Optimal Design of Standalone Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems with Biochar Production in Remote Rural Areas: A Case Study

For remote agriculture-based rural areas, utilizing the local renewable resources such as biomass, wind, and solar energy could be potentially more efficient than long-distance transmission of electricity. In this paper, a multi-objective optimization model for the design of standalone hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) in remote rural areas is proposed. The objective is to maximize the profits and the carbon abatement capability of the system by optimal process selection and sizing of HRES components including solar, wind, and biomass generation systems. A case study for the design of an HRES on the Carabao Island in the Philippines is conducted. The result shows a 122 kW solar power plant, a 67 kW onshore wind farm and a 223 kW biomass pyrolysis system constitute the optimal configuration of the hybrid energy system, generating a daily profit of US$ 940. The greenhouse gas emission of the optimal system is -3,339 kg CO2 eq/day, indicating good carbon sequestration performance. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.