IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i17p6262-d1227428.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Comparative Techno-Economic Evaluation of a Standalone Solar Power System for Scaled Implementation in Off-Grid Areas

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Sadiq

    (Environment Development and Sustainability (EDS), Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand)

  • Phimsupha Kokchang

    (Energy Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand)

  • Suthirat Kittipongvises

    (Environmental Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand)

Abstract

The increasing environmental concerns and dependence on fossil fuel-based energy sectors necessitate a shift towards renewable energy. Off-grid communities can particularly benefit from standalone, scaled renewable power plants. This study developed a comprehensive techno-economic framework, analyzed the objective metrics, and assessed the influence of economies of scale in solar PV power plants to electrify off-grid communities, taking Baluchistan, Pakistan, as a pilot case. Simulations and analyses were performed using the System Advisor Model (SAM). The results indicate a noteworthy reduction in the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) with increased power generation capacity. It was observed that utilizing bi-facial modules with single-axis tracking leads to a more cost-effective LCOE compared to the relatively expensive dual-axis trackers. The main cost factors identified in the analysis were capital costs, installed balance of plant (BOP), mechanical, and electrical costs. Notably, the disparity between the highest and lowest LCOE values across the six different power generation pathways amounted to approximately 38.5%. The average LCOE was determined to be 2.14 USD/kWh for fixed-mounted plants, 1.79 USD/kWh for single-axis plants, and 1.74 USD/kWh for dual-axis plants across the examined power generation capacity range. The findings can serve as a valuable benchmark, specifically for regional key stakeholders, in making informed investment decisions, formulating effective policies, and devising appropriate strategies for off-grid electrification and the development of renewable energy value chains.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Sadiq & Phimsupha Kokchang & Suthirat Kittipongvises, 2023. "Comparative Techno-Economic Evaluation of a Standalone Solar Power System for Scaled Implementation in Off-Grid Areas," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-17, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:17:p:6262-:d:1227428
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/17/6262/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/17/6262/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ali, Fahad & Ahmar, Muhammad & Jiang, Yuexiang & AlAhmad, Mohammad, 2021. "A techno-economic assessment of hybrid energy systems in rural Pakistan," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(PA).
    2. Ahmad, Jameel & Imran, Muhammad & Khalid, Abdullah & Iqbal, Waseem & Ashraf, Syed Rehan & Adnan, Muhammad & Ali, Syed Farooq & Khokhar, Khawar Siddique, 2018. "Techno economic analysis of a wind-photovoltaic-biomass hybrid renewable energy system for rural electrification: A case study of Kallar Kahar," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 208-234.
    3. Ali, Akhter & Rahut, Dil Bahadur & Imtiaz, Muhammad, 2019. "Effects of Pakistan's energy crisis on farm households," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1-1.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Thirunavukkarasu, M. & Sawle, Yashwant & Lala, Himadri, 2023. "A comprehensive review on optimization of hybrid renewable energy systems using various optimization techniques," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    2. Fazlur Rashid & Md. Emdadul Hoque & Muhammad Aziz & Talukdar Nazmus Sakib & Md. Tariqul Islam & Raihan Moker Robin, 2021. "Investigation of Optimal Hybrid Energy Systems Using Available Energy Sources in a Rural Area of Bangladesh," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-24, September.
    3. Jahangir, Mohammad Hossein & Montazeri, Mohammad & Mousavi, Seyed Ali & Kargarzadeh, Arash, 2022. "Reducing carbon emissions of industrial large livestock farms using hybrid renewable energy systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 52-65.
    4. Muhammad Bilal Ali & Syed Ali Abbas Kazmi & Abdullah Altamimi & Zafar A. Khan & Mohammed A. Alghassab, 2023. "Decarbonizing Telecommunication Sector: Techno-Economic Assessment and Optimization of PV Integration in Base Transceiver Stations in Telecom Sector Spreading across Various Geographically Regions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-34, April.
