Vedant Joshi
Independent Researcher
India
Abstract
This study evaluates the performance of hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) for rural electrification by integrating photovoltaic (PV) modules, wind turbines, diesel generators, and battery storage. The work aligns with technologies available up to 2018, emphasizing system sizing, operational strategies, and economic feasibility. A detailed methodological framework combines statistical analysis of historical load data, simulation using the HOMER Pro software and techno-economic assessment. Results demonstrate that the hybrid configuration achieves a higher reliability index (> 99.5 %), lower loss-of-load probability (< 0.005), and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) savings up to 25 % compared to diesel-only systems. The findings confirm that properly sized HRES can sustainably meet rural demand while reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Key contributions include quantified performance metrics, sensitivity analysis on resource variability, and recommendations for deployment strategies in off-grid communities.
Keywords Rural electrification, hybrid renewable energy, photovoltaic, wind turbine, battery storage, diesel generator, techno-economic assessment
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