Sizing of a System for Supplying Energy to an Isolated Community

Abstract

This work presents the results of a previous feasibility study of energy generation for an isolated community. The objective is to size and determine a system of electric power supply not connected to a conventional distribution network to serve a specific isolated community containing 50 families. The determination of this system is based on reliability and minimum costs of deployment and operation.
Using the HOMER Software (Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables) and by evaluating the available solar and wind resources, community demand curve and simulations with the available energy sources of the system, the results that were obtained allowed the analysis of a financial feasibility study for the operation of this system.
With the results of the simulation, three alternatives of energy supply to the community were evaluated, using the sources of energy: 1) wind-solar-diesel-batteries, 2) solar-diesel batteries and 3) solar batteries, in which the solar-diesel-battery system presented the lowest energy and investment cost to the community.