AIMS Energy (Feb 2024)
Integrative analysis of diverse hybrid power systems for sustainable energy in underdeveloped regions: A case study in Indonesia
Abstract
There is a goal for practical renewable electrification and renewable energy investments in underdeveloped regions. Indonesia's experience underscores the complexities and challenges in implementing such projects effectively. A study on the effects of various socio-economic factors on Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Indonesia highlights the significant impact of forest area, urbanization, and industrialization on carbon emissions. A hybrid system consists of PV, a Biogas Generator, and a Wind Turbine that are successfully deployed. However, no economic analysis has been conducted to obtain the best configuration of the hybrid system. We propose to delve into the effective integration combination of hybrid power systems. In this study, we thoroughly analyzed hybrid power systems in underdeveloped areas using the HOMER software. We examined five different hybrid system configurations: Solely biogas, complete generator integration, a biogas and hydrogen combo, biogas coupled with a PV system, and biogas combined with a wind turbine. Our findings indicated varying levels of economic viability, operational performance, and environmental impact across the configurations, providing crucial insights for policymakers and stakeholders in underdeveloped regions like Indonesia. The results showed the Wind-Hydrogen and Hydrogen Only schemes as the most cost-effective, with a Total Net Present Cost (NPC) of, 969.27 and Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) at $0.218. Moreover, while CO2 emissions were similar across all schemes, around 27,744 kg/year, the All-Generator scheme had slightly higher emissions at 27,667 kg/year but led in electricity production with 29,101 kWh/year. These results underscore the importance of balancing cost, energy output, and environmental impact in hybrid power system schemes for underdeveloped regions.
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