Optimal sizing of a hybrid microgrid system using solar, wind, diesel, and battery energy storage to alleviate energy poverty in a rural area of Biskra, Algeria

This paper presents a model for designing a stand-alone hybrid system consisting of photovoltaic sources, wind turbines, a storage system, and a diesel generator. The aim is to determine the optimal size to reduce the cost of electricity and ensure the provision of electricity at lower and more reliable prices for isolated rural areas. Three scenarios for five, fifteen, and twenty rural homes were sized and analyzed using actual weather data in the rural and pastoral area of Biskra, Algeria. The SFS and SOS algorithms were used for the first time, in addition to the commonly used PSO algorithm, to compare the performance of each algorithm and achieve the goal of meeting all energy load requirements at the lowest cost. Three factors have been taken into consideration within the proposed objective function, which are the levelized cost of energy (LCOE), loss of power supply probability LPSP, and the amount of energy consumed by the dummy load. The results of the scenarios showed that the SFS algorithm outperformed the other algorithms, with the lowest cost of electricity for each of the mentioned scenarios. The levelized cost of energy (LCOE), respectively, was 0.09138 $/kWh, 0.16588 $/kWh, and 0.24862 $/kWh.