be achieved by using fuel cells powered by hydrogen from sustainable resources (e.g., wind and solar energy). Establishing a hydrogen infrastructure will be critical for realizing these benefits and establishing fuel cells as a viable power source for data centers. To facilitate the development of novel carbon-free fuel cell data enters, this paper presents renewable power integrated with hydrogen infrastructures in four scenarios to provide reliable hydrogen supply from production to storage. Various paths were analyzed toward a hydrogen supply infrastructure by determining the proper component sizes and calculating the cost of meeting the server load. We used a microgrid modeling software, Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER), and studied the feasibility of fuel cell powered data centers employing renewable hydrogen. The modeling results show various renewable integration configurations to meet reliable and sustainable power requirement under four scenarios for a carbon-free data center.

Substantiating the expediency of using hydrogen fuel cells in electricity generation

The object of research is the process of using a hydrogen fuel cell to generate and accumulate electricity. The study highlights the feasibility of using a hydrogen fuel cell to provide electrical load. The potential of using hydrogen as an alternative energy source was evaluated. SWOT analysis was used as a research method, based on the results of which recommendations were developed. The proposed measures could be taken to increase the use of hydrogen energy as an alternative to traditional energy sources. The use of hydrogen technologies in an administrative building connected to an existing electrical network was analyzed. The economic and environmental aspects of the use of hydrogen fuel cells to meet the demand for electrical load were investigated. Six schemes of energy supply of the building and comparing them to select the optimal solution have been developed. In the study, the assessment tool was the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software. The considered schemes were evaluated in accordance with a single generalized indicator. As a result, it was determined that the use of a hydrogen fuel cell could increase the efficiency of the traditional system by 85 %. For renewable energy systems, there was an increase in efficiency of 7 % (for the wind generator) and 10 % (for the photocell). The practical use of the results will contribute to the efficiency of the process of electricity production by equalizing the stability of energy supply in hybrid systems. The economic and environmental assessment conducted demonstrates the prospects of using a hydrogen fuel cell. This assessment is designed to strengthen consumer confidence in the use of hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen in general

Feasibility and sensitivity analysis of a self-sustainable hybrid system: A case study of a mountainous region in Bangladesh

The hilly territories in Bangladesh lack adequate electricity supplies due to their remote placement, which restrains the prosperity of the locality. This study presents a self-sustainable solution for Bilchari, a mountainous area of Bangladesh that shares the same electricity supply deficiency. The region lacks supplies but boasts a wealth of renewable energy resources, like biomass, wind, hydro, and solar. All of these sources are utilized to develop a hybrid system. The system load assessment is done for the winter and summer seasons according to the site's requirements. The overall simulation is performed using the hybrid optimization of multiple energy resources (HOMER) tool to find an optimum solution. Four competing solutions with different source combinations have been found by the simulation. Another four single-sourced systems are also investigated and compared to determine the superiority of hybrid systems over single-sourced systems. The results of thorough research using various optimization and sensitivity analysis exhibit that the Solar/Biomass/Battery/Wind/Hydrokinetic system is the optimum option for the location. The energy cost per kWh is only $0.128 in this configuration. And net present cost (NPC) is $303306, where operating cost is only 12,413 $/year. Moreover, the proposed system emits much lower CO2 (17.6 kg/year) with negligible other emissions making it eco-friendly. The decent outcomes from breakeven grid distance and payback period analysis make the hybrid more feasible. Therefore, the proposed hybrid system could be a viable solution for the community of the site and places with similar meteorological features worldwide, both economically and ecologically.

A novel approach for optimal hybrid energy decarbonization using multi-criteria decision analysis: Abu Rudeis, Egypt as a case study

Converting from a complete fossil fuel energy system to a decarbonized one is crucial to mitigating climate change and protecting human health. Hybrid energy sources are better than producing energy from a single technology. The combination of renewable energy and fuel generators allows users to cover seasonal fluctuations of resources and protects them from the unpredictability of fuel prices and supply. Nonetheless, the large-scale industrial demand presents a real challenge due to its consistency throughout the day and the intermittent nature of renewable sources. This research proposes a novel approach for optimal hybrid energy decarbonization for any demand type in general and industrial demand in particular. The proposed framework is developed by integrating the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) for the simulations of Hybrid Configurations (HCs), the Electrical Transient Analysis Program (ETAP) for the stability studies, and the Potentially All Pairwise RanKings of all possible Alternatives (PAPRIKA) method to rank the resulting configurations.An industrial oil and gas complex with high wind and solar resource availability is adopted as a study case. It is located in Abu Rudeis, Egypt, and currently utilizes only 11 Gas Turbine Generators (GTGs) to generate electricity. Five different HCs are investigated, including PV and wind systems. The proposed approach considers technical, environmental, economic, and socio-political criteria, with a total of 21 sub-criteria, and reveals that incorporating a wind farm of nine 2-MW wind turbines with the GTGs is the Optimal Hybrid Configuration (OHC).

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

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.

