Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2025
A new integrated MTEF analysis of a standalone hybrid renewable energy system applied to tribal residential schools and hostels in Tamil Nadu State,India with the impact of multiple tracking and loading including the scope of job creation factor
This study presents an integrated MTEF (monetary-technical-emission-fuel) analysis for a standalone hybrid renewable energy system implemented in tribal residential schools and hostels in Sankarapuram Zone, Tamil Nadu, India. Using the HOMER Pro Microgrid Analysis Tool, three scenarios were evaluated: normal loading (100% of peak load), step loading (110% of peak load), and full renewable loading. Key findings include cost of energy ranging from $0.185 to $0.279/kWh, annual operating costs of $1466 to $10,448, and CO2 emissions between 7578 to 14,204 kg/year. The study highlights fuel consumption reductions (2895 to 5426 liters/year) and generator operation hours (699 to 2209 h/year). Generator analysis and job creation potential were also discussed, offering a sustainable power solution for tribal education. This work provides a framework for ensuring uninterrupted power in remote tribal areas.
BhattacharyyaSC. Energy access programmes and sustainable development: a critical review and analysis. Energy Sustain Dev2012; 16: 260–271.
2.
BarunKDMohammadSTusharHK,et al.Techno-economic feasibility and size optimisation of an off-grid hybrid system for supplying electricity and thermal loads. Energy2021; 215: 1–14.
3.
BhattacharyyaSCPalitDGopalKS, et al.Solar PV mini-grids versus large-scale embedded PV generation: a case study of Uttar Pradesh (India). Energy Policy2019; 128: 36–44.
4.
SamantaPK. A study of rural electrification infrastructure in India. IOSR J Bus Manag2015; 17: 54–59.
5.
ChauhanASainiRP. Discrete harmony search based size optimization of integrated renewable energy system for remote rural areas of Uttarakhand state in India. Ren Energy2016; 94: 587–604.
6.
KumarJCRMajidMA. Renewable energy for sustainable development in India: current status, future prospects, challenges, employment, and investment opportunities. Energy Sust Soc2020; 10: 1–36.
7.
BakareMSAbdulkarimAZeeshanM,et al.A comprehensive overview on demand side energy management towards smart grids: challenges, solutions, and future direction. Energy Inform2023; 6: 1–59.
8.
VermaMKMukherjeeVYadavVK,et al.Indian Power distribution sector reforms: a critical review. Energy Pol2020; 144: 1–14.
9.
SharmaTPandeyKKPuniaDK,et al.Of pilferers and poachers: combating electricity theft in India. Energy Res Social Sci2016; 11: 40–52.
10.
GaurVGuptaE. The determinants of electricity theft: an empirical analysis of Indian states. Energy Pol2016; 93: 127–136.
11.
ShresthaRMAnandarajahGLiyanageMH. Factors affecting CO2 emission from the power sector of selected countries in Asia and the Pacific. Energy Pol2009; 37: 2375–2384.
12.
WeiwuMXinpeiXGangL. Techno-economic evaluation for hybrid renewable energy system: application and merits. Energy2018; 159: 385–409.
13.
ValerLRMocelinAZillesR, et al.Assessment of socioeconomic impacts of access to electricity in Brazilian Amazon: case study in two communities in Mamiraua reserve. Energy Sustain Dev2014; 20: 58–65.
14.
Manoj KumarNSudhakarKSamykanoM. Techno-economic analysis of 1 MWp grid connected solar PV plant in Malaysia. Int J Amb Energ2019; 40: 434–443.
15.
ErdincOUzunogluM. Optimum design of hybrid renewable energy systems: overview of different approaches. Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev2012; 16: 1412–1425.
16.
BajpaiPDashV. Hybrid renewable energy systems for power generation in stand-alone applications: a review. Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev2012; 16: 2926–2939.
17.
HiendroAKurniantoRRajagukgukM,et al.Technoeconomic analysis of photovoltaic/wind hybrid system for onshore/remote area in Indonesia. Energy2013; 59: 652–657.
18.
FadaeenejadMRadziMAMAbKadirMZA,et al.Assessment of hybrid renewable power sources for rural electrification in Malaysia. Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev2014; 30: 299–305.
19.
SenRBhattacharyyaSC. Off-grid electricity generation with renewable energy technologies in India: an application of HOMER. Ren Energy2014; 62: 388–398.
20.
KusakanaKVermaakHJ. Hybrid renewable power systems for mobile telephony base station in developing countries. Ren Energy2013; 51: 419–425.
21.
VishnupriyanJManoharanPS. Demand side management approach to rural electrification of different climate zones in Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Energy2017; 138: 799–815.
22.
