Multicriteria assessment of biomass gasification-based hybrid energy systems in remote areas.

This study proposes an approach to multicriteria assessment of biomass gasification-based hybrid energy systems in remote areas using the modified SMARTS method. This approach involves comparing two groups of hybrid energy systems: those based on biomass gasification and those based on diesel generation, which is already widely used in remote areas. The hybrid energy system configurations are developed using the HOMER software in terms of the maintenance schedule of biomass gasifiers. Alternatives are compared according to the criteria of economic, technical, environmental and social efficiency. The proposed modification of the SMARTS method uses both crisp and interval weights of criteria and criteria estimates for decision making under uncertainty of the preferences and input data, especially in terms of initial capital and operating costs, feedstock and diesel fuel prices. The final choice of a hybrid energy system is based on the relative dominance indicator. Two case studies of isolated rural settlements show that biomass gasifiers when supplemented with diesel generation and other renewable energy sources are the best sustainable solution as compared with other feasible alternatives. These conclusions are robust to sufficiently significant changes in preferences and input data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]