Simulation and Comparative Optimization of University-Based Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Kenya Employing ABC and HOMER

Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES) are recognized as effective solutions for delivering clean and reliable electricity, particularly in regions with limited access to fossil fuels. This paper presents an HRES designed to supply electricity to a university, incorporating solar photovoltaic modules, wind turbines, biomass-based generators, micro hydropower units, and battery storage. The system’s annualized cost is minimized through a design optimization process using the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm, with decision variables including the number of solar photovoltaic panels and wind turbines, along with the capacities of the biomass and micro hydropower generators. MATLAB is employed for model development. A comparison of the results obtained from the ABC algorithm and the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) software is conducted to validate system performance and cost-effectiveness. To ensure system reliability throughout the year, storage batteries are designed to accommodate excess load. According to the ABC algorithm, electrical energy is supplied by PV panels (۸۲.۷%), wind turbines (۱۲%), biomass generators (۴%), and micro hydropower generators (۱.۳%). Based on the HOMER results, solar PV produced the highest share of power at ۵۴%, while the remaining resources contributed ۰.۰۹۷%, ۳۳%, and ۱۲% from wind turbines, biomass generators, and micro hydropower generators, respectively.

کلیدواژه ها:

Renewable Hybrid Systems ، optimization ، Annualized Cost of System ، Artificial Bee Colony