HassanZSmailZGoranK, et al.Optimal hybrid renewable energy design in autonomous system using modified electric system cascade analysis and HOMER software. Energy Convers Manage2016; 126: 909–922.
23.
SureshkumarUManoharanPS. Economic analysis of hybrid power systems (PV/diesel) in different climatic zones of Tamil Nadu. Energy Convers Manage2014; 80: 469–476.
24.
OngHMahliaTMasjukiH. A review on energy pattern and policy for transportation sector in Malaysia. Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev2012; 16: 532–542.
25.
ChauhanASainiRP. Techno-economic optimization based approach for energy management of a stand-alone integrated renewable energy system for remote areas of India. Energy2016; 94: 138–156.
26.
RajannaSSainiRP. Development of optimal integrated renewable energy model with battery storage for a remote Indian area. Energy2016; 111: 803–817.
27.
AmuthaWMRajiniV. Cost benefit and technical analysis of rural electrification alternatives in southern India using HOMER. Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev2016; 62: 236–246.
28.
UpadhyaySSharmaMP. Selection of a suitable energy management strategy for a hybrid energy system in a remote rural area of India. Energy2016; 94: 352–366.
29.
KumarJSuryakiranBVVermaA,et al.Analysis of techno-economic viability with demand response strategy of a grid-connected micro grid model for enhanced rural electrification in Uttar Pradesh state, India. Energy2019; 178: 176–185.
30.
SureshVMuralidharMKiranmayiR. Modelling and optimization of an off-grid hybrid renewable energy system for electrification in a rural areas. Energy Reports2020; 6: 594–604.
31.
Manoj KumarNVishnupriyanJSundaramoorthiP. Techno-economic optimization and real-time comparison of sun tracking photovoltaic system for rural healthcare building. J Ren Sustainable Energy2019; 11: 1–12.
32.
NesamalarJJDSuruthiSCharles RajaS,et al.Techno-economic analysis of both on-grid and off-grid hybrid energy system with sensitivity analysis for an educational institution. Energy Convers Manage2021; 239: 1–18.
33.
SinghABaredarPGuptaB. Techno-economic feasibility analysis of hydrogen fuel cell and solar photovoltaic hybrid renewable energy system for academic research building. Energy Convers Manage2017; 145: 398–414.
34.
NfahEMNgundamJMVandengerghBM,et al.Simulation of off-grid generation options for remote villages in Cameroon. Ren Energy2008; 33: 1064–1072.
35.
Al-KaraghouliAKazmerskiLL. Optimization and life-cycle cost of health clinic PV system for a rural area in southern Iraq using HOMER software. Sol Energy2010; 84: 710–714.
36.
NganMSTanCW. Assessment of economic viability for PV/wind/diesel hybrid energy system in southern peninsular Malaysia. Ren Sustainable Energy Rev2012; 16: 634–647.
37.
ZubairATanvirAAHasanMM. Optimal planning of standalone solar-wind-diesel hybrid energy system for a coastal area of Bangladesh. Int J Elect Comp Eng2012; 2: 731–738.
38.
GhasemiAAsrariAZarifM,et al.Techno-economic analysis of stand-alone hybrid photovoltaic-diesel-battery systems for rural electrification in eastern part of Iran - A step toward sustainable rural development. Ren Sustainable Energy Rev2013; 28: 456–462.
39.
RohaniGNourM. Techno-economical analysis of stand-alone hybrid renewable power system for Ras Musherib in United Arab Emirates. Energy2014; 64: 824–841.
40.
AdaramolaMSAgelin-ChaabMPaulSS. Analysis of hybrid energy systems for application in southern Ghana. Energy Convers Manage2014; 88: 284–295.
41.
FazelpourFSoltaniNRosenMA. Feasibility of satisfying electrical energy needs with hybrid systems for a medium-size hotel on Kish Island, Iran. Energy2014; 73: 856–865.
42.
OlatomiwaLMekhilefSHudaASN,et al.Economic evaluation of hybrid energy systems for rural electrification in six geo-political zones of Nigeria. Ren Energy2015; 83: 435–446.
43.
OlatomiwaLMekhilefSHudaASN,et al.Techno economic analysis of hybrid PV–diesel–battery and PV–wind–diesel–battery power systems for mobile BTS: the way forward for rural development. Energy Sci Eng2015; 3: 271–285.
44.
RahmanMMKhanMMUllahMA, et al.A hybrid renewable energy system for a North American off-grid community. Energy2016; 97: 151–160.
45.
ChongLWeiyanY. Techno-economic comparative analysis of off-grid hybrid photovoltaic/diesel/battery and photovoltaic/battery power systems for a household in Urumqi, China. J Cleaner Prod2016; 124: 258–265.
46.
