Modeling of an autonomous hybrid renewable energy system for electrification of a township: A case study for Sikkim, India

The present work analyses the techno-economic feasibility of an autonomous hybrid renewable energy system for providing electricity for an academic township in the East District of Sikkim, India. The resources considered for the system were solar energy, wind energy, biogas, syngas and hydrokinetic energy with batteries as back-up. HOMER Pro Microgrid Tool, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, United States of America has been used as the simulation and assessment tool for modeling performed with hourly data input. Various constraints were implemented to limit the maximum installation capacities of the components considered. All the technical and financial specifications of the components were availed from the local Indian markets. A total of 31 possible combinations of the different resources were analyzed for net present cost, Levelized cost of energy, battery storage, emissions, area requirements and employment potential. The best combination was identified by applying a very widespread multi-criteria decision-making technique named Analytical Hierarchy Process. The Photovoltaic-Wind-Biogas-Syngas-Hydrokinetic-Battery based Hybrid Renewable Energy System was found to be the best combination with a Levelized Cost of Energy of 0.095 $/kWh. Finally, sensitivity analysis was carried out for various parameters to comprehend the behavior of the system for a broader application in the region.