Solar Hybrid System Study for RPS Community in Gerik, Perak

Abstract

This paper addresses the implementation of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES) to supply electricity to a rural area in RPS Kemar, Gerik, Perak. RPS Kemar, primarily relies on diesel-powered generators for electricity generation because the area is distant from national grid sources. Consequently, extending the grid to this area is costly. Unfortunately, diesel-powered generators are expensive due to high demand from industry. Moreover, they have been identified as harmful to the environment due to the significant amount of carbon dioxide they release, contributing to greenhouse gases and abrupt climate changes. As an alternative to curbing the usage of diesel-powered generators, an HRES consisting of solar photovoltaic (PV) system, battery, diesel-powered generator and hydrogen system was proposed for RPS Kemar community. Load profile data was collected from previous research papers. This project aims to input this data into the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) Pro software to conduct an in-depth analysis of load power consumption in the village, especially considering the additional usage of hydrogen. Additionally, sensitivity analysis was performed to determine how the growth of load profile impacts the best configuration. The optimization results indicate that the PV-Gen-Batt system remain the best choice. It has a lower Net Present Cost and greater use of renewable energy compared to other configurations.