IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v327y2025ics0360544225020845.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hybrid renewable energy systems design and techno-economic analysis for isolated rural microgrid using HOMER

Author

Listed:
  • Yadav, Subhash
  • Kumar, Pradeep
  • Kumar, Ashwani

Abstract

Reliable supply of electricity in isolated rural areas is challenging due to the uneconomical accessibility of the national grid. The issue can be resolved with an isolated microgrid. This study presents an optimal design and techno-economic analysis of an isolated microgrid based on hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) for meeting the electricity demand of a rural area, 'Kanur,' Maharashtra, India. The proposed microgrid integrates the wind turbine (WT), solar photovoltaic (PV), biogas generator (BG), and battery energy storage system (BES). The HOMER software minimizes the net present cost (NPC) and cost of energy (COE) to offer a reasonable cost-optimal design at desired system reliability. At 0.0 % capacity shortage, the optimal sizing of PV, WT, BG, and BES units are 113 kW, 22 kW, 17 kW, and 362, respectively. At capacity shortages of 0.0 % and 2.5 %, the optimal WT/PV/BG/BES configuration achieves an NPC of $529,459 and $399,680 with COE of 0.146$/kWh and 0.112$/kWh, respectively. Excess energy generation is 23 % and 13.9 % of total annual generation, respectively. The proposed HRES is 71.2 % more cost-effective than diesel generator (DG) supply. The sensitivity analysis highlights the impact of system parameter variations on component sizing, NPC, and COE, aiding in the most cost-effective design selection.

