The Environmental and Economic Benefits of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System Considering Demand Side Management

Renewable energy resources (RES) and Demand side management ( DSM) are considered as main concerns when designing an optimal hybrid renewable energy system (HRES). DSM strategies have a significant role in declining HRES over sizing, cost of energy (COE), CO2 emissions and in the same time increase the renewable fraction (RF). In this regard, this study proposes a detailed Techno-Enviro-economic evaluation for HRES considering DSM to cover the required energy for a research farm in Egypt. The optimized HRES has been evaluated under two different control strategies, cycle charging and load following using HOMER. Then DSM is implemented through shifting loads at low power generation and shaving the high peak of load profile. Different hybridization cases of a PV panels, wind turbine, battery storage and diesel generator are configured, evaluated and compared considering DSM to find the most feasible and reliable solution with least Net present cost (NPC), COE and realistic environmental impacts. The results of considering DSM showed a reduction in CO2 emissions by 25%, NPC by 14.8 %, and COE by14%, as well as an increase in RF by 8.5%. For technical and economical evaluation of DSM benefits, two basic indicators are used which are DSM quality index for the technical benefits and the DSM appreciation index for economic benefits.