Integrating Solar Photovoltaic Power Source and Biogas Energy-Based System for Increasing Access to Electricity in Rural Areas of Tanzania

Renewable energy is the best option for the challenge of dwindling natural resources and energy scarcity. The utilization of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is the best option for eliminating the energy deficit in Tanzania due to the available great potential of solar energy. Animal manure is a significant source of waste in rural locations which can be transformed into biogas fuel by an anaerobic process. Livestock and agriculture greatly support economically the majority of the sub-Saharan African (SSA) region’s rural population including Tanzania, and excreta from cattle are beneficial for biogas fuel production. Unfortunately, the high potential of animal waste for generating electricity is underutilized. Integrating solar energy sources and biogas fuel derived from animal manure is useful for mitigating energy shortage, power instability, and environmental issues. Off-grid solar PV biogas-based hybrid microgrid systems for rural electrification applications in the Tanzanian environment are limited, and also, most of the studies are extensively carried out using soft computing tools especially hybrid optimization of multiple energy resources (HOMER) software with limited applications of artificial intelligence (AI) optimization techniques. This paper presents technoeconomic viability analysis for a hybrid renewable energy supply system (HRESS) for the Simboya village in Mbeya region, Tanzania. Off-grid HRESS is designed and optimized to meet the load of the chosen location executed using HOMER software and the grey wolf optimization (GWO) method. The microgrid is anticipated to supply daily maximum demand of 63.41 kW. The residential load profile equals 30 kW representing 50% of the daily demand. Optimization results by the HOMER platform indicate that the system has a total net present cost (NPC) and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of $106,383.50 and $0.1109/kWh, respectively. Furthermore, this paper presents the optimization and sensitivity analysis results acquired by the GWO method under varied values of Loss of Electrical Power Probability (LEPP). Total NPC and LCOE based on LEPP values of 0, 0.04, and 0.06 are $85,106.8, $79,545.99, and $71,747.36 and $0.0887/kWh, $0.0316/kWh, and $0.0102/kWh, respectively. HRESS is economically and environmentally beneficial for supplying electricity to the selected area and worldwide in similar situations.

Sizing Design for a Hybrid Renewable Power System Using HOMER and iHOGA Simulators

In this study, a comparative sizing design for renewable power systems was developed based on HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources) and iHOGA (improved Hybrid Optimization by Genetic Algorithms) simulators. A comparative analysis of the solutions obtained with iHOGA and HOMER simulators for the same hybrid renewable power system (HRPS) is presented in detail. The system contained a new hybrid configuration that used fuel cell (FC) as a green energy source, replacing the polluting diesel generator system, as well as other renewable energy sources, namely, photovoltaic panels, wind turbine, a battery stack, power converters, and electric load. The same case study was carried out for the design of the hybrid system using HOMER and iHOGA simulators to perform a comparative analysis of the solutions obtained for potential investment. The analysis showed a higher share of renewable energy for iHOGA (92%) compared to HOMER (81%), so the first design produced 51.61 kg/year less carbon dioxide. Moreover, the operating costs (2134 RON/year for HOMER and 70.56 RON/year for iHOGA) and the cost of electricity were higher by 96% and 2.5%, respectively, for HOMER compared to iHOGA. Taking into account the need for high reliability, safe operation, and lower operation/exploitation costs, the design implemented in iHOGA is clearly more efficient and useful in practice, and this is supported by the three iHOGA case studies.

Analysis of grid/solar photovoltaic power generation for improved village energy supply: A case of Ikose in Oyo State Nigeria

Energy crisis is one of the major challenges confronting African countries. Nigeria is one of the countries having a high energy deficit in Africa with rural areas being at the receiving end. Hence, people in several locations of the country depend largely on fossil fuels for their energy generation due to the energy supply problem being experienced in the country. Fossil fuel-based energy generation is highly environmentally-unfriendly hence, the use of renewable energy system is adopted as a viable alternative to solve the energy crisis. This work first reviews the energy status in rural Nigeria to describe the situation and the available energy resources. Three different energy scenarios – Grid only, PV only and the PV-Grid configurations were designed and simulated using the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) tool for a village in Oyo state, Nigeria. The design of the energy systems is based on technical and economic analyses, which provide the opportunity to compare the performances of the different scenarios. The study uses the monthly grid purchase (MGP), excess electrical production (EEP), and unmet electric load (UEL), net present cost (NPC), Levelized cost of energy (LCOE), annual operating cost (OC) and the salvage value (SV) for the comparison. The simulation results demonstrated that the PV-Grid system is best option for the village with the highest MGP, EEP, and UEL of about 34, 24, and 0.7 kW, respectively. The corresponding economic implications for the PV-grid configuration are NPC, LCOE, OC, and SV values of 73388.77, 0.1904, 1957.64, and 2,173.55 USD. The sensitivity analysis result revealed that the grid only and PV-grid are not as affected by a change in temperature compared to the PV only whose energy production, and EEP values decrease with an increase in temperature and the UEL parameter increases with an increase in the surrounding temperature.

Feasibility and optimal sizing analysis of hybrid renewable energy systems: A case study of Al-Karak, Jordan

The aim of this research is to examine the techno-economic viability of both off-grid and on-grid hybrid renewable energy systems for Jordan's Al-Karak governorate. Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) Pro software was used in this article to evaluate the carry feasibility to maximize the renewable energy (RE) integration in hybrid energy systems based on different configurations, grid-connected and stand-alone systems of the wind turbine, biogas plant, photovoltaic (PV) panels, flywheel, and batteries while minimizing the net present cost, the Levelized cost of energy and CO2 emissions mitigation. The results showed that the PV/Wind system, connected to the grid with batteries for storage is the optimal configuration for sustainable Al-Karak governorate electrification whilst achieving environmental benefits and guaranteeing reliable and continuous energy access with the lowest net present cost and the Levelized cost, 298,359 USD$ and 0.024 USD$/kWh respectively, and high RE share, 71.8% of electricity is generated from wind and 28.2% is purchased from the grid and emits 220 tons of CO2 per year, 53% less than a grid alone system. Such a system would provide advantages in terms of energy independence and improved environmental quality.