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INVESTIGATION AND SIMULATION OF A MICRO HYDRO, SOLAR AND BIOMAS HYBRID ENERGY SYSTEM FOR OFF-GRID LOCATIONS IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
Isolated or Stand-alone power systems with the use of renewable energy sources have become cost-effective and a convenient option for areas where grid connection is neither available nor feasible. A hybrid combination of Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) is considered to be the best suited alternative to an expensive grid extension for remote areas around the world. This research focuses on creating a model for electricity generation from a mix of renewable resources (hydro, solar and biomass) using FUTO in Ihiagwa village as a case study to satisfy the electrical needs of a new ICT building. Applying HOMER software, this research presents an analysis for choosing the most economical hybrid RET system and compares it with conventional grid extension. Firstly, the hourly load demand pattern of the building is studied and suitably modeled. With HOMER simulations, the optimized sizing of hydro power (HP), solar photovoltaic (SPV) and biogas (methane) generator systems are obtained. On the basis of the minimized Cost Of Energy (COE) generation obtained, the economic distance limit (EDL) is calculated. The hybrid RET system selected by HOMER for this load center scenario from the various other prospective combinations of the sensitivity analysis is a combination of a 67.4KW HP, 5KW SPV, 1KW biogas generator and 1 battery with a COE of $0.131/Kwh (i.e. N20.96) giving an EDL of about 5.8Km.
Keywords: Hybrid, Photovoltaics, Biomass, Biogas, Stand-Alone, Off-Grid, Renewable, Energy,Hydro.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgment iv Abstract vi
Table of Content vii
List of figures
List of Tables Chapter One
Introduction 1
1.0 Background Information 1
1.1 Problem Statement 4
1.2 Objectives of the Study 5
1.3 Justification of Study 5
1.4 Scope of the Study 6
Chapter Two
Literature Review 7
2.1 Basic theory and the hybrid system 7
2.2 Basic theory of the hybrid system components 7
2.2.1 Theory of Photovoltaics 7
2.2.3 Basic Photovoltaic System Options 17
2.2.4 Solar Radiation 20
2.2.5 Charge Controllers 25
2.2.6 Batteries 25
2.2.7. Inverters 27
2.3 Review of Other Works 28
2.3.1 Optimized Model from Community-based Hybrid Energy
System 28
2.3.2 A feasibility Study for a Micro-Hydro Installation for
the Strangford Lough Wildfowler 29
2.3.3 Demand Analysis and Optimization of Renewable Energy;
Sustainable Rural Electrification of Mbanayili, Ghana 30
2.3.4 The Design and Construction of a Solar-wind Hybrid System,
for Electricity generation 31
2.4 Biomass as a Source of Renewable Energy 32
2.4.1 Anaerobic Digestion 33
2.4.2 Background of Biogas Production 34
2.4.3 Processes of Biogas Production 35
2.4.4 Biomass Power Generation 37
2.4.5 Biogas Production and Use 45
2.4.6 Uses of Sludge 46
2.5 Evolution of Hydropower Systems 47
2.5.1 Hydroelectric Power Stations in Nigeria 48
2.5.2 Hydropower System Operation 49
2.5.3 Classification of Hydropower Schemes 51
2.5.4 Micro Hydropower System 51
2.5.5 Turbine Types and Selection 54
2.5.6 Advantages of Hydro-Electric Power Plants 59
2.6 Hybrid Renewable Systems in Remote Sites 60
2.7 The Homer Software 61
Chapter Three
3.0 Methodology 66
3.1 Mathematical Modeling and the Hybrid System 68
3.2. Optimal Discharge Strategy 70
3.3 Physical Modeling Operations Using Homer 72
3.4 Electrical Load Assessment 71
3.4.1 FUTO hostel C 73
3.4.2 FUTO hostel B 75
3.4.3 FUTO hostel A 75
3.4.4 FUTO hostel D 75
3.4.5 Scholarship / Presidential Villa 75
3.4.6 FUTO hostel E 76
3.4.7 Various Lecture Halls 80
3.4.8 Various Workshops 84
3.4.9 Polymer and Textile Engineering Building 85
3.4.9.1 Junior Staff Quarters 86
3.5 Load Survey Results Discussion 86
3.6 Assessment of the Accuracy of the Forecast model 91
3.7 The Hybrid Energy Resource Assessment 95
3.7.1 Solar Energy Resource Assessment 95
3.7.2 Hydro Power Resource Assessment 96
3.8 Description of the Valeport’s Model 106 Self-recording / Direct
Reading Current Meter 98
3.8.1 General Description 98
3.8.2 Description of the Current Measuring Device 99
3.8.3 Mechanical Installation 100
3.8.4 Datalog PC Software 100
3.8 Installing Datalog PC Software 101
