Title: Off-grid hybrid photovoltaic-diesel-battery power systems for commercial sector of Yanbu Saudi Arabia - a potential solution for carbon-free environment and to mitigate challenges of global warming

Authors: S.M. Shaahid

Addresses: Applied Research Center for Metrology, Standards and Testing, Research Institute (RI), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: The study includes techno-economic evaluation using hybrid-PV-diesel-battery-power systems (HPVDBPS) to fulfil commercial-electrical load of Yanbu (Industrial-hub, K.S.A.) by analysing long-term solar-radiation regime (with annual load of 620 MWh). The monthly-average-daily global-solar-radiation of Yanbu lies in between 3.61 and 7.90 kwh per sq.m. HOMER has been used to achieve the objectives by simulations. The results show that PV-fraction is 24% for HPVDBPS comprised of 80 kWp PV with 175 kW diesel system and three hours of battery storage. The energy generation price (COE, $ /kWh) from this HPVDBP is 0.170 $ per kWh and the annual reduction in carbon emissions is 154 tons. This implies that HPVDBP is a potential solution to damp the threats of global warming. Also, about 25% savings in fuel can be achieved by using the above HPVDBPS compared to stand-alone diesel case. The investigation has also examined impact of PV-fraction on various other parameters.

Keywords: radiation-solar; PV-solar; battery-banks; diesel-gensets; commercial-loads; emissions-carbon.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2022.124621

International Journal of Global Warming, 2022 Vol.27 No.4, pp.319 - 332

Received: 03 Sep 2021
Accepted: 18 Dec 2021
Published online: 29 Jul 2022 *

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