    5. Laura Canale & Anna Rita Di Fazio & Mario Russo & Andrea Frattolillo & Marco Dell’Isola, 2021. "An Overview on Functional Integration of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Multi-Energy Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-33, February.
    6. Talaat, M. & Farahat, M.A. & Elkholy, M.H., 2019. "Renewable power integration: Experimental and simulation study to investigate the ability of integrating wave, solar and wind energies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 668-682.
    7. Pereira, Géssica Michelle dos Santos & Weigert, Gabriela Rosalee & Macedo, Pablo Lopes & Silva, Kiane Alves e & Segura Salas, Cresencio Silvio & Gonçalves, Antônio Maurício de Matos & Nascimento, Hebe, 2022. "Quasi-dynamic operation and maintenance plan for photovoltaic systems in remote areas: The framework of Pantanal-MS," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 404-416.
    8. Muhammad Ahmar & Fahad Ali & Yuexiang Jiang & Mamdooh Alwetaishi & Sherif S. M. Ghoneim, 2022. "Households’ Energy Choices in Rural Pakistan," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-23, April.
    9. Piotr Kułyk & Łukasz Augustowski, 2021. "Economic Profitability of a Hybrid Approach to Powering Residual Households from Natural Sources in Two Wind Zones of the Lubuskie Voivodeship in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-15, October.
    10. Carmine Cancro & Camelia Delcea & Salvatore Fabozzi & Gabriella Ferruzzi & Giorgio Graditi & Valeria Palladino & Maria Valenti, 2022. "A Profitability Analysis for an Aggregator in the Ancillary Services Market: An Italian Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-26, April.
    11. Arifa Tanveer & Shihong Zeng & Muhammad Irfan & Rui Peng, 2021. "Do Perceived Risk, Perception of Self-Efficacy, and Openness to Technology Matter for Solar PV Adoption? An Application of the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-24, August.
    12. Ren, Haoshan & Ma, Zhenjun & Chan, Antoni B. & Sun, Yongjun, 2023. "Optimal planning of municipal-scale distributed rooftop photovoltaic systems with maximized solar energy generation under constraints in high-density cities," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    13. Chinna Alluraiah Nallolla & Vijayapriya Perumal, 2022. "Optimal Design of a Hybrid Off-Grid Renewable Energy System Using Techno-Economic and Sensitivity Analysis for a Rural Remote Location," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-25, November.
    14. Abdullah Al Abri & Abdullah Al Kaaf & Musaab Allouyahi & Ali Al Wahaibi & Razzaqul Ahshan & Rashid S. Al Abri & Ahmed Al Abri, 2022. "Techno-Economic and Environmental Analysis of Renewable Mix Hybrid Energy System for Sustainable Electrification of Al-Dhafrat Rural Area in Oman," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-23, December.
    15. Ussama Assad & Muhammad Arshad Shehzad Hassan & Umar Farooq & Asif Kabir & Muhammad Zeeshan Khan & S. Sabahat H. Bukhari & Zain ul Abidin Jaffri & Judit Oláh & József Popp, 2022. "Smart Grid, Demand Response and Optimization: A Critical Review of Computational Methods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-36, March.
    16. Alya AlHammadi & Nasser Al-Saif & Ameena Saad Al-Sumaiti & Mousa Marzband & Tareefa Alsumaiti & Ehsan Heydarian-Forushani, 2022. "Techno-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems Designed for Electric Vehicle Charging: A Case Study from the United Arab Emirates," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-20, September.
    17. Ioan Cristian Hoarcă & Nicu Bizon & Ioan Sorin Șorlei & Phatiphat Thounthong, 2023. "Sizing Design for a Hybrid Renewable Power System Using HOMER and iHOGA Simulators," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-25, February.
    18. Abdul Munim Rehmani & Syed Ali Abbas Kazmi & Abdullah Altamimi & Zafar A. Khan & Muhammad Awais, 2023. "Techno-Economic-Environmental Assessment of an Isolated Rural Micro-Grid from a Mid-Career Repowering Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-35, January.
    19. Jabeen, Gul & Ahmad, Munir & Zhang, Qingyu, 2021. "Perceived critical factors affecting consumers’ intention to purchase renewable generation technologies: Rural-urban heterogeneity," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    20. Brandon Cortés-Caicedo & Luis Fernando Grisales-Noreña & Oscar Danilo Montoya & Miguel Angel Rodriguez-Cabal & Javier Alveiro Rosero, 2022. "Energy Management System for the Optimal Operation of PV Generators in Distribution Systems Using the Antlion Optimizer: A Colombian Urban and Rural Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-35, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:17:p:6262-:d:1227428. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.