Least Cost Of Energy Research Articles

Optimization of off-grid hybrid renewable energy systems for cost-effective and reliable power supply in Gaita Selassie Ethiopia

This paper explores scenarios for powering rural areas in Gaita Selassie with renewable energy plants, aiming to reduce system costs by optimizing component numbers to meet energy demands. Various scenarios, such as combining solar photovoltaic (PV) with pumped hydro-energy storage (PHES), utilizing wind energy with PHES, and integrating a hybrid system of PV, wind, and PHES, have been evaluated based on diverse criteria, encompassing financial aspects and reliability. To achieve the results, meta-heuristics such as the Multiobjective Gray wolf optimization algorithm (MOGWO) and Multiobjective Grasshopper optimization algorithm (MOGOA) were applied using MATLAB software. Moreover, optimal component sizing has been investigated utilizing real-time assessment data and meteorological data from Gaita Sillasie, Ethiopia. Metaheuristic optimization techniques were employed to pinpoint the most favorable loss of power supply probability (LPSP) with the least cost of energy (COE) and total life cycle cost (TLCC) for the hybrid system, all while meeting operational requirements in various scenarios. The Multi-Objective Grey Wolf Optimization (MOGWO) technique outperformed the Multi-Objective Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (MOGOA) in optimizing the problem, as suggested by the results. Furthermore, based on MOGWO findings, the hybrid solar PV-Wind-PHES system demonstrated the lowest COE (0.126€/kWh) and TLCC (€6,897,300), along with optimal satisfaction of the village's energy demand and LPSP value. In the PV-Wind-PHSS scenario, the TLCC and COE are 38%, 18%, 2%, and 1.5% lower than those for the Wind-PHS and PV-PHSS scenarios at LPSP 0%, according to MOGWO results. Overall, this research contributes valuable insights into the design and implementation of sustainable energy solutions for remote communities, paving the way for enhanced energy access and environmental sustainability.

Optimal design and sizing of a hybrid energy system for water pumping applications

AbstractOne of the ways to increase the participation and penetration of renewable energy resources is to bring down the cost of these abundant resources for easy implementation and affordability. In this paper, a generalized reduced gradient (GRG) non‐linear optimization algorithm is implemented to solve a tri‐objective optimal design and sizing of a low‐cost hybrid mix consisting of a photovoltaic (PV) power plant, biomass power plant (BPP), and battery energy system for water pumping load applications in the University of Johannesburg, South Africa considering four different hybrids of biomass‐battery, PV‐battery, PV‐biomass, and PV‐biomass‐battery. The optimization model considers available energy and battery state of charge while minimizing least cost of energy (LCOE), carbon dioxide emission (tCO2eq), and loss of power supply probability (LPSP) including carbon tax incentive and penalty. The results when compared against particle swarm optimization (PSO) show the superiority of GRG over PSO with an optimal combination of PV‐biomass‐battery mix with optimal size of the PV power plant as 360.50 kW, the BPP 181.08 kW, and the battery size of 6,553.60 kWh giving a minimal optimal LCOE, CO2 emission and LPSP of 0.018 $/kWhr (with carbon tax), and 0.016 $/kWhr (without carbon tax), 28,067.73tCO2eq tCO2eq, and 1.7%, respectively. These values give a competitive advantage compared to the unit cost and values of CO2 emission and LPSP currently in the literature.

Evaluation of solar energy potential in six geopolitical regions of Nigeria using analytical and simulation techniques

