Triple Bottom Line Analysis and Optimum Sizing of Renewable Energy Using Improved Hybrid Optimization Employing the Genetic Algorithm: A Case Study from India

Techno-economic, social, and environmental factors influence a large part of society, predominantly in developing countries. Due to energy poverty and bloating populations, developing countries like India are striving to meet the energy balance. One initiative of India to achieve the country’s Renew...

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Main Authors: Nithya Saiprasad, Akhtar Kalam, Aladin Zayegh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-01-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/3/349
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author Nithya Saiprasad
Akhtar Kalam
Aladin Zayegh
author_facet Nithya Saiprasad
Akhtar Kalam
Aladin Zayegh
author_sort Nithya Saiprasad
collection DOAJ
description Techno-economic, social, and environmental factors influence a large part of society, predominantly in developing countries. Due to energy poverty and bloating populations, developing countries like India are striving to meet the energy balance. One initiative of India to achieve the country’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) is the setting up of the National Solar Mission (NSM) to meet a target of 175 GW (non-hydro) by the year 2022. Prioritizing Renewable Energy (RE) utilization to achieve techno-economic balance is India’s primary objective and creating a positive environmental impact is a bonus. In this study, various scenarios are explored by investigating the techno-economic and environmental impact on RE adoption for a small community in India by optimally sizing the Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES). This study is an exemplar in understanding and exploring RE utilization, whilst examining the recent RE market in depth and exploring the advantages and disadvantages of the current RE situation by initiating it in a smaller community. Improved Hybrid Optimization using Genetic Algorithm (iHOGA) PRO+ software, (Version 2.4 -Pro+ , Created by Dr Rodolfo Dufo López, University Zaragoza (Spain)) is used to size the RE systems. The results are categorized using triple bottom line analysis (TBL analysis) and for different scenarios, the techno-economic, environmental, and social merits are weighed upon. The probable hurdles that India has to surpass to achieve easy RE adoption are also discussed in this work. The influential merits for analyzing the TBL for a real-time scenario are Net Present Cost (NPC), Carbon-di-oxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emissions, and job criteria. Compared to Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software, iHOGA remains less explored in the literature, specifically for the grid-connected systems. The current study provides a feasibility analysis of grid-connected RE systems for the desired location. iHOGA software simulated 15 sets of results for different values of loads considered and various acquisition costs of HRES. At least 70% of RE can be penetrated for the Aralvaimozhi community with the lowest value of NPC of the HRES. From the TBL analysis conducted, integrating HRES into a micro-grid for the community would result in mitigating CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and provide job opportunities to the local community; although, the economic impact should be minimized if the acquisition costs of the HRES are reduced, as has been established through this study.
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spelling doaj.art-589065aaff4d4fb7abfbb24f6b1a3da62022-12-22T02:21:18ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732019-01-0112334910.3390/en12030349en12030349Triple Bottom Line Analysis and Optimum Sizing of Renewable Energy Using Improved Hybrid Optimization Employing the Genetic Algorithm: A Case Study from IndiaNithya Saiprasad0Akhtar Kalam1Aladin Zayegh2College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Footscray, Melbourne, 3011, AustraliaCollege of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Footscray, Melbourne, 3011, AustraliaCollege of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Footscray, Melbourne, 3011, AustraliaTechno-economic, social, and environmental factors influence a large part of society, predominantly in developing countries. Due to energy poverty and bloating populations, developing countries like India are striving to meet the energy balance. One initiative of India to achieve the country’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) is the setting up of the National Solar Mission (NSM) to meet a target of 175 GW (non-hydro) by the year 2022. Prioritizing Renewable Energy (RE) utilization to achieve techno-economic balance is India’s primary objective and creating a positive environmental impact is a bonus. In this study, various scenarios are explored by investigating the techno-economic and environmental impact on RE adoption for a small community in India by optimally sizing the Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES). This study is an exemplar in understanding and exploring RE utilization, whilst examining the recent RE market in depth and exploring the advantages and disadvantages of the current RE situation by initiating it in a smaller community. Improved Hybrid Optimization using Genetic Algorithm (iHOGA) PRO+ software, (Version 2.4 -Pro+ , Created by Dr Rodolfo Dufo López, University Zaragoza (Spain)) is used to size the RE systems. The results are categorized using triple bottom line analysis (TBL analysis) and for different scenarios, the techno-economic, environmental, and social merits are weighed upon. The probable hurdles that India has to surpass to achieve easy RE adoption are also discussed in this work. The influential merits for analyzing the TBL for a real-time scenario are Net Present Cost (NPC), Carbon-di-oxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emissions, and job criteria. Compared to Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software, iHOGA remains less explored in the literature, specifically for the grid-connected systems. The current study provides a feasibility analysis of grid-connected RE systems for the desired location. iHOGA software simulated 15 sets of results for different values of loads considered and various acquisition costs of HRES. At least 70% of RE can be penetrated for the Aralvaimozhi community with the lowest value of NPC of the HRES. From the TBL analysis conducted, integrating HRES into a micro-grid for the community would result in mitigating CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and provide job opportunities to the local community; although, the economic impact should be minimized if the acquisition costs of the HRES are reduced, as has been established through this study.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/3/349Hybrid Renewable Energy SystemsizingoptimizationIndiaiHOGA softwareTBL analysis
spellingShingle Nithya Saiprasad
Akhtar Kalam
Aladin Zayegh
Triple Bottom Line Analysis and Optimum Sizing of Renewable Energy Using Improved Hybrid Optimization Employing the Genetic Algorithm: A Case Study from India
Energies
Hybrid Renewable Energy System
sizing
optimization
India
iHOGA software
TBL analysis
title Triple Bottom Line Analysis and Optimum Sizing of Renewable Energy Using Improved Hybrid Optimization Employing the Genetic Algorithm: A Case Study from India
title_full Triple Bottom Line Analysis and Optimum Sizing of Renewable Energy Using Improved Hybrid Optimization Employing the Genetic Algorithm: A Case Study from India
title_fullStr Triple Bottom Line Analysis and Optimum Sizing of Renewable Energy Using Improved Hybrid Optimization Employing the Genetic Algorithm: A Case Study from India
title_full_unstemmed Triple Bottom Line Analysis and Optimum Sizing of Renewable Energy Using Improved Hybrid Optimization Employing the Genetic Algorithm: A Case Study from India
title_short Triple Bottom Line Analysis and Optimum Sizing of Renewable Energy Using Improved Hybrid Optimization Employing the Genetic Algorithm: A Case Study from India
title_sort triple bottom line analysis and optimum sizing of renewable energy using improved hybrid optimization employing the genetic algorithm a case study from india
topic Hybrid Renewable Energy System
sizing
optimization
India
iHOGA software
TBL analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/3/349
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