Techno-economic analysis of solar, wind and biomass hybrid renewable energy systems in Bhorha village, India

The present study investigates the potential use of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (Solar photovoltaic, wind, biomass, and diesel), both with and without the inclusion of battery/supercapacitor storage in the Bhorha village, Bihar, India. A comprehensive assessment of different possible system configurations is conducted using hybrid optimization model for electric renewable (HOMER) software to determine the most economically viable and efficient system for the designated place. The current analysis is focused on six distinct cases in the village community, in view of sufficing the daily energy requirement of 615.625 kWh and a peak demand of 86.47 kW, pertaining to major factors viz. system efficiency, financial viability, and ecological consequences. The primary aim of the research is to elucidate the comparative analysis of energy generation for different proposed designs of hybrid renewable energy systems. Detailed techno-commercial assessments are also carried out to examine the energy production, consumption, and financial impacts of each HRES configuration. The research outcome of this study obtained from HOMER software reveals that the optimized hybrid system comprises 86.7 kW solar photovoltaic, 30 kW wind turbine, 5 kW biogas generator, a 50 kW diesel generator, 280 kWh battery bank with nominal capacity, and 38.8 kW converter to sustain the for energy needs of the nominated place. This system has a minimum cost of energy of 0.309 $/kWh with a net present cost of $854894 along with operating cost 51847 $/year and net carbon dioxide emission of 56728 kg/yr. The research offers useful insights for designers, scholars, and policymakers on the existing design constraints and policies of biomass-based hybrid systems for a safe, sustainable and independent green future for the generations to come.