Simulation study reveals optimal techno-economic configurations for hybrid off-grid renewable energy systems, highlighting the reliability benefits of biomass integration.
Key Points
To optimize the techno-economic design and reliability of a decentralized hybrid renewable energy conversion system for an off-grid rural community using multiple optimization algorithms.
Modeled a decentralized hybrid renewable energy network comprising solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, biomass generators, battery storage, and power converters.
Evaluated system reliability, financial viability, and emissions using HOMER Pro alongside metaheuristic algorithms, including Cheetah Optimizer (CO), Fractional-Order Velocity Inertia-free Moth-flame optimization (FVIM), and Secretary Bird Optimization Algorithm (SBOA).
HOMER Pro achieved a 0.0000% loss of power supply probability (LPSP), 29.3827% surplus energy, a net present cost (NPC) of $3,671,711, a cost of energy (COE) of $0.10/kWh, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 11.016 tons/year.
SBOA attained an LPSP of 2.6733%, 7.3229% excess energy, an NPC of $3,560,416.88, a COE of $0.121/kWh, and GHG emissions of 688.122 tons/year.
CO and FVIM yielded LPSPs of 1.4877% and 2.5724%, excess energy of 5.9408% and 7.3600%, NPCs of $3,572,813.22 and $3,587,924.56, COEs of $0.123/kWh and $0.124/kWh, and emissions of 690.315 and 692.874 tons/year, respectively.