FathyA. A reliable methodology based on mine blast optimization algorithm for optimal sizing of hybrid PV-wind-FC system for remote area in Egypt. Ren Energy2016; 95: 367–380.
47.
OlatomiwaL. Optimal configuration assessments of hybrid renewable power supply for rural healthcare facilities. Energy Reports2016; 2: 141–146.
48.
OlatomiwaLMekhilefSOhunakinOS. Hybrid renewable power supply for rural health clinics (RHC) in six geo-political zones of Nigeria. Sust Energy Technol Assessments2016; 13: 1–12.
49.
EunilPSangJK. Solutions for optimizing renewable power generation systems at kyung-hee university’s global campus, South Korea. Ren Sustainable Energy Rev2016; 58: 439–449.
50.
IsaNMDasHSTanCW, et al.A techno-economic assessment of a combined heat and power photovoltaic/fuel cell/battery energy system in Malaysia hospital. Energy2016; 112: 75–90.
51.
MonowarHSaadMLanreO. Performance evaluation of a standalone PV-wind-diesel-battery hybrid system feasible for a large resort center in South China Sea, Malaysia. Sust Cities Society2017; 28: 358–366.
52.
BabatundeOAkinyeleDAkinbulireT,et al.Evaluation of a grid-independent solar photovoltaic system for primary health centres (PHCs) in developing countries. Renewable Energy Focus2018; 24: 16–27.
53.
EsanABAgbetuyiAFOghoradaO, et al.Reliability assessments of an islanded hybrid PV-diesel-battery system for a typical rural community in Nigeria. Heliyon2019; 5: 1–13.
54.
BarunKD. Optimal sizing of stand-alone and grid-connected solar PV systems in Bangladesh. Int J Energy Clean Env2020; 21: 107–124.
55.
LiJLiuPLiZ. 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. Energy2020; 208: 1–12.
56.
ChowdhuryTChowdhuryHMiskatMI, et al.Developing and evaluating a stand-alone hybrid energy system for rohingya refuge community in Bangladesh. Energy2020; 191: 1–18.
57.
FaizanAKNitaiPSyedHS. Optimisation and sizing of SPV/wind hybrid renewable energy system: a techno-economic and social perspective. Energy2021; 233: 1–18.
58.
SalamehTSayedETAbdelkareemMA, et al.Optimal selection and management of hybrid renewable energy system: neom city as a case study. Energy Convers Manage2021; 244: 1–14.
59.
KumarRChanniHK. A PV-biomass off-grid hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) for rural electrification: design, optimization and techno-economic-environmental analysis. J Cleaner Prod2022; 349: 1–14.
60.
AbdelhadyS. Techno-economic study and the optimal hybrid renewable energy system design for a hotel building with net zero energy and net zero carbon emissions. Energy Convers Manage2023; 289: 117195.
61.
GuellehHOPatelRKara-ZaitriC,et al.Grid connected hybrid renewable energy systems for urban households in Djibouti: an economic evaluation, South African. J Chem Eng2023; 43: 215–231.
62.
SiddaiahRSainiR. A review on planning, configurations, modeling and optimization techniques of hybrid renewable energy systems for off grid applications. Ren Sustainable Energy Rev2016; 58: 376–396.
63.
SinhaSChandelSS. Review of software tools for hybrid renewable energy systems. Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev2014; 34: 192–205.
64.
KumarASinghADengY, et al.Multiyear load growth based techno-financial evaluation of an academic microgrid. IEEE Access2018; 6: 37533–37555.
Dufo-LopezRIvanRCristobalM,et al.Optimisation of PV-wind-diesel-battery standalone systems to minimise cost and maximise human development index and job creation. Renewable Energy2016; 94: 280–293.
67.
RamanathanRGaneshLS. Energy resource allocation incorporating qualitative and quantitative criteria: an integrated model using goal programming and AHP. Socioecon Plann Sci1995; 23: 197–218.
68.
AlsagriAS. Thermo-economic optimization of an innovative integration of thermal energy storage and supercritical CO2 cycle using artificial intelligence techniques. Process Saf Environ Prot2024; 186: 1373–1386.
69.
RoushenasR, et al.Improved marketing strategy of a hybrid renewable plant integrated with gravitational energy storage: Techno-economic analysis and multi-objective optimization. J Energy Storage2024; 78. doi:10.1016/j.est.2023.109991
70.
RahbariHR, et al.Real-time modeling and optimization of molten salt storage with supercritical steam cycle for sustainable power generation and grid support. Process Saf Environ Prot2024; 182: 866–879.
71.
EffatpanahSK. Green hydrogen production and utilization in a novel SOFC/GT-based zero-carbon cogeneration system: a thermodynamic evaluation. Ren Energy2023; 219: 119493.
