Browsing by Author "Mwenyi Joseph Simera"

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    Design of a Sustainable Hybrid Renewable Energy System: Application of Solar and Wind in Sigulu Island, Uganda
    (Kampala International University; School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 2024-05) Mwenyi Joseph Simera
    Sustainable energy is an objective in the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for electrifying every community. Sigulu Island as a case study has never been connected to any form of grid and hence, suffers from the implications of a lack of power supply. This study focuses on designing and analyzing a hybrid sustainable renewable energy system (HSRES) that integrates solar and wind resources to address the island's energy needs. The reliance on diesel generators for electricity on Sigulu Island is not only costly but also causes environmental pollution which leads to global warming. The system is designed by integrating solar photovoltaic and wind turbines with the battery as a backup to supply 1455.705 kW of energy daily. On-site verification confirms that the integrated power system, consisting of solar and wind sources along with a battery backup, effectively fulfills the energy needs of Sigulu Island, with solar panels and wind turbines consistently generating an ample amount of energy (with Solar contributing 56.1% and wind 43.9%) for approximately 9 hours and 24 hours each day respectively. The integrated system demonstrated an overall Net Present Cost (NPC) of Ugx 20,748,162,191.77. Specifically, the system exhibits a percentage difference of 60.4% compared to the existing system, resulting in an overall NPC of Ugx 52,348,036,963.20. Furthermore, the configuration featuring PV+Wind+BESS+Converter emerged as the most cost-effective option, with the lowest Cost of Energy (COE) and NPC, highlighting the potential of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES) to provide sustainable and economically viable solutions for remote island communities. Successful implementation of the proposed HRES on Sigulu Island could serve as a model for other remote regions, promoting energy security and environmental sustainability. Further research and practical implementations based on these findings could significantly benefit similar communities worldwide. HOMER and MATLAB software were utilized for data simulation and optimization.