Optimal techno‐economic analysis of a renewable based hybrid microgrid incorporating gravity energy storage system in Indian perspective using whale optimization algorithm.

A grid connected renewable energy based hybrid microgrid, incorporating solar PV, biomass generators, and Gravity Energy storage system (GESS) has been proposed in this article. This is done to provide uninterrupted energy to a hilly village of North‐East India. A bi‐directional energy transaction with the central grid is considered for handling uncertainties and to gain monetary benefit through energy sale. The GESS is only charged through solar PV and biomass generators, to reduce the carbon footprint. The outward energy transaction with the central grid helps in reducing the energy cost for consumers inside the microgrid. Transaction price of energy from the central grid is considered from historical data available in the website of Indian Energy Exchange Limited (IEX). For different combinations of loading pattern and GESS initial storage, the Levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is found to vary in between INR 2.71/kWh to INR 3.41/kWh, which is lower than the current Nagaland state government approved tariff of INR 3.55/kWh. Any subsidy from governmental or non‐governmental organizations has not been considered in the present study while calculating the installation cost of Solar PV and Biomass generators to portray the actual scenario. Whale optimization algorithm (WOA) has been used to find the optimal solution of the proposed system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]