Design of Stand-alone Solar-Wind-Hydro Based Hybrid Power System: Case of Rural Village in Malawi | Chapter 13 | Advanced Aspects of Engineering Research Vol. 4

 Malawi's electrification rate is currently less than 10%, despite a population of 18 million people linked to the grid. Low water levels have a significant impact on Malawi's electricity generation company (EGENCO), making it difficult to meet the current demand for electricity. Malawi would find it difficult to expand its national power grid as a result of this. The study's goal is to design a stand-alone hybrid renewable energy system that is both economically and technically feasible in the Dwangwa region, with a focus on hydropower, wind, solar, and battery storage. There are 420 households, businesses, and public services in the study area, with a primary load demand of 5,556.31 kWh/day and a peak load of 302.93 kW. Data on river discharge came from the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Production, while data on solar and wind came from NASA. A stand-alone framework was designed using the HOMER modelling tool. The best configuration flow for the Dwangwa river is 159 L/s at an elevation of 100 metres, according to simulation results, and the best hybrid system combination is hydropower-wind-solar-battery-and-converter. The total initial capital cost of the hybrid device was $2,662,638 dollars, while the net present cost (NPC) and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) were $3,597,197 dollars and $0.134 per kWh, respectively. However, the cost of electricity on the grid in Malawi is K88.02/kWh ($0.11/kWh), making the device prohibitively costly. As a result, the report concluded that the hybrid method is not financially viable. Government interference, on the other hand, could be able to assist in making the scheme financially acceptable and sustainable.

Author (s) Details

Sylvester William Chisale
Department of Energy Sciences, Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES), C/o Tlemcen University, B. P. 119, Tlemcen, Algeria and Department of Applied Studies, Malawi University of Science and Technology, P.O.Box 5196, Limbe, Malawi.

Zaki Sari
Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory of Tlemcen (MELT), University of Tlemcen, Algeria and École Supérieure en Sciences Appliquées (ESSAT), Tlemcen, Algeria.

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