The global access to electricity has become an international phenomenon since about 940 million people that translate to 13% of the world population do not have access to electricity. The percentage of people with access to electricity is a significant economic and social indicator of an increased standard of living, economic growth, industrialization and poverty alleviation. The access to reliable, affordable, modern and sustainable energy can be met on the global note by using renewable energy resources. In view of this, this research evaluates the solar energy potential across six geopolitical regions of Nigeria by using some locations such as Asaba (South-South), Abakaliki (South-East), Ado-Ekiti (South-West), Jos (North-Central), Maiduguri (North-East), Sokoto (North-West) and Abuja (North-Central). This study is essential due to the inadequate and abysmal electricity generated and transmitted to the national grid and the adverse effect caused by the release of greenhouse gas pollution by burning fossil fuels while generating electricity. A hybrid grid/photovoltaic/battery system is proposed to ameliorate the electricity generation and reduce poverty owing to access to electricity. Two complementary techniques such as analytical and simulation are proposed in the study to assess the potential of solar resources in the country. The analytical technique employed the Angstrom-Prescott empirical model to estimate the global horizontal irradiance. The statistical indices are applied to validate the model performance accuracy level by comparing the estimated values with the observed data values from the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations. The simulation technique utilized the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable software tools to evaluate the solar energy potential of each selected location and to determine the best location. The estimated values radiation obtained for Asaba, Abakaliki, Ado-Ekiti, Jos, Maiduguri, Sokoto and Abuja are; 4.44 kW/m2/day, 4.69 kW/m2/day, 4.67 kW/m2/day, 4.84 kW/m2/day, 5.71 kW/m2/day, 5.86 kW/m2/day and 4.81 kW/m2/day, with high accuracy level within the range of 70.6–96.4% coefficient of determination. The simulation results of the proposed hybrid energy system show a 35–49% reduction in the net present cost, a 43–58% decrease in the cost of energy and an 80–92% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared with the existing grid-connected-only system. The simulation results revealed that Sokoto has the least cost of energy, net present cost, energy charge, energy purchased and net energy purchased with values of $0.0837/kWh, $79,812, $284.77, 4,773kWh and −8.623kWh as well as the highest photovoltaic energy production output and internal rate of return with values of, 76,370kWh/yr and 17.7%. Hence, Sokoto is the best place for the potential investment of solar energy-based power solutions in Nigeria. The results obtained from the study can be used as a benchmark by government agencies to make managerial decisions and to locate the best sites for renewable energy projects around the world, especially developing countries.

Analysis of Optimal Load Management Using a Stand-Alone Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid System

Typically, diesel or other fossil fuel-based related applications meet electricity demand. Nonetheless, as the cost of fossil fuels rises, as do their harmful emissions, there is a sudden transition toward stand-alone hybrid renewable energy systems (HRESs). The proposed project proposes electrifying VIT University in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India, using an off-grid HRES. The goal of enhancing hybrid energy system (HES) regulation, size, and component selection is to provide society with a cost-effective power supply. This article’s primary purpose is to show how to utilize HOMER Pro Software to reduce total net present cost, cost of energy, and CO2 emissions. After that, the findings were compared to four different HRES configurations. The efficient solution for transmitting power at the lowest energy cost is configuration 1 (solar + fuel cell + battery + wind + diesel generator) which is found to be the optimal solution for supplying energy with 0% unmet load at the least cost of energy, which is at 24.91 Rs/kWh. These data are used to calculate the optimal size of energy storage components based on long-term system behavior using HOMER and to forecast short-term generation and demand changes while maintaining system dependability and grid voltage. Using and incorporating model predictive control (MPC) for an interlinking converter (ILC), the proposed HRES design is validated for the study area in a novel way that sequentially applies HOMER and MATLAB simulations.

Futuristic feasibility analysis and modelling of a solar-biomass on-grid hybrid system for Hattar Industrial Estate Phase (VII), Pakistan

Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) is a frequently discussed topic in the energy sector world due to the rising energy prices and crisis. The cost-effective and uninterrupted power supply is the major challenge of the energy sector which is to be dealt with in this assessment work. In this study, an assessment of a solar-biomass on-grid HRES is carried out for Hattar Industrial Zone phase-VII. Historical electricity demand for different industries in Hattar industrial estate is accounted to develop the year-round load curve. The peak demand of about 130,000 kW with a reserve margin of 30% is considered as the base for techno-economic analysis of the proposed hybrid system. The energy model of this hybrid system is developed in Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER). The solar biomass on-grid hybrid system with different component sizes is analysed to get an optimal configuration having the least cost of energy (COE), net present cost (NPC) and initial capital investment (ICI). Moreover, the sensitivity analysis of the optimized configuration is carried out further against the input resource parameters like solar irradiance and biomass resource availability. Optimization and, sensitivity analysis resulted out that the 70,000 kW solar PV, 7000 kW biogas generator with the open-source grid is the most viable hybrid system option for the Hattar industrial zone phase-VII. This optimal system has the least COE, i.e., Rs 14.11/kWh ($0.092/kWh) amongst all the proposed configurations with a payback period of 4.6 years and there is a significant reduction in carbon emissions.