3.9 Report and Analysis of the Work Carried out using the Valeport’s model 106 Self Recording/Direct Recording Current Meter 118
3.9.0 Aim of the Experiment 118
3.9.1 Apparatus Required for the Experiment 118
3.9.2 Theory of Operation of the Current Meter 119
3.9.3 Procedure 119
3.9.4 Results of the Experiment 120
3.10 Calculating the Sectional Areas 121
3.11 Biogas Resource Evaluation 123
3.11.1 Biomass Sources in FUTO 124
3.11.2 Calculations on Biomass Resources 124
3.12 Components Cost Assessment for each Source 126
3.12.1 Cost Estimation for PV System 127
3.12.2 Cost Parameter Inputs for the Hydro System 128
3.12.3 Cost Parameter Inputs for Biogas System 129
3.13 Battery Parameter Inputs 130
3.14 Parameter Inputs for the Converter 131
3.15 Equipment Considered for the System 132
3.16 Sensitivity Inputs 133
Chapter Four
4.1 Presentation of Results 135
4.2 Optimization Result 135
4.3 Sensitivity Results 139
4.4 System Dispatch 140
4.4.1 Operating Reserve 141
4.5 Load Priority 141
4.5.1 Economic Modeling of the System 141
4.6 Economic Inputs 142
4.7 System Constraints 143
4.8 System Controls 144
4.9 Optimization Analysis 145
Chapter Five
5.1 Conclusion 146
5.2 Recommendation 147
5.3 Contribution to Knowledge 149
5.4 Publications 149
References
Appendixes
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND
There are currently more than 1.5billion people with access to electricity worldwide and it is estimated that no more than 20% and in some countries as little as 5% of the population in Africa (including South Africa and Egypt) have direct access to electricity (Orukpe, Igbinovia, 2007). The figure falls to 2% in rural areas. Demand is expected to grow by about 5% annually over the next 20 years. Africa constitutes approximately 10% of the world’s population but the total primary energy consumption of Africa is only about 3% of the total world primary energy consumption (Bp, 2002) and a review study puts rural households average energy requirement between 1,583.2 to 2,324.5Whr/day (UNIDO, 2006).
Nigeria a typical country in Africa with a land-mass of 910770sq.km is the 9thlargest country in the world with a population of about 160million. Urban dwellers make up 30% of this population and the remaining 70% are rural dwellers and mostly farmers [Orukpe, Igbinovia, 2007] . In Nigeria, 73% of her population is without access to electricity (Sunday Vanguard, 2007 and NUC report, 2005) and this makes efforts for development very difficult. Thus, it is important to increase access to energy services for rural areas, in order to achieve the millennium development goals. In Nigeria, the national grid is over congested and there is no adequate power supply to urban areas, therefore, to connect remote rural areas to the same grid could cause a total system collapse. Interestingly, most of these rural areas have vast renewable energy resources ranging from solar to hydro and biomass. If those vast renewable energy resources that are available in most rural areas of Nigeria can be harnessed, it will not only reduce the cost of equipment installation to transport power to such locations but will also improve the stability and reliability of the national grid and will reduce environmental pollution..
In the rural areas of Nigeria where over 70% of the entire population live, a modern energy supply system such as electricity is lacking and this fact has made most of the people to depend on fuel-wood for daily energy needs. This has caused deforestation and desertification to an unimaginable extent. The lack of interest by government in replantation and rehabilitation schemes for the vegetation used up and for the degraded soil has worsened the problem further. Continuous erosion has washed off fertile top soil and has changed the land into hard pebbly fields and dry soil. Typical examples of this effect are seen in the eastern and southern parts of the country.
Currently, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) which is the sole electric power producer in the country, generates considerably less than 1000Mw [PHCN, 2010] of electricity and this is grossly inadequate in a country of about 160million [National Census, 2009] . This shortfall has led to unprecedented load shedding to the point that there seem to be no difference between off-grid rural dwellers and urban dwellers.
