Techno-economic analysis of hybrid photovoltaic- generator-battery system in Bario Sarawak

Abstract

Solar energy is growing rapidly in recent years because of reduction of capital cost and ease of installation compared to other renewable energy. However, due to the intermittent characteristic, solar energy always combined with diesel generator and energy storage to provide reliable supply. Even though, the hybrid Photovoltaic (PV)-Diesel Generator-Lead Acid Battery system is having high operation cost in term of high diesel fuel transportation cost because of difficult fuel transportation and high replacement cost for lead acid battery. This study considered the hybrid PV-Diesel Generator-Lead Acid Battery power station in Bario, Sarawak, Malaysia. The Bario’s solar hybrid power station was built upon previous related site surveys and it had been operational since January 2017. This study considered the validation of the collected data from Bario’s solar hybrid power station, simulation of actual system configuration, PV-Lead Acid Battery system and PV-Vanadium Battery system. The comparison of actual system, PV-Lead Acid Battery system and PV-Vanadium Battery system based on different load demand were performed. The performance of different system were analyzed based on technical and economic constraints, including net present cost, levelized cost of energy, and analysis taking into account of operational aspects using Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER). Vanadium battery is proposed to replace the diesel generator and lead acid battery because of the promising outcomes in long life cycle and lower operation cost from previous researchers. Sensitivity analysis were also carried out to analyze the effects of system performance and economic by changing main parameters such as load demand, photovoltaic and battery prices. The findings show that PV-Generator-Lead Acid Battery system has lower Cost of Electricity but higher carbon emissions. PV-Vanadium Battery system is technically feasible and financially competitive to used in Off-Grid Electrification.