Standalone photovoltaic and battery microgrid design for rural areas

The remote location and many islands in Africa are experiencing a big power shortage and blackouts and they greatly necessitate electric power from standalone photovoltaic microgri­d. In Rwanda, off-grid solar systems are at their infancy level and their affordability for the rural population requires thorough support and incentives. In this process, the Government of Rwanda (GoR) has set a program to subsidize the cost of the system in a rural household power access projects suit to their socio-economic metric known as ‘Ubudehe’ which would determine the required financial support from other poverty reduction programs in a country. The design of a standalone photovoltaic microgrid is aimed to find the cheapest way to go for either a single rural house or a group of 200 rural houses with similar load demand as a long-term solution to their local energy challenges. The models resulted in a Levelized cost of energy, least cost of energy (LCOE) of 1.51US$/kWh for a single home while the LCOE for the group of houses load equals 1.45US$/kWh. The net present cost (NPC) for a single home and multi-user load are respectively equal to 5,625US$ and 1,079,210US$. These results conclude the efficacy of the group sharing load demand model design to provide green energy solutions to the mid-and low-income rural population in Rwanda.

Techno-economic analysis by homer-pro approach of solar on-grid system for Fatehpur-Village, India

There are numerous locations available in rural regions of India, where essential electrical energy for load demand is not feasible. Individuals of those particular areas are facing problems, related to their social and economic development. To eliminate the energy crisis, uses of renewable sources are increasing day by day. In this study, we are analysis an On-grid solar energy harvesting system, which will provide necessary power requirement for the whole community of Fatehpur village located at 27°59′15″N and 77°44′07″E, to fulfil energy demand of the community load without much affecting environment. Here, the economic analysis using Homer-pro programme version 3.14.4, are examined, with Homer pro cycle charging as dispatch strategy. Load calculation and components pricing details are concluded through a local survey. Homer pro provides optimized results for selected site, through total present cost (NPC), the least cost of energy (LCOE) and operating cost etc. Based on simulation results by Homer pro, we obtained 1.77 RS/kWh as levelized cost of energy, which is much less than grid power price i.e. 5.6 Rs/kWh and 9,291,770.00 Rs as NPC. Main criteria of this software-package are NPC and LCOE to find out the best possible outcomes for the suited site.

Techno-economic and environmental analysis of biomass-based hybrid energy systems: A case study of a Western Himalayan state in India

India has a profuse reserve of renewables to contribute to energy sectors. In this study, a techno-economic and environmental analysis are carried out for an off-grid hybrid system as a case study in the western Himalayan region. Seven different hybrid systems with and without battery storage are simulated. The PV/Biomass gasifier/Battery based hybrid energy system is found to be the optimal configuration with the least cost of energy $0.185/kWh at an estimated total net present cost $76080 with 59% biomass and 41% PV contribution. A saving of 27.8 Mt CO2/year (equated to the diesel-only system) is predicted. Finally, sensitivity analysis is performed for critical parameter identification. Five (Solar radiation, biomass price, annual interest rate, biomass gasifier lifetime, and annual capacity shortage) out of nine sensitivity parameters is found to be critical. The outcome of the study is of importance to designers, researchers, policymakers on the latest design constraints and relevant policies for biomass-based hybrid systems.

Optimal sizing of a grid-independent PV/diesel/pump-hydro hybrid system: A case study in Bangladesh

This paper describes a comprehensive analysis of a hybrid energy system (HES) when satisfying the load demand of an off-grid, rural and hilly community in Bangladesh. Different combinations of HES, such as PV/Pump-hydro storage (PHS), Diesel/PHS, and PV/Diesel/Battery, are formulated, analysed, and compared using hybrid optimization of multiple energy resources (HOMER) software. The system configurations, together with the size and selection of system components, are suitably modelled and optimised with the least cost of energy (COE), net present cost (NPC), and CO2 emissions. In addition, to illustrate the adaptability and the economic benefits of the studied systems, the scalability of the system is evaluated by changing the load demand and the size of the generator. The study is further extended to include a sensitivity analysis on the uncertain parameters in connection with the climatic data and hardware components. Results indicate that the cost of energy for a pumped HES with a single diesel generator is higher (0.27$/kWh) than that with two small generators (0.24$/kWh. The energy cost for the optimised PV/Diesel/PHS system (0.27$/kWh) is found to be significantly lower than those of both PV/PHS (0.43$/kWh) and Diesel/PHS (0.41$/kWh) options. This research identifies that the PV/Diesel/PHS system is more cost-effective than the PV/Diesel/Battery-based hybrid system, with cost of energy at 0.34$/kWh. Results indicate that the genetic algorithm (GA) method provides cost effective and sustainable solution than the HOMER software tool.

