Sustainable electricity generation in rural communities using hybrid energy system: The case study of Ojataye Village

Abstract

In this study, PV/Diesel/Battery hybrid energy system is proposed for meeting the electrical energy needs of Ojataye village. HOMER simulation software is utilized in designing the system in such a way that it meets the desired electrical energy needs of the rural community in a sustainable manner. The electrical energy requirements of the village are projected using structured questionnaires which were interpreted to the villagers and several personal site visits. The data on the energy resources of the village (solar and wind) are obtained from Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Oshodi, Lagos and are analyzed over a period of 16 years to determine their suitability for the hybrid energy system design. Some of the key findings reveal that the village received an average annual global solar radiation of about 5kW/m2/day and the mean wind speed of 2.8 m/s. The optimization result shows that PV/Diesel/Battery is the optimum configuration that can economically and sustainably meet the electrical energy needs of the villagers. The configuration consists of 60kW PV, 20kW diesel generator, and 110 numbers of Battery. The total net present cost of the configuration is $254, 948, the initial capital cost is $132,750 and the operating cost is $9,559. The cost of generating electricity is $0.309/kWh with renewable energy fraction of 89%. There is saving in the fuel consumption of 29,971 litres/annum compared to utilization of diesel generator only. This accumulates into mitigation of 78,924kg/annum and 194.3kg of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, respectively.