Techno-economic design and evaluation of autonomous micro-grid for a remote area in Sinai-Egypt: Ras-Shaitan case study [articol]

Abstract

This paper proposes a techno-economic design and evaluation of a stand-alone micro-grid. It comprises PV/wind/battery system to feed a remote area called Ras- Shaitan, in Sinai-Egypt. The meteorological data for the selected area regarding temperature, wind speed and sun irradiation are collected and analyzed. Necessary modeling and technical specifications of system components are decided along with the load profile. System design is based on minimizing the net present cost (NPC) while keeping technical constraints including the continuity of supply. Homer software is utilized to get the optimal and cost-effective components’ size. System performance analysis including cost analysis and hourly energy balance are performed to evaluate the proposed design. Effect of varying the average daily load demand on system size and cost is presented. Finally, the effect of renewable resources fluctuations on system design and cost is also included.