article · Cogent Engineering
Renewable hybrid systems offer a potential route to reduce costs and carbon emissions for off-grid infrastructure. Using the HOMER simulation tool, this investigation evaluated the viability of powering a remote telecommunication base station in Ghana with a solar photovoltaic and fuel cell hybrid system. The resulting levelised cost of electricity was calculated at 0.222 United States dollars per kilowatt-hour. This cost is lower than the local grid tariff of 0.25 United States dollars per kilowatt-hour, 30 percent cheaper than a photovoltaic, battery, and diesel configuration, and 67 percent cheaper than a standalone diesel system. In addition, adopting the photovoltaic and fuel cell setup reduces greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 43 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year compared to a photovoltaic, battery, and diesel system, and 67 tonnes per year compared to diesel power alone.
Remote telecommunication towers often rely on expensive, polluting diesel generators when cut off from central electrical grids. Demonstrating that solar and fuel cell hybrids can produce cheaper and cleaner power than both diesel generators and the standard electrical grid provides a practical pathway for infrastructure operators to lower operational costs while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The findings are directly applicable to telecommunications companies, off-grid infrastructure operators, and clean energy investors seeking replacements for diesel generators at remote sites lacking wind or biomass resources. Based on simulation models using local market data, the technology is at an applied feasibility assessment stage, providing a cost-effective design model for real-world deployment in decentralised power projects.
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As the world drives towards a resilient zero-carbon future, it is prudent for countries to harness their locally available renewable energy resources. This study has investigated the possibility of deploying a solar PV/Fuel cell hybrid system to power a remote telecom base station in Ghana. The study aims to lower the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced from the hybrid power system. Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) software was used to conduct the viability analysis. The results show that the LCOE produced by the PV/fuel cell hybrid system is about 0.222 USD/kWh. This LCOE outshines the current average grid tariff (0.25 USD/kWh) paid by grid-connected telecom base stations. Moreover, the LCOE is 67% cheaper than the diesel power system at the site. Likewise, the LCOE is 30% cheaper compared to a PV/battery/diesel hybrid system. Furthermore, a switch to a PV/Fuel system saves nearly 43 tCO2/yr and 67 tCO2/yr than PV/battery/diesel and diesel power systems, respectively. Sensitivity analysis shows that the system LCOE is resilient to variations in the discount rate and capital subsidies. Based on these findings, off-grid telecom sites with insufficient wind and biomass resources could opt for a PV/fuel cell system since it has been shown to be more cost-effective than diesel generating power systems under locally available market data. The study findings are vital to stakeholders, decision-makers, policymakers, and investors in Ghana and worldwide to promote low carbon technologies.
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DOI: 10.1080/23311916.2021.1911285
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