Analysis of a Hybrid Nuclear Renewable Energy Resource in a Distributed Energy System for a Rural Area in Nigeria

Ronke M. Ayo-Imoru (), Ahmed A. Ali and Pitshou N. Bokoro
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Ronke M. Ayo-Imoru: Department of Electrical Engineering Technology, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
Ahmed A. Ali: Department of Electrical Engineering Technology, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
Pitshou N. Bokoro: Department of Electrical Engineering Technology, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-14

Abstract: Climate change is one of the global issues being combatted in recent times. One of the measures is a worldwide cutdown on carbon emissions. This has brought about the rapid development of technologies that can best actualise this goal. The decentralised energy system is designed to harness the strengths of small power-generating sources such as renewable energy sources in a noncentralised manner to help meet the global need for clean energy. Renewable energy sources are faced with the challenge of intermittency, which brings about instability in the grid. Another source of clean energy is nuclear energy, which is traditionally large and not flexible; however, the recent development of technology has resulted in a scaled-down version of the large nuclear plants that are more flexible yet provide clean and stable electricity. This paper explores the possibility of deploying nuclear microreactors in the decentralised energy system and describes the features and the challenges of a decentralised energy system. The features of the small modular reactor that make it a viable candidate for the generating source in the decentralised energy system are explored. A case study for a DES system with a microreactor was conducted for a rural area in Nigeria. The HOMER software was used in simulating the optimum system, while TOPSIS was used in ranking the systems. The result showed that the PV/nuclear/battery system ranked first, followed by the PV/nuclear/wind and battery system.

Keywords: climate change; decentralised energy system; renewable energy sources; small modular reactors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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