The use of fossil fuel resources is becoming obviously unreliable an option as it is becoming increasingly clear that it evokes compounded problems such as fluctuating prices of petroleum products and it’s environmentally – unfriendly nature because of carbon-dioxide (C02) emission and other gases believed to be cardinal causes of global warming. Apart from this mentioned facts, is also the fact that there is a fast depletion rate of fossil fuel sources and they have caused untold political up heaves around the world. It appears that man has abandoned his natural God giving source of energy and is going after one that is destroying his very environment. Despite the fact that Nigeria has a vast reserve of fossil fuel and despite government subsidy on these products, the price of fuel has increased by more than 50% in less than 5years. With the escalating price of oil and Nigeria’s shaky economy, it goes without saying that Nigeria will not emerge from its economic problems in the foreseeable future if she continues to neglect the option of renewable energy. In most tropical regions of the world, the annual solar radiation reaching the ground is well above 2000Kwh/m2[Bekele, 2009] . In Nigeria, vast expanse of fertile soil and conducive weather exists to encourage agriculture and increase the availability of biomass. In Nigeria also, most of our rural areas have rivers and streams passing through them. All these could form an unimaginably large source of renewable energy. Considering these facts, it is believed that these three resources are immediate candidates for investigation and the most feasible resources to work on. These three resources are therefore the focus of this research. Investigations into the resources are a present global continuous phenomenon. Furthermore, it cannot be over emphasized that these resources are clean and environmentally friendly while being relatively inexhaustible and inexpensive once they have been out in place. Moreover, the stability of the existing national grid can be improved if there is reduction in the total load demand from it. This can be achieved by shedding the load from these rural areas permanently by supplying them with renewable energy.
1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Off-grid settlements require efficient, reliable and cost effective renewable energy as alternative to power supplied by diesel generators due to the increase in the price of fossil fuel and the effect of harmful gases released to the environment during their operation. If the vast renewable energy resources that are available in most rural areas of Nigeria can be harnessed, it will not only reduce the cost of equipment installation to transport power to such locations, but will also improve the stability and reliability of the national grid and will reduce environmental pollution (greenhouse effect). Because of the conservative nature of most renewable energy sources, it is very important to strike a very reasonable balance between their scarce output and demand. This necessary compromise can be achieved by applying techniques of optimization on the model equations that describe within reasonable constraints as well as the optional strategy for the system. The components will need to be sized optimally to match the demand. The techno-economic analysis usually looks at the cheapest cost of energy produced by system components [Juhari, 2007] . The configuration of the hybrid system will be based on a theoretical domestic load at the Federal University of Technology (FUTO), the local solar radiation data, flow data from Otamiri River and acquired biomass data from FUTO. The Hybrid Optimization Model for Energy Renewable (HOMER) software program is used for optimal analysis of these data and the results for the best combination for optimal performance determined.
1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE RESEARCH
The objective of this research is to carry out an investigation of the potential and to design a Stand-alone micro-hydro, photovoltaic (Solar) and biomass (Hybrid) renewable energy system for implementation in remote off-grid locations in Nigeria using the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) as a case study.
1.3 JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY
For governments both in developed and developing nations of the world to be able to face the economic, social, technological and environmental challenges of the present day, the need for energy conservation as well as for developing renewable energy technologies have become very critical. In view of the fact that the outputs of some of these sources of renewable energy are largely dependent on our ever fluctuating weather situation, the need for a combined utilization of these renewable energy sources are therefore becoming increasingly attractive and are being widely used as alternatives to oil produced energy. Hybrid renewable energy systems are becoming popular for remote power generation applications due to advances in renewable energy technologies and due to continuous increase in oil prices globally as most governments in the world are removing subsidy on oil. The economic gains accruable from these technologies are so promising that governments around the globe including developed and especially developing nations like Nigeria must include them in their power generation strategies. Hybrid systems can be considered as a reasonable solution, capable of both stand-alone and grid connected consumers. Commonly, it consists of a mix of two or more energy sources used jointly to provide increased system efficiency as well as a greater balance in energy supply.
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The hybrid stand-alone power supply system for this study comprises three renewable energy sources namely, solar, micro-hydro and biomass. The Hybrid Optimization Model for Energy Renewable (HOMER) software is used to analyze data associated with these mentioned renewable energy sources with respect to the feasibility of having a mix of them for an optimal cost effective application in the chosen area of case study (FUTO). A sensitivity analysis is also carried out by manipulating sensitivity variables associated with each renewable energy source such as range of radiation levels; variation of flow data with respect to yearly seasons etc. and the various results are compared.
INVESTIGATION AND SIMULATION OF A MICRO HYDRO, SOLAR AND BIOMAS HYBRID ENERGY SYSTEM FOR OFF-GRID LOCATIONS IN NIGERIA