Suggested Citation

  • Yadav, Subhash & Kumar, Pradeep & Kumar, Ashwani, 2025. "Hybrid renewable energy systems design and techno-economic analysis for isolated rural microgrid using HOMER," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:327:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225020845
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.136442
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225020845
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.136442?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sen, Rohit & Bhattacharyya, Subhes C., 2014. "Off-grid electricity generation with renewable energy technologies in India: An application of HOMER," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 388-398.
    2. Odou, Oluwarotimi Delano Thierry & Bhandari, Ramchandra & Adamou, Rabani, 2020. "Hybrid off-grid renewable power system for sustainable rural electrification in Benin," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 1266-1279.
    3. Heydari, Ali & Askarzadeh, Alireza, 2016. "Optimization of a biomass-based photovoltaic power plant for an off-grid application subject to loss of power supply probability concept," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 601-611.
    4. Atallah, Mohamed Osman & Farahat, M.A. & Lotfy, Mohammed Elsayed & Senjyu, Tomonobu, 2020. "Operation of conventional and unconventional energy sources to drive a reverse osmosis desalination plant in Sinai Peninsula, Egypt," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 141-152.
    5. Bhattacharya, S.C. & Thomas, Jossy M. & Abdul Salam, P., 1997. "Greenhouse gas emissions and the mitigation potential of using animal wastes in Asia," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 22(11), pages 1079-1085.
    6. Muh, Erasmus & Tabet, Fouzi, 2019. "Comparative analysis of hybrid renewable energy systems for off-grid applications in Southern Cameroons," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 41-54.
    7. Beagle, E. & Belmont, E., 2019. "Comparative life cycle assessment of biomass utilization for electricity generation in the European Union and the United States," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 267-275.
    8. Aziz, Ali Saleh & Tajuddin, Mohammad Faridun Naim & Adzman, Mohd Rafi & Azmi, Azralmukmin & Ramli, Makbul A.M., 2019. "Optimization and sensitivity analysis of standalone hybrid energy systems for rural electrification: A case study of Iraq," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 775-792.
    9. Konneh, Keifa Vamba & Adewuyi, Oludamilare Bode & Gamil, Mahmoud M. & Fazli, Agha Mohammad & Senjyu, Tomonobu, 2023. "A scenario-based multi-attribute decision making approach for optimal design of a hybrid off-grid system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    10. Chambon, Clementine L. & Karia, Tanuj & Sandwell, Philip & Hallett, Jason P., 2020. "Techno-economic assessment of biomass gasification-based mini-grids for productive energy applications: The case of rural India," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 432-444.
    11. Fahd A. Alturki & Emad Mahrous Awwad, 2021. "Sizing and Cost Minimization of Standalone Hybrid WT/PV/Biomass/Pump-Hydro Storage-Based Energy Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-20, January.
    12. Mazzola, Simone & Astolfi, Marco & Macchi, Ennio, 2016. "The potential role of solid biomass for rural electrification: A techno economic analysis for a hybrid microgrid in India," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 370-383.
    13. Ribó-Pérez, David & Bastida-Molina, Paula & Gómez-Navarro, Tomás & Hurtado-Pérez, Elías, 2020. "Hybrid assessment for a hybrid microgrid: A novel methodology to critically analyse generation technologies for hybrid microgrids," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 874-887.
    14. Nfah, E.M. & Ngundam, J.M., 2009. "Feasibility of pico-hydro and photovoltaic hybrid power systems for remote villages in Cameroon," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 1445-1450.
    15. Lemence, Allen Lemuel G. & Tamayao, Mili-Ann M., 2021. "Energy consumption profile estimation and benefits of hybrid solar energy system adoption for rural health units in the Philippines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 651-668.
    16. Lund, Peter D. & Lindgren, Juuso & Mikkola, Jani & Salpakari, Jyri, 2015. "Review of energy system flexibility measures to enable high levels of variable renewable electricity," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 785-807.
    17. El-Maaroufi, Abdellah & Daoudi, Mohammed & Ahl Laamara, Rachid, 2024. "Techno-economic analysis of a PV/WT/biomass off-grid hybrid power system for rural electrification in northern Morocco using HOMER," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    18. Yong Yang & Rong Li, 2020. "Techno-Economic Optimization of an Off-Grid Solar/Wind/Battery Hybrid System with a Novel Multi-Objective Differential Evolution Algorithm," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-16, April.
    19. Yadav, Subhash & Kumar, Pradeep & Kumar, Ashwani, 2024. "Techno-economic assessment of hybrid renewable energy system with multi energy storage system using HOMER," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    20. Pérez-Navarro, A. & Alfonso, D. & Ariza, H.E. & Cárcel, J. & Correcher, A. & Escrivá-Escrivá, G. & Hurtado, E. & Ibáñez, F. & Peñalvo, E. & Roig, R. & Roldán, C. & Sánchez, C. & Segura, I. & Vargas, C, 2016. "Experimental verification of hybrid renewable systems as feasible energy sources," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 384-391.
    21. 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.
    22. Lozano, Lorafe & Querikiol, Edward M. & Abundo, Michael Lochinvar S. & Bellotindos, Luzvisminda M., 2019. "Techno-economic analysis of a cost-effective power generation system for off-grid island communities: A case study of Gilutongan Island, Cordova, Cebu, Philippines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 905-911.
    23. Kumar, Pankaj & Pal, Nitai & Sharma, Himanshu, 2022. "Optimization and techno-economic analysis of a solar photo-voltaic/biomass/diesel/battery hybrid off-grid power generation system for rural remote electrification in eastern India," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    24. Rentizelas, Athanasios A. & Tolis, Athanasios J. & Tatsiopoulos, Ilias P., 2009. "Logistics issues of biomass: The storage problem and the multi-biomass supply chain," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 887-894, May.
    25. Li, Yang & Yang, Zhen & Li, Guoqing & Mu, Yunfei & Zhao, Dongbo & Chen, Chen & Shen, Bo, 2018. "Optimal scheduling of isolated microgrid with an electric vehicle battery swapping station in multi-stakeholder scenarios: A bi-level programming approach via real-time pricing," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 54-68.
    26. Li, Yang & Bu, Fanjin & Li, Yuanzheng & Long, Chao, 2023. "Optimal scheduling of island integrated energy systems considering multi-uncertainties and hydrothermal simultaneous transmission: A deep reinforcement learning approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 333(C).
    27. repec:plo:pone00:0180611 is not listed on IDEAS