Feasibility analysis of an islanded hybrid wind-diesel-battery microgrid with voltage and power response for offshore Islands

Abstract Practically feasible and applicable design of a hybrid micro-grid wind-diesel alternative energy system has been demonstrated to get the results to fulfil the load demand of 115 kWh/d and a peak load of 11.2 kW for a small community of Mersing town, Malaysia. The whole optimization process has been conducted with the consideration of meteorological data and the technical specifications of each module by the proper utilization of the iHOGA renewable energy software, DIgSILENT PowerFactory and Matlab Simulink. From the simulation results, it can be observed that the designed and simulated Islanded Hybrid Microgrid System (IHMS) is economically and environmentally feasible, and the simulation results reported as the net present cost, cost of energy and CO2 emission, are being reduced by about 72%, 73.5% and 82% respectively per year compared to the conventional power plant of the Tanjung Bin Energy Power Plant, Johor, Malaysia. Moreover, the voltage, power and frequency responses also checked and compared with the practical results and ensured the stability of the whole energy system. Besides this, the system reliability indices also analysed and reported to ensure the technical and economic feasibility of the designed system. The optimization results reported that the least cost of energy is about USD 0.05/kWh and the net present cost is USD 77,286. The comparison between the analysed hybrid energy system and conventional energy systems has been reported properly to justify the importance of renewable energy resources all over the world. This optimized combination of the hybrid alternative energy system will be applicable for all other locations in the world with similar meteorological and environmental conditions.

Modelling and optimization of an off-grid hybrid renewable energy system for electrification in a rural areas

Energy required by remote village areas can be met quite reliably by hybrid energy technologies. The project under consideration is for electrifying a group of three villages in Kollegal block of Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka State in India using an off-grid hybrid renewable energy system. The process of optimizing such hybrid energy system control, sizing and choice of components is to provide it with a cost effective power solution for the society. The main objective of this paper is to reduce the Total System Net Preset Cost (TNPC), Cost of Energy (COE), unmet load, CO2 emissions using Genetic Algorithm (GA) and HOMER Pro Software. The results of the two methods are compared with four combinations of hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES). A sensitivity analysis is also performed on the best possible solution to the study for changes in annual wind speed and biomass fuel prices. Finally, a comparative analysis is performed between the GA and HOMER. Compared to HOMER, GA based HRES of combination-1( biogas+biomass+solar+ wind+ fuel cell with battery) is found to be the optimal solution supplying energy with 0% unmet load at the least cost of energy, which is at $ 0.163 per KWH. Thus PV saturation in GA is more cost effective than the HOMER.

Techno-economic analysis of off-grid solar/wind/biogas/biomass/fuel cell/battery system for electrification in a cluster of villages by HOMER software

Electrification of villages is a vital step for improving the techno-economic conditions of rural areas and crucial for the country’s overall development. The villages’ welfare is one of the main aims of the rural electrification programs. Rural electrification is relatively costly compared to electrification of urban areas. Now, the research question is to find the best combinations of HRES from the available resources in a given village location that can meet the electricity demand in a sustainable manner and to see whether this is a cost-effective solution or not. This study is an attempt to structure a model of electricity generation based on multiple combinations of HRES with the application of HOMER energy software at an identified off-grid village location in India. The main objectives of this study are to analyze the best-suited configuration of a hybrid RE system out of various combinations to meet the village load requirement reliably, continuously and sustainably. The study also reduces the total system net present cost and least cost of energy (COE) using multi-objective HOMER Pro software. In this study, a resource assessment and demand calculation have been carried out and the COE per unit has been ascertained for different systems and configurations. A combination of PV–Wind–Biomass–Biogas–FC along with battery has been identified as the cheapest and most dependable solution with a COE of $0.214/kWh.

