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In this paper, the effectiveness of an hybrid grid-photovoltaic (PV) power supply for an urban household is investigated. Two parameters are used for the evaluation: (1) the cost of buying electricity and (2) the environmental benefits. Yearly energy utilisation of a household and solar irradiation are collected and used in this study. A model of a hybrid grid-PV system is developed in HOMER software to investigate the efficacy of the system in the selected site. The results show that almost 26% of operating costs could be saved yearly by implementing the hybrid supply. The emission of greenhouse gasses in service to the particular site is also reduced by 26%. The sensitivity analysis results show that the grid-PV system can be more favourable as the price of energy increases. That is, the energy purchased from the grid declines as the cost of energy purchased increases. This is also observed with the increment of both price of energy and its utilisation. A reduction of cost of energy is also observed.

Street lighting is one of the sectors where off-grid energy systems are used, and in the past decade interest in these systems has increased due to recent developments occurred both in LED and PV technology. This paper presents a techno-economic analysis of off-grid PV LED road lighting systems for northern, central and southern regions of Turkey. Road lighting calculations are conducted using DIALux software for M4 and M5 road lighting classes to obtain optimal LED luminaires, pole sizes, and spacings. Among the obtained LED powers, load profiles are created using real lighting hours of operation of the selected regions. And then, the required PV-battery systems are optimized using HOMER software. Finally, sensitivity analysis is performed for future projections considering possible increases in electricity prices and decreases in component cost of the PV systems. The results showed that the levelized COE of the off-grid PV LED road lighting systems vary between 0.229 and 0.362 $/kWh for M4, and 0.254–0.359 $/kWh for M5 road lighting class, depending on the solar potential of the region. And, the total NPC of the entire lighting installation per km vary between 24296 and 29123 $ for M5, and 33225–44318 $ for M4 road lighting class. According to the results, the systems are infeasible under current conditions in Turkey. Nonetheless, they have the added benefits of contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Moreover, future projections show that the systems can be feasible if the declining trend in PV system costs continues and electricity prices increase.

Feasibility study of the renewable energy resources is usually employed as a primary step in the design of Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES), to highlight the most potential sources and the best combinations obtained by using HOMER software. Thus, the main objective of this study is to identify the potential areas in Malaysia utilize solar, the wind and Micro Hydropower (MHP) sources. For this purpose, the results of a study accomplished by Ibrahim Hussein in 2010 are considered to obtain sites with the greatest hydropower potential in Malaysia. Then, a renewable energy resource assessment for these sites was performed to identify the sites that have the greatest solar, wind and hydropower potentials based on total Net Present Cost (NPC) comparison. Based on the historical data, a daily pattern emerged in electricity consumption among rural residents in Malaysia. The results of this study indicate Langkawi is the most potential region for the solar/wind combination by the significant difference with other regions (total NPC of 696,083 USD). After Langkawi, Tioman Islands has the second rank (total NPC of 818,931 USD), while villages in Tioman are the most appropriate sites for installing hybrid renewable energy system with the current specifications. In terms of the premiered locations for solar and hydropower potential, four sites at Lawas in Sarawak and Ranau in Sabah were identified as the greatest potential (total NPC of 354,000 USD). These findings demonstrate that Tioman Islands and Malaysian Borneo Island (Sabah and Sarawak) can be considered as the most attractive regions for the solar/wind/MHP and solar/MHP, respectively.

The aim of this chapter was to present an idea of using free sources of energy for designing stand-alone hybrid renewable energy system. This stand-alone hybrid system is used for powering the Electrical Engineering Department of AMGOI, located at latitude and longitude 16.8347 and 74.3148, respectively, of Peth Vadgaon Kolhapur, Maharashtra. The target of designing this system is to find the optimal net present cost (NPC), cost of energy, emissions, and monthly electricity production. The motive of this paper is to give optimal solution to the problems of energy crisis in the globe. In current scenario, the non-renewable sources are available in plenty amount to fulfill our increasing demand. Considering the above information, we have made an effort to analyze advantage of distributed generation. If we use only solar power or wind power, it can fluctuate and is not a reliable source of energy. The combination of solar and wind energy sources with diesel generator provides a reliable generation and a constant source of energy flow for the designed system. The main task of this research work is to analyze the possibility of solar–wind–diesel hybrid power system by maximizing the use of non-conventional generation system while minimizing the total system cost.

This work presents different hybrid energy scenarios for local electricity supply in Fernando de Noronha Archipelago-Brazil. One considers different generating solutions for energy systems ranging from totally fossil fuel based to all renewable sources. The scenarios are constructed using local database measurements; real equipment data and a micro-grid hybrid system modeling (using HOMER Software). The modeling and simulation consider the evaluation of different sizes and quantities of energetic components and the variation in the availability of the natural resources (wind and solar). A Hybrid solution with 67% participation of renewable energy was found feasible for the island and the impact of changing the local vehicle fleet from combustion to electric traction was also addressed.

