Feasibility Study and Energy Management System of Mini Grid Hybrid Systems for Energy Intensive Industries: A Case Study of Industries in Mekelle

Abstract

Hybrid systems integrate renewable energy sources with battery storage to supply energy in offgrid or on-grid setups. Many studies on hybrid power generation focus primarily on rural electrification, the socio economic benefits for households and local communities and remote areas, often overlooking the impact on industrial development. This literature gap limits our understanding of how reliable electricity access could drive industrial growth, enhance productivity, and foster economic diversification. This study focused on the techno-economic feasibility of a mini hybrid power generation system for electrification of three energy intensive manufacturing industries that are located in Mekelle city of Tigray namely Mesfin Industrial Engineering, MOHA soft drinks industry, and Desta Alcohol & Liquor Factory. The aim was to study the feasibility of a hybrid renewable energy solution to make industries energy independent and provide sufficient power and tied them with reliable power system by avoiding their grid dependency. The software packages utilized is used to design, analyze, and optimize the hybrid power system were HOMER Pro modeling tool. The mini grid has a peak capacity of 230 kW requires 3005 kWh/day. The Generic PV system has a nominal capacity of 720 kW. The annual production is 1,321,381 kWh per year for Mesfin Industrial Engineering. The electric needs for MOHA soft drinks industry are met with 720 kW of PV, 320 kW of generator capacity, 330 kW of wind generation capacity with operating costs for energy of $388,003 per year without battery storage. An addition of 1,000 kWh of battery capacity is proposed. This will reduce the operating costs to $458,636 per year. A 50 kW of generator capacity, 1,000 kWh of battery capacity and for Desta Alcohol & Liquor Factory 50 kW of wind generation capacity, with operating costs of $154,451 per year. It is proposed that adding 110 kW of hydropower generation capacity would reduce operating costs to $154,421/yr.