Feasibility Analysis and Economic Viability of Standalone Hybrid Systems for Marudi Electrification in Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract

A hybrid renewable energy system is a feasible solution for off-grid electrification where grid electricity is not available due to economic or technical limitations. In this study, rural electrification is performed on a small longhouse settlement, Long Moh, in Sarawak, Malaysia, with a population of 308 from 70 households. Initially, a hybrid PV/Hydro/DG/Battery system is proposed due to the abundance of solar and hydro resources in the village. There have been a lot of studies based on PV/DG/Battery systems in Malaysia but less with the inclusion of hydropower. Through simulation and optimization process, the most optimal system in terms of Net Present Cost (NPC) is found to be a hybrid Hydro/DG/Battery system which provides a total NPC of $213,694.90, cost of electricity of $0.08/kWh, and operating cost of $9,495.56/year. The most environmentally friendly system is the proposed PV/Hydro/DG/Battery system due to less fuel consumption (12,863.63 L/year) and its high renewable penetration. The standalone diesel generator (DG) system was the least economic and most polluting system. The best system overall for rural electrification at the case study location is a hybrid Hydro/DG/battery system due to its relatively low NPC and emissions output compared to a standalone DG system.

Design and Techno-Economic Analysis of a Hydrogen-Based Micro Hydro-Solar Hybrid Energy System for Sustainable Energy Access: A Case Study in Sri Aman, Sarawak

“…As seen in the work of [11], it is possible to implement FC in rural electrification projects. Reference [30] has also addressed this method, and Equations 4 and 5 are used to size the FC system.…”

Techno-economic analysis of a standalone hybrid energy system in Cambodia

“…The average wind speed in most parts of Cambodia is below 3 m/s, and the overall wind conditions are not satisfactory. However, there are a few areas in Cambodia that have more than 5 m/s of wind speed [2]. Based on the data obtained, Cambodia is a country that is rich in solar energy resources and wind energy resources.…”

“…𝐶 𝑐 +𝐶 𝑟 +𝐶 𝑜&𝑚 𝐸 𝑡 (2) Where: 𝐶 𝑐 = annualised capital cost ($/yr) 𝐶 𝑟 = annualised replacement cost ($/yr) 𝐶 𝑜&𝑚 = annualised operation & maintenance cost ($/yr) 𝐸 𝑡 = total energy generated in one year (kWh/yr) On the other hand, NPC is the total cost spent on the hybrid energy system during the whole project's lifetime. To calculate NPC, the annualized capital cost, replacement cost, and operation & maintenance cost need to be summed up and then divided by the capital recovery factor.…”

“…The increase in fossil fuels consumptions to generate power will also increase pollution. In Cambodia, rural electrification is growing in many areas with the government-coordinated electrification program [2]. Basically, the program is to let local entrepreneurs sell electricity to the users in the existing market.…”

“…In the data of annual average wind speed obtained, the areas with 5 m/s wind speed have the potential to apply wind energy to generate electricity. Furthermore, a hybrid generation system that has a diesel generator can overcome the inconsistency of wind patterns problem [2]. In this study, a financially attainable and eco-friendly off-grid hybrid energy system will be presented to power a rural area with 30 households in Cambodia.…”