Potential and feasibility study of standalone solar PV/wind/biogas and biodiesel hybrid electric supply system in Ethiopia

Abstract

The main focus of this study is renewable energy resource assessment and feasibility study to generate electricity for the rural community from solar PV, wind turbine, biogas and biodiesel generator. To model and analyse the feasibility of the hybrid system HOMER was chosen. Grid comparison against the hybrid system was done for cost benefit analysis. The optimisation result of the simulation demonstrates that the best optimal hybrid system consists of solar photo voltaic, wind turbine, biogas generator, biodiesel generator, converter and battery under load following system control strategy. This system has initial capital cost of $335,468, net present cost of $837,915, levelised cost of energy of $0.239/kWh. The total capital cost of grid extension was determined as $147,752, and its operation and maintenance cost is 267$/km/yr.