Dimensioning Microgrids for Productive Use of Energy in the Global South—Considering Demand Side Flexibility to Reduce the Cost of Energy

Johann Kraft and Matthias Luh ()
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Johann Kraft: Institute for Program Structures and Data