This study presents a feasibility analysis of grid connected photovoltaic system introduction to a dairy farm located in Mitidja plain (north Algeria) to promote farming sustainably. Real load data from ITELV BabaAli dairy farm of 26 dairy cows is used. The farm electricity consumption is mainly for milk production equipments and the cattle housing. The system is optimized by HOMER software using Mitidja global irradiation and the farm load profile. The electricity tariffs and the photovoltaic system components are modelled according to the Algerian market. Viability was determined according to the net present cost, electricity power flow and CO2 saving potential. According to the optimization criteria, two optimal systems that meet the dairy farm load of 23.6kWh/day have been found. The first optimized system offers a renewable electricity with an optimal cost of 9.7c$/kWh, and the second optimized system has a net annualized surplus electricity of 26.45MWh and a greenhouse gases mitigation of 554 tons over the system lifetime.

This paper presents a techno-economic analysis of a hybrid system powering a school in Misurata, Libya. Potential of renewable power system for school is evaluated. HOMER optimization model is used to evaluate the different possible configuration options for supplying the electrical load. Daily typical energy consumption profiles the four seasons, design based on a medium size school. Spring, summer and autumn weather conditions are not as extreme as winter, this decreases the load demand during these seasons. Winter weather conditions are used as the basis where peak energy demand is expected because lighting and heating loads dominate in the climate of Libya. Winter electrical load is found to be the maximum load. HOMER software tool was used to determine the optimum size and specifications of renewable power system. When Solar radiation and wind speed are at their maximum values of (7 kWh/m2/d, 5.50 m/s) and the fuel price is assumed as a minimum (0.10US$), the most feasible power system economically is (PV/Tur/Gen/Battery) with total net present cost (NPC) of 293961US$, cost of energy (COE) of US$0.191/kWh, and renewable fraction (RF) of 53%. When solar radiation, wind speed and fuel price are assumed at average values of (5.05 kWh/m2/d, 4.84 m/s, and 0.40US$) the optimal solution is also (PV/Tur/Gen/Battery) with (NPC) of 384181US$ and (COE) of US$ 0.25/kWh, and (RF) of 79%. When the solar radiation and wind speed are presumed at minimum values of (3 kWh/m2/d, 3.50 m/s) and the fuel price is assumed maximum (1.25US$), the most feasible economical system is still (PV/Tur/Gen/Battery) with (NPC) of 753505US$ and (COE) of US$ 0.489/kWh, and (RF) of 71%. The excess electricity from the hybrid power system during spring, summer and autumn can be sold to the utility (General Electrical Network) or used for other applications. This will enhance the economical feasibility of hybrid power systems in schools.

Langkawi SkyCab has the highest energy demand in Langkawi Island and the demand keeps increasing year by year. This study proposed alternatives energy of a hybrid photovoltaic (PV) and fuel cell system for the SkyCab’s operation. The best sizing and configurations were chosen based on Homer simulation software. A comparative study was done between a conventional system and other hybrid combinations. The results revealed that the proposed system had reduced the cost as well as CO2 emission almost by 39% and 79%, respectively. The hybrid PV and fuel cell system is aligned with the Malaysian government’s goals of reducing carbon emissions 40% by the year 2030.

This paper is to investigate various renewable based hybrid systems with five minimum renewable penetration rates (RPR) for Pinarhisar Educational Campus in Kirklareli University, to present the effects of making the system more sensitive to the environment on the total net present cost (NPC) and cost of energy (CUE) and also to search for the optimum configuration of the hybrid systems. Yearly wind and solar data are considered in this study. Optimal stand-alone and grid connected hybrid systems with different minimum RPRs, are determined and analyzed in detail by using HOMER software and compared among themselves considering CUE, total NPC, emission rates. Additionally, sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the cost of generating the cleaner energy from the hybrid systems. As a result, it can be highlighted that gradual increases in the total NPC and CUE occur in the region where RPRs are between 0 and 70%, and that there are dramatic increases in both the total NPC and CUE for the RPRs above 70%. Moreover, emission rates for CO2, SO2 and NOx basically decrease as RPR increases from 0% to 90% and they decrease linearly until RPR is 80% while they are nearly zero for the values more than 80%. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Agricultural activity needs electricity and oil products. Given the economic and ecological problems, there is a need to resort to the use of renewable energies which are free and non-polluting and efficient equipments that consume less electricity in farms. In this sense, this study focuses on reducing both types of energy consumption in the farms whose activities are based mainly on animal farming and irrigation by feeding from a grid-connected system using a PV generator and power grid. All devices used in the studied agricultural farm and the all agricultural activities practiced in this agricultural farm such as irrigation, livestock and conservation of farming products in the summer, has guided our choice for this pilot farm. From this point of view, this case can be generalized for northern Algeria farms and for worldwide sites witch have the same sunning conditions. Thus, the ultimate objective is to make power generating farms in Chlef (Algeria).