Search

Worldwide, the emerging trend of hybrid renewable energy sources integration in modern power systems is increasing due to privileged prices and clean electricity supply. However, the optimal planning of rural hybrid systems is a challenging and complex task, especially when different alternatives and sustainability aspects are considered. This paper develops an integrated decision-making approach for the optimal planning of a 100% renewable energy supply system comprising solar, wind, hydro, and biomass sources in a rural area located in Pakistan. An hourly-based design optimization analysis of twelve on/off-grid electrification alternatives is performed. The optimization model simultaneously addresses five sustainability criteria related to economy, reliability, ecology, society, and topography aspects. Furthermore, a novel hybrid decision-making model has developed to identify the unique best configuration with on-grid and off-grid options. The proposed model combines fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, multi-objective optimization based on ratio analysis technique for order of preference by similarity to an ideal solution, and evaluation based on distance from average solution methods. The results reveal that the solar-hydro-biomass battery with a life cycle cost of 10.9 M$ is the top-ranking off-grid system. When the hybrid system is connected to the grid, the solar-hydro-battery has found the most appropriate design with a life cycle cost of 12.96 M$. Both scenarios have a negligible capacity shortage of 0.09%. Ecologically, the optimal off-grid system produces only 408.37 kg/yr of CO 2 due to the significant energy share of solar and hydro sources (99.3%). The optimal on-grid system produced the minimum CO 2 with 29,177.89 kg/yr compared to other alternatives. Also, employing the optimal on/off-grid designs require land area and jobs of 96.6 m2, 14 jobs, and 118 m2, 15 jobs, respectively. Overall, the developed approach with the presented case study offers a valuable benchmark and guidelines for investors and stakeholders to create realistic investment plans for the energy industry looking to push efficient inducements to encourage the high dissemination of renewables. [Display omitted] • 100% renewable energy system is established for on/off grid rural electrification. • Twelve distinctive solar/wind/hydro/biomass-based hybrid energy alternatives are optimized. • An integrated fuzzy-AHP/TOPSIS/EDAS/MOORA decision-making model is proposed. • Cost, reliability, emission, social, and topographical criteria are simultaneously considered. • Results prove the long-term sustainability of 100% renewable in rural Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A systematic framework for the optimal design of hybrid energy systems is proposed. • The developed approach is applied to agriculture and irrigation area in Sudan. • Effect of uncertainty parameters on system design and cost is examined. • Solar-wind-diesel-battery-converter system is a cost-effective and reliable solution. • Renewable resources and interest rate have high influences on investment decision. Today, particular attention is being globally paid towards clean and sustainable energy system. The rapid development in renewable energy technologies, growth of energy markets, and adopted financial strategies and policies have the key role in achieving this target. This paper provides a comprehensive feasibility analysis of a gird-isolated hybrid renewable energy system for electrification of agriculture and irrigation area in Dongola, Sudan. A systematic and integrative framework combined with techno-economic optimization analysis for adequate planning and design of hybrid renewable energy system is proposed. Different hybridization cases of a solar photovoltaic, wind turbine, diesel generator, battery storage, and converter technologies, together with a diesel generator-based energy system as base case are modeled, evaluated and compared considering the stochastic behavior of renewable energy resources with a main target to find the most feasible and reliable solution with least system cost and realistic environmental impacts. This followed by a sensitivity analysis to reveal the effects of uncertainty in system parameters on the designed system and its economic performance. The obtained results indicate that solar-wind-diesel-battery-converter hybrid system is of optimal performance and superiority over the studied cases to serve the load demand of the investigated area. The system not only gets the minimum values of the total net present cost (24.16 M$) and levelized cost of energy (0.387 $/kWh), but also effectively achieves a positive return on investment of 39.94% and around 95% reduction in both carbon emissions and fuel consumption compared to the base case. Meanwhile, the result of sensitivity analysis demonstrates the high dependability of system cost on the volatility of solar radiation and wind speed as well as the changes in the rate of interest with the prospect of ignoring the effect of variation of diesel fuel price in the future investment decision. Finally, the output of this study is projected to raising the potentiality awareness of renewable energy in Sudan and providing a valuable reference about the optimal planning and utilization of hybrid renewable energy system in energy sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A GIS-based MCDM model for the site selection of solar and wind energies in Kenya is proposed. • A decision-making sizing model for sustainable energy access is developed for rural electrification. • 19.28 and 35, 18.9% of Kenyan's land has the potential for installation of solar, wind, and hybrid solar/wind. • Hybrid solar-wind-diesel mini-grid is the first ranked alternative for supplying the representative rural village. • The designed system has the best energy, economy, and ecology performances compared to grid extension and diesel systems. The use of hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) holds great promise for sustainable electrification and support countries reaching their energy access goals. The site selection and design of HRES are strategic stages towards ensuring an affordable, sustainable, and well-performing project. However, both are multidimensional and intricate issues that involve multiple conflicting assessment criteria and alternatives, which are not yet investigated comprehensively and simultaneously in many of the existing literature. In this context, the paper aims to develop a systematic and conceptual decision-making framework for site suitability and optimal design of HRESs, with an application on a regional scale in Kenya, Sub-Saharan Africa. The suggested framework is applied through three consecutive phases. First, a geographical information system (GIS) is combined with Best Worst Method (BWM) decision-making approach to spatially investigate and analyze the potential sites of solar, wind, and hybrid solar/wind systems. Within the spatial investigation, 9 different climatology, environment, location, and orography criteria are considered. Second, energy-economy-ecology (E3) design optimization is conducted to determine the list of feasible alternatives among grid-extension, autonomous HRES, and stand-alone diesel genset electrification schemes for powering a representative remote rural village in Kenya. Third, a post-optimality multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) analysis is applied to decide and assess the optimal energy access design against 12 key sustainability indicators. In the third phase, the BWM is employed to define the weights of each indicator. Then, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and the VIšekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje (VIKOR) decision making approaches are used for the final ranking of feasible alternatives. The obtained site suitability maps of Kenya show that 0.91% (5322 km2) and 1.5% (8828.4 km2) of the land is highly suitable, 10.25% (59687 km2) and 33.04% (192360 km2) is suitable, and 80.5% (470313 km2) and 65% (378407 km2) is permanently unsuitable for establishing solar and wind systems, respectively. Also, E3-MCDM results indicate that the development of solar/wind/diesel/battery HRES is the best sustainable solution to supply the studied region as compared to other feasible alternatives. The system does not only guarantee a reliable operation with an unmet load of 552 kWh/yr, but it also has the lowest net present and energy costs at 2.6 M$ and 0.28 $/kWh, respectively, meanwhile avoiding annual CO 2 of 804 tons compared with diesel system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]