Photovoltaic Solar Technologies: Solution to Affordable, Sustainable, and Reliable Energy Access for All in Rwanda

Despite remarkable economic growth and development in recent decades, Rwanda has been still facing energy crises and challenges. Although the country has considerable energy assets, less than 10% is utilized for its local electricity needs. Currently, national installed generation capacity is estimated at 221 MW, for a population around 12 million, and electricity access is estimated at 51% (37% grid and 14% off-grid networks). About half the population is without electricity access while the grid-connected users face high electricity tariffs and frequent power outages (blackouts). The national grid itself is also experiencing high losses. This paper used the HOMER software for modeling the optimal, sustainable, reliable, and affordable photovoltaic solar technologies as energy solutions for all (off-grid and on-grid users) in Rwanda. The selection and recommendation of a suitable photovoltaic (PV) solar technology depend on its annual electricity production capacity, electrical load, renewable energy penetration percentage, economic viability, feasibility, affordability, carbon footprint, and greenhouse gas emission level for climate change considerations towards a clean and greener future. The results show that the least cost of energy (LCOE) for electricity production by each of the solar PV systems with storage, PV-grid-connected household, and PV-grid connection with storage was 67.5%, 56.8%, and 33.9%, respectively, lower than the normal electricity tariff in Rwanda. The PV systems with storage proposed in this paper could be effective in increasing national energy resource exploitation, providing affordable and reliable energy access to all citizens.

Techno-economic analysis of a hybrid system to power a mine in an off-grid area in Ghana

In spite of the abundance of renewable energy and its potential application to mining industries, Ghana has not seen much investment in this area. The provision of electricity for mining activities in Ghana is cost intensive, especially in remote areas that are not connected to utility-grids. In this study, a technical and economic analysis of a hybrid electric power system for an off-grid mine company was conducted. Three different hybrid systems, together with a “Generator only” system as base case were analysed using HOMER software, to select the optimum energy system. The selected system consists of 50MW of Solar PV, 15MW of fuel cell system, 600 batteries, 20.5MW of converter and 20MW of diesel generator. The system produces 152.99GWh of electric energy annually. The PV array produces 44%, the fuel cell produces 40% and the diesel produces 14%. At the current cost of system components, and based on assumptions adopted in this study, the optimal system yields a cost of energy of US$0.25/kW and a least cost of energy of US$0.22/kWh, at a diesel price of US$0.80/litre and 30% reduction in both PV module and fuel cell system costs.

Potential of Small Size Hybrid Diesel-Photovoltaic to Improve Sub-District Supply Duration in East Sumba, Indonesia

This paper presents a preliminary techno-economic assessment of isolated mini off-grid power generation which involve locally available renewable energy resources in Ngadu Ngala sub-district, East Sumba, Indonesia. Currently, only 6 hours of supply available from diesel generator is available for the area, started from 6 PM until 12 PM. In this study, 10 years projection on domestic load demand is provided as the demand. The study is performed to prolong the supply duration from 6 hours to 24 hours daily. The analysis is mainly intended to find long-term optimum sizing of power generation system, which involve significant renewable energy penetration, with the least cost of energy. Based on the simulation performed by HOMER software for 24 hours supply, the most optimum sizing is a hybrid system which consists of 200 kWp Photovoltaic (PV) and 72 kW diesel generator, with energy cost of only US$ 0.281/kWh, which is quite cheap. Moreover, the penetration rate of PV is reached 51%.

Optimization and Cost of Energy of Renewable Energy System in Health Clinic Building for a Coastal Area in Tamil Nadu, India Using Homer

The renewable energy potential of coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, India ranks along with the utmost in the world. This study proposes optimization and cost of energy of different hybrid renewable energy system to power a health clinic in that building. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) optimization computer model for distributed power, HOMER, is used to estimate the optimization and its cost of energy. The implementation of RE systems to supply Rural Health Clinics will contribute to reduce both electricity generation cost and to reduce the consumption of fuel while improving health care and quality of life in these isolated coastal regions. We conclude that using the PV+Wind+Diesel+Battery system for these types of applications in justified on technical and economic grounds. The experimental results show that the least cost of energy at Rs 5.00/KWh, is obtained from above said system and also experiment result shows that the COE decreases with 0% of interest. It is noted, that the PV+Wind+Diesel+Battery hybrid system shows the lowest COE and high amount of Renewable energy.

