1. Techno-Economic Analysis on the Introduction of a PV-Diesel Hybrid System
in an Off-grid Community in Nigeria.
EBIMENE EZEKIEL EBISINE
Acknowledgement
Conclusion and Recommendation
• Community ownership and involvement in energy projects (community energy projects) would
provide an enabling platform for easy acquisition and access to funds for the sponsorship of
energy project, enabling the development of hybrid systems that would generate reliable
electricity for rural and semi-urban communities.
• In conclusion, PV-Diesel Hybrid system with a levelized cost of electricity of $0.406/KWH is
technically viable and therefore recommends government intervention in the form of subsidies to
enable the actualization of this project that would lead to social and economic growth for the
communities and country at large
Methods
PV-Diesel hybrid mini grid system consist of;
An electrical energy generation sub-system,
which in this case includes a PV array and a
generator,
A distribution sub-system, which is the mini grid
and
Electrical installations such as metering devices,
interconnecting equipment between installation
and micro grid.
Schematic Layout of a PV/Diesel hybrid system for rural electrification 6.
This system is off-grid, consists of two generators (PV array and diesel generator), 3
phase distribution (micro-grid) and controllers used to meet the electricity needs of the
community. The output of the battery bank and PV system are DC hence, a
multifunctional inverter is used (converter). The inverter acts as a converter of electricity
from DC to AC from the batteries and solar array or from AC to DC from the generator
sets to the batteries and this is dependent on the direction of flow. The DC components
are connected to the DC bus bar while the output from the generator sets are connected
to the AC bus bar as its output is AC.
Introduction
Energy is a major driver of the economy and modern economy is described by access to
secure, clean and affordable energy sources 1. Electricity is the most adaptable form of
energy to meet modern economy. In the world today, over 1.3 billion people lack access
to electricity with almost 7% of this figure residing in sub-Saharan African country;
Nigeria 2. Nigeria with a population of about 180 million is greatly dependent on
individually owned oil-powered generators which contributes to the increasing pollution
of the environment, growing poor standard of living and healthcare and accounts for 30%
of electricity generation 3. It is estimated that 70% of Nigerians live in rural areas and are
currently without access to the national electricity power grid 5. Africa and Nigeria on the
whole is endowed with enormous renewable energy sources potential which can be
used to generate clean, efficient and sufficient energy, yet it so insufficiently explored.
The use of Renewable energy which has zero fuel cost, suitable for use in off-grid and
distributed power, sustainable, nearly never ending and essentially non-polluting 4 would
help rural communities without access to electricity.
Aims/Objective
This study focuses on improving the electricity situation in Torugbene; a rural community
in Nigeria by developing a community based PV-Diesel Hybrid system as oppose to
diesel only system. This would in turn improve the social and economic situation of the
rural community.
Components of the hybrid system.
Through the use of quantitative
analysis; a Techno-Economic
analysis was done using the
NREL’s HOMER software to
design an optimal energy system
to provide electricity for
Torugbene.
Results and Discussion
The optimal hybrid system for this location at an interest rate of 6.9% and fuel price of
$0.84/L comprises of a 90 kW PV, 100 kW diesel generator (50 kW each), 160 batteries
and 80 kW converter with a levelized cost of electricity of $0.406/kWh. The system is able
to power about 1,034 household based on the estimated energy consumption of rural
communities in Nigeria (1 kWh/day 7)
This system was found to be technically viable as it cheaper than diesel only generation,
reduces CO2 emissions, 5 times cheaper than grid expansion cost to the study area and
relatively reasonable cost of electricity.
COST SUMMARY
Greenhouse gasses emissions comparison between hybrid system and Generator-
converter-battery system
Comparison between PV hybrid system and Diesel system.
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
Optimized energy system showing the renewable
energy fraction for various system category.
Optimized energy system showing the levelized cost of electricity
at various interest rates and fuel prices.
References
[1] Yeager k. et al (2012) ‘Chapter 6: Energy and Economy’. In Global Energy Assessment – Toward a Sustainable Future, Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA and the International Institute of Applied System Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria, pp. 385-422.
[2] International Energy Agency (2014) ‘World Energy Outlook 2014 Factsheet- Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa Today’.
[3] Harvard, Program on the Global Demography of Aging (2010) ‘Nigeria: The Next Generation Report’.
[4] Ehrilich, Robert (2013) ‘Renewable Energy: A First Course’. CRC Press.
[5] Federal Ministry of Power (2015) ‘National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy, NREEEP’.
[6] IEA PVPS (International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme) (2013) ‘Rural Electrification with PV Hybrid systems’. Report
IEA-PVPS T9-13:2013.
Optimized energy system showing PV array capacity at various interest rates
and fuel prices.
Special thanks to Dr David Rodley and Dr Stephen Roynolds for their support throughout this work