Potential of using Off-grid PV/Wind/Diesel Battery Hybrid Energy System in Jordan

This paper represents a case study for the potential of having hybrid energy system (PV/Wind/Diesel) with battery as a storage for powering a house located in a remote area in the city of Al-Tafilah in Jordan. It presents techno-economic analysis of different hybrid system configurations, and potential of using renewable energy resources is evaluated. HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Electric Renewables) optimization model is used to evaluate different possible systems combinations for supplying the load demand of 37.5 kWh/day with a 6.98 kW peak load. HOMER software tool was used to determine the optimum size and specifications of power generating systems. Ten results were found to be the best optimization solutions for each possible combination of using PV panels, wind turbines, diesel generators, converters and batteries. The best and most economical solution has been determined by HOMER, and was found to be where all the mentioned systems except wind turbines are used together. That optimal solution was found to be using a 12.1 kW PV system, a 7.7 kW Diesel generator, a 36 kWh nominal capacity battery bank and 4.82 kW converters. It has a minimum Net Present Cost (NPC) equal to 66,012 $, as well as a minimum Cost of Energy (COE) equal to 0.338 $/kWh. Additionally, it has a lower gas emission than some of the other solutions.