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In addition to zero-carbon generation, the plummeting cost of renewable energy sources (RES) is enabling the increased use of distributed-generation sources. Although the RES appear to be a cheaper source of energy, without the appropriate design of the RES with a true understanding of the nature of the load, they can be an unreliable and expensive source of energy. Limited research has been aimed at designing small-scale hybrid energy systems for irrigation pumping systems, and these studies did not quantify the water requirement, or in turn the energy required to supply the irrigation water. This paper provides a comprehensive feasibility analysis of an off-grid hybrid renewable energy system for the design of a water-pumping system for irrigation applications in Sudan. A systematic and holistic framework combined with a techno-economic optimization analysis for the planning and design of hybrid renewable energy systems for small-scale irrigation water-pumping systems is presented. Different hybridization cases of solar photovoltaic, wind turbine and battery storage at 12 different sites in Sudan are simulated, evaluated, and compared, considering the crop water requirement for different crops, the borehole depth, and the stochasticity of renewable energy resources. Soil, weather, and climatic data from 12 different sites in Sudan were used for the case studies, with the key aim to find the most robust and reliable solution with the lowest system cost. The results of the case studies suggest that the selection of the system is highly dependent on the cost, the volatility of the wind speed, solar radiation, and the size of the system; at present, hybridization is not the primary option at most of sites, with the exception of two. However, with the reduction in price of wind technology, the possibility of hybrid generation will rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to electricity is vital in rural regions of Africa. There is substantial potential to utilise wind energy, yet investment in renewable energy projects is trivial because it has been insufficiently endorsed. As a result, most people living in remote regions of Africa rely entirely on diesel-powered generators, which expel pollutants in substantial amounts. These adversely affect the health of people and the environment. Sudan – one of Africa's largest countries – has a range of resources from which renewable energy could be generated, including favourable wind power generating conditions. This paper represents the first effort in literature to use a strategic perspective to explore how viable wind energy systems are in Sudan. It reports a study using the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) across 21 diverse sites in Sudan. It identifies the optimal wind turbine system and best locations and analyses the costs involved and how much pollution could be prevented by implementing wind farms instead of diesel systems. The results establish that the optimal type of wind turbine across the investigated locations is the Enercon E−138 EP3. Wind farm use is expected to avoid almost 49 million kg/year of pollutants and reduce energy cost by US$0.91317/kWh. The optimal sites for utilising wind energy were Wawa, Dongola, Karima, Wadi Halfa and Al-Goled in order of suitability and their low costs of electricity and high wind speed records. Wind turbine pricing is predicted to reduce over time, so the study varied the cost of wind turbines to understand the impact on project economics. A reduction in wind turbine costs by 10 % lowered energy cost to between US$0.03681/kWh and US$0.04052/kWh. A further 25 % price drop reduced the cost of energy to between US$0.03067/kWh and US$0.03376/kWh. This study reveals the significant potential of integrating renewable energy into the energy mix of Sudan and provides an essential reference for wind farms in the energy sector across other developing countries. • Finding the ideal wind turbine system and sites for exploiting wind energy in Sudan. • Exploring the costs and evaded emissions using wind farms over diesel generators. • Investigating the impact of wind turbine price on the project economics. • The optimal wind turbine was determined to be Enercon E−138 EP3. • The best locations for harvesting wind energy are Wawa Dongola, Karima and Wadi Halfa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Climate change is changing global weather patterns, with an increase in droughts expected to impact crop yields due to water scarcity. Crops can be provided with water via underground pumping systems to mitigate water shortages. However, the energy required to pump water tends to be expensive and hazardous to the environment. This paper explores different sites in Sudan to assess the crop water requirements as the first stage of developing renewable energy sources based on water pumping systems. The crop water requirements are calculated for different crops using the CROPWAT and CLIMWAT simulation tools from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Further, the crop water requirements are translated into electrical energy requirements. Accurate calculations of the energy needed will help in developing cost-effective energy systems that can help in improving yields and reducing carbon emissions. The results suggest that the northern regions tend to have higher energy demands and that the potential for renewable energy should be explored in these regions, which are more susceptible to drought and where crops tend to be under higher stress due to adverse climate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sudan is a sunbelt country that has abundant solar resources and large wasteland areas, especially in the northern and western portions. Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies are proven renewable energy (RE) systems to generate electricity in neighboring countries from solar radiation and have the potential to become cost-effective in the future. Most of the attention is given to solar photovoltaic (PV) systems; no thorough techno-economic study has been carried out to evaluate the potential for CSP technologies in Sudan. The main aim of this paper is to encourage Sudan's authorities to pursue CSP technologies and overcome the associated challenges. The study used techno-economic analysis for two of the most mature CSP technologies – solar power tower (SPT) and parabolic trough (PT) technology – to produce electricity in Sudan. Two commercial CSP plants, namely GEMASOLAR and ANDASOL-1, have been "hypothetically" relocated in six Sudanese zones using the system advisor model (SAM). These zones were scrutinized based on a rigorous technical CSP site assessment study. The results indicate that the nominated zones outperformed the original Spanish plants in terms of energy outputs, capacity factors (CF), and levelized cost of energy (LCOE). The Northern state has two zones near Wadi-Halfa that are most suitable for installing CSP systems, with the SPT system offering better outcomes than the PT. This study proposes a 5 MWe SPT pilot plant with optimum specifications, enabling decision-makers to take further actions. It also recommends some actions to promote this sector and meet the 2030 and 2050 RE targets. • The CSP site assessment identified six zones for hosting CSP technologies in Sudan. • Relocating GEMASOLAR and ANDASOL-1 in Sudan showed better outputs than in Spain. • The solar power tower system is the most suitable for Sudan's environment. • The LCOE at zone1 for the 50 MWe solar tower plant is 0.086 USD/kWh. • A 5 MWe solar tower pilot plant at zone1 with optimum specifications is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]