Author(s)

W. M. W. Muda, C. A. Fong

Abstract

The potential for the Terengganu region to implement renewable energy is evaluated. This study evaluates the feasibility of a photovoltaic-wind hybrid renewable energy system in Terengganu using a simulation-based method to investigate the optimum design of the system that could be used as well as with the estimation of the system life-cycle cost. To simulate this operation, a software tool namely HOMER is used. The research is divided into 3 stages; data collection, simulation and data analysis stages. Data collection involves collecting and sorting the average data of solar radiation, wind speed and load profile in Terengganu as well as other necessary parameters through the off-grid PV/wind system located in Terengganu with reference to the NASA meteorology data. Simulation stage is then undertaken and optimised by resizing the parameters apart from determining the feasibility of the system using HOMER software. Optimization results showed the simulation of feasible systems configured with respect to total net present cost. It is concluded that a PV/wind hybrid system is able to be applied in Terengganu with the optimum design of PV/wind hybrid renewable energy system comprising 4 kW PV units, 1kW wind turbine and 22 battery strings units for a household application with an appropriate estimation of life-cycle cost of $28,046.

Keywords

PV/wind hybrid system, HOMER software, economic analysis, renewable energy