Techno-economic analysis using different types of hybrid energy generation for desert safari camps in UAE

Authors: ALI AZIZ

Abstract: Remote areas in UAE are still fully powered by diesel generators. The rapid rise in the prices of petroleum products and environmental concerns have led to demand for hybrid renewable energy generators. Advances in renewable energy technologies impart further impetus to techno-economic power production. Protecting the landscape and demography of the desert by optimizing the power supply cost via an efficient hybrid power system is the key issue. Simulation results on the cross utilization of a photovoltaic/wind/battery/fuel-cell hybrid-energy source to power the off-grid living space are presented. Simultaneous exploitation of different renewable energy sources to power off-grid applications together with battery and hydrogen energy storage options is demonstrated. HOMER software from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is used to perform detailed techno-economic analyses. It simulates all possible system configurations that fulfil the suggested load for the selected sites under given conditions of renewable resources.

Keywords: Hybrid, wind speed, solar radiation, HOMER software, total net present cost (NPC)

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