Optimising a Biogas and Photovoltaic Hybrid System for Sustainable Power Supply in Rural Areas

This paper proposes a method for evaluating the optimal configuration of hybrid system (biomass power plant and photovoltaic plant), which is connected to electrical grid, achieve minimum energy costs. The study applied small rural municipality in Valencian Community, Spain, as an community. approach takes into account daily demand variation price curves that are either imported or exported grid. determined by highest internal rate return (IRR) over 12-year period while providing 20% discount electricity prices extrapolated annual using statistical data sunny cloudy days, considering 23.8% year cloudy. methodology provides general procedure hybridising both plants grid meet needs population. In analysed case, combination 140 kW rated from biogas generator was found, lower than maximum 366 80 installed plant, resulting IRR 6.13% 12 years. Sensitivity studies variations also provided.