Design Optimization of Solar Powered Aeration System for Fish Pond in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta by HOMER Software

Aquaculture centers in Yogyakarta located in Sleman District. The main contributors to fish farming in Sleman came from Sendangsari village, Minggir sub district. Fish farming carried out by individuals or groups. By 2010, this area accounts for 77,2% of total fish production in Sleman, Yogyakarta. One of the problems of fish growing in ponds is the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in the water. In the fish farming business, the ability to maintain water quality is the key of improving fishery production capacity. The solution to maintaining water quality is the implementation of the aeration with renewable energy source.Based on the geographical region, fish pond located away from power lines. So, it is necessary to use local potentials of renewable energy such as solar energy. The annual average solar radiation in Indonesia is 4.5 kWh/m2/day with 9% monthly variation. The main objective of the present study is to design the optimum sizing of electric power design to support the electricity demand of fish pond aeration system. Applied methodology provides a simple approach for sizing electricity system using HOMER software (Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables) to fulfill the requirement of 450 Wh/day primary load with 1.692 Wh/day peak load. The result of the analysis is a list of feasible configuration power system sorted according to the cost of energy (COE). The result show the optimal sizing of photovoltaic 1kW, 8 battery of 200 Ah and inverter 0,2kW. This is the most economically feasible and least cost of energy (COE) is about 0,769 $/kWh.

Techno-economic simulation and optimization of residential grid-connected PV system for the Queensland climate

Abstract With the environmental advantages of solar energy, the use of solar photovoltaic (PV) in residential electricity generation is encouraged by Australian governments incentives, however, what number of residents benefit from installing a grid-connected PV system and how much electricity generated by such a system is not clearly understood yet. This study aims to investigate the economic, technical and environmental performance of residential PV system running under the Queensland (Australia) climatic conditions, and optimize the size and slope of PV array in the system. The solar irradiation data of the 4 typical climate zones of Queensland, including tropical, sub-tropical, hot arid, and warm temperature zone, are investigated. Using global solar irradiation as solar energy resource data, the price of PV devices, batteries, converters, and grid electricity tariff and sale-back tariff as economic analysis inputs, the system is simulated and optimized by HOMER software. The optimized system not only satisfies the typical residential load of 23 kWh per day but also meets the requirement of minimizing the total costs of system investment and electricity consumption during the system's lifetime. It is found that under the specific climatic conditions of the eleven main cities of Queensland, a PV system is an effective way to decrease electricity bills and mitigate carbon dioxide emission. In particular, a 6 kW PV system in Townsville is able to deal with 61% of the total electricity load and conserves more than 90% of electricity payments and reduce approximately 95% of carbon dioxide emission. It is also found that for all the cities the systems with 20–25 degrees of slope have the best performance including the least cost of energy (COE) and the least carbon dioxide emission.

Design methods investigation for residential microgrid infrastructure

AbstractIn this study a residential community in Phoenix was selected as the basis to develop design methods for a residential microgrid. A microgrid model was built using computer based software. Photovoltaic (PV) modules, microturbines, and fuel cells were chosen as the distributed energy resources (DERs) for the model. The optimal residential microgrid system configuration was sorted out according to the least net present cost (NPC), and the least cost of energy (COE) of the designed microgrid system. The results indicate that the COE of the designed microgrid in island mode is expensive, although it is more environmentally friendly compared to the grid. The purpose of combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) is achieved by utilizing the exhaust heat from microturbines to provide daily hot water consumption while cooling demand is achieved through the connection of adsorption chillers to microturbines. Sensitivity analysis shows that natural gas price escalation and price reduction of DERs significantly impact COE and NPC. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hybrid systems for decentralized power generation in Bangladesh

When renewable energy technologies are used in decentralized and remote areas, they can be coupled with diesel generators to improve the total system reliability. In this paper, wind–diesel generator–battery, wind–photovoltaic (PV)–diesel generator–battery, PV–diesel generator–battery hybrid and diesel generator systems for generating electricity in the rural areas of Bangladesh are analyzed. The main objective of the present study is to determine the optimum size of systems able to fulfill the requirements of 50 kWh/day primary load with 11 kW peak load for 50 households for three remote sites located at Cox's Bazar, Sylhet and Dinajpur. The methodology applied provides a useful and simple approach for sizing and analyzing the hybrid systems using HOMER, an optimization model for renewable energies. The aim is to identify a configuration among a set of systems that meets the desired system reliability requirements with the lowest electricity unit cost. The result of the analysis is a list of feasible power supply systems, sorted according to their net present cost. Furthermore, sensitivity diagrams, showing the influence of solar radiation, wind speed and diesel prices on the optimum solutions are also presented. The analysis results show that PV (6 kW)–diesel generator (10 kW)–battery hybrid system is most economically feasible and least cost of energy is about 25.4 Tk/kWh (1 USD = 68.5 Taka). The result also indicates that the decrease in CO 2 emissions by using the feasible hybrid system with 40% renewable fraction is about 38% as compared to the diesel-only system.