    28. Li, Jinze & Liu, Pei & Li, Zheng, 2020. "Optimal design and techno-economic analysis of a solar-wind-biomass off-grid hybrid power system for remote rural electrification: A case study of west China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    29. Lee, Jechan & Kim, Soosan & You, Siming & Park, Young-Kwon, 2023. "Bioenergy generation from thermochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass-based integrated renewable energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    30. Shahzad, M. Kashif & Zahid, Adeem & ur Rashid, Tanzeel & Rehan, Mirza Abdullah & Ali, Muzaffar & Ahmad, Mueen, 2017. "Techno-economic feasibility analysis of a solar-biomass off grid system for the electrification of remote rural areas in Pakistan using HOMER software," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 264-273.
    31. Demirci, Alpaslan & Akar, Onur & Ozturk, Zafer, 2022. "Technical-environmental-economic evaluation of biomass-based hybrid power system with energy storage for rural electrification," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 1202-1217.
    32. Haghighat Mamaghani, Alireza & Avella Escandon, Sebastian Alberto & Najafi, Behzad & Shirazi, Ali & Rinaldi, Fabio, 2016. "Techno-economic feasibility of photovoltaic, wind, diesel and hybrid electrification systems for off-grid rural electrification in Colombia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 293-305.
    33. K Hossain, A & Badr, O, 2007. "Prospects of renewable energy utilisation for electricity generation in Bangladesh," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 11(8), pages 1617-1649, October.
    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. Pascasio, Jethro Daniel A. & Esparcia, Eugene A. & Castro, Michael T. & Ocon, Joey D., 2021. "Comparative assessment of solar photovoltaic-wind hybrid energy systems: A case for Philippine off-grid islands," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1589-1607.
    2. Li, Jinze & Liu, Pei & Li, Zheng, 2020. "Optimal design and techno-economic analysis of a solar-wind-biomass off-grid hybrid power system for remote rural electrification: A case study of west China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    3. Kumar, Pankaj & Pal, Nitai & Sharma, Himanshu, 2022. "Optimization and techno-economic analysis of a solar photo-voltaic/biomass/diesel/battery hybrid off-grid power generation system for rural remote electrification in eastern India," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    4. 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).
    5. Saxena, Vivek & Kumar, Narendra & Manna, Saibal & Rajput, Saurabh Kumar & Agarwal, Kusum Lata & Diwania, Sourav & Gupta, Varun, 2025. "Modelling, solution and application of optimization techniques in HRES: From conventional to artificial intelligence," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 380(C).
    6. Assouo, Thierry & Lontsi, Frederic & Boupda, Orelien & Koholé, Yemeli Wenceslas & Njitacke, Zeric Tabekoueng, 2025. "Modeling and techno-economic study of a hybrid renewable energy power plant for electrification in rural areas with an equatorial climate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    7. Ribó-Pérez, David & Herraiz-Cañete, Ángela & Alfonso-Solar, David & Vargas-Salgado, Carlos & Gómez-Navarro, Tomás, 2021. "Modelling biomass gasifiers in hybrid renewable energy microgrids; a complete procedure for enabling gasifiers simulation in HOMER," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 501-512.
    8. Mohtasim, Md. Shahriar & Das, Barun K. & Paul, Utpol K. & Kibria, Md. Golam & Hossain, Md Sanowar, 2025. "Hybrid renewable multi-generation system optimization: Attaining sustainable development goals," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    9. Lemence, Allen Lemuel G. & Tamayao, Mili-Ann M., 2021. "Energy consumption profile estimation and benefits of hybrid solar energy system adoption for rural health units in the Philippines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 651-668.
    10. Li, Chong & Zhou, Dequn & Wang, Hui & Lu, Yuzheng & Li, Dongdong, 2020. "Techno-economic performance study of stand-alone wind/diesel/battery hybrid system with different battery technologies in the cold region of China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    11. Aziz, Ali Saleh & Tajuddin, Mohammad Faridun Naim & Adzman, Mohd Rafi & Mohammed, Mohd Fayzul & Ramli, Makbul A.M., 2020. "Feasibility analysis of grid-connected and islanded operation of a solar PV microgrid system: A case study of Iraq," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    12. Ji, Ling & Liang, Xiaolin & Xie, Yulei & Huang, Guohe & Wang, Bing, 2021. "Optimal design and sensitivity analysis of the stand-alone hybrid energy system with PV and biomass-CHP for remote villages," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    13. Takele Ferede Agajie & Armand Fopah-Lele & Isaac Amoussou & Ahmed Ali & Baseem Khan & Emmanuel Tanyi, 2023. "Optimal Design and Mathematical Modeling of Hybrid Solar PV–Biogas Generator with Energy Storage Power Generation System in Multi-Objective Function Cases," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-26, May.
    14. Oluwaseun Olanrewaju Akinte & Ritthichai Ratchapan & Sarun Nakthanom & Krisada Prompinit & Boonyang Plangklang, 2025. "Performance Ratio and Econometrics of a Community Waste Power Plant (Biogas) System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-44, June.
    15. Keifa Vamba Konneh & Hasan Masrur & Mohammad Lutfi Othman & Hiroshi Takahashi & Narayanan Krishna & Tomonobu Senjyu, 2021. "Multi-Attribute Decision-Making Approach for a Cost-Effective and Sustainable Energy System Considering Weight Assignment Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-22, May.
    16. Jann Michael Weinand & Maximilian Hoffmann & Jan Gopfert & Tom Terlouw & Julian Schonau & Patrick Kuckertz & Russell McKenna & Leander Kotzur & Jochen Lin{ss}en & Detlef Stolten, 2022. "Global LCOEs of decentralized off-grid renewable energy systems," Papers 2212.12742, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2023.
    17. Aziz, Ali Saleh & Tajuddin, Mohammad Faridun Naim & Adzman, Mohd Rafi & Azmi, Azralmukmin & Ramli, Makbul A.M., 2019. "Optimization and sensitivity analysis of standalone hybrid energy systems for rural electrification: A case study of Iraq," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 775-792.
    18. 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.
    19. Nasser Yimen & Oumarou Hamandjoda & Lucien Meva’a & Benoit Ndzana & Jean Nganhou, 2018. "Analyzing of a Photovoltaic/Wind/Biogas/Pumped-Hydro Off-Grid Hybrid System for Rural Electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa—Case Study of Djoundé in Northern Cameroon," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-30, October.
    20. Bhattacharyya, S.C. & Palit, D., 2021. "A critical review of literature on the nexus between central grid and off-grid solutions for expanding access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:eee:energy:v:327:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225020845. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    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.