DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION OF A HYBRID SOLAR–WIND–BATTERY ENERGY SYSTEM WITH GREEN HYDROGEN STORAGE AND SMART ENERGY MANAGEMENT FOR RELIABLE POWER SUPPLY IN REMOTE AREAS

Abstract

Access to reliable electricity is a major challenge for remote and off grid communities because of the scarcity of traditional power matrices and erratic supply of renewable energy resources. In this study, a hybrid Solar–Wind–Battery–Hydrogen Energy System design and optimization are presented to supply the required power for remote locations with a reliable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach. The mathematical model of the PVs, wind turbine, Battery energy storage system (BESS), proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyze, hydrogen storage tank, proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, and Energy Management System (EMS) were developed. The optimization framework aims at determining optimal capacities of the system components to minimize the NPC, LCOE and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, and maximize penetration of renewable energy and system reliability. The proposed system was simulated in MATLAB/Simulink with different solar irradiation, wind speed, ambient temperature and electrical load conditions for remote communities. The simulation results showed that for the optimized hybrid configuration, the renewable energy fraction was 94.6%, the system reliability was 99.4%, and the Loss of Power Supply Probability (LPSP) value was 0.006, which means that the power supply was not interrupted throughout the annual simulation period. The optimized system also performed at an LCOE of ~ £0.112 kWh⁻¹ and an annual reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by ~ 91%, when compared to a traditional diesel power generation system. Comparative analysis also revealed that the suggested Solar–Wind–Battery–Hydrogen system outperforms the other conventional systems, Solar Only, Solar–Battery, Solar–Wind, and Solar–Wind–Battery in terms of technical performance, economic viability and environmental protection. The hydrogen storage concept allowed for the effective utilization of surplus renewable energy, balanced out deterioration of batteries, increased the long-term storage capacity, and increased system flexibility. The results prove that the proposed hybrid renewable energy system is a practical and scalable solution for sustainable electrification of remote and off-grid areas and can contribute to the global clean energy and carbon reduction targets.