Design and Optimization of a Locally Generated Hybrid Energy System for Powering the Off-grid Clustered Houses of Chattogram Hill Tracts

Abstract

Residents of the remote areas live in clusters and some of those areas are situated far from the national grid line. Supplying power to all those clustered houses from the national gridline is difficult and also not economically feasible. Therefore, supplying power from an efficient locally generated power system might be a suitable solution. In this research, a local hybrid power generation and distribution model from a diesel generator, along with hydro, wind, and solar systems are studied for Keokradong, which is one of the most visited remote tourist spots in Bangladesh. Multiple hybrid energy system models are analyzed for optimization using the HOMER software. In addition to hybrid systems connected to the grid, only renewable-based hybrid systems have been examined. Traditional fossil fuel-based energy sources and electricity output per unit cost are compared in a cost per kilowatt-hour comparison. The proposed method can be utilized for powering off-grid clustered areas of hilly and remote regions around the world in a cost-effective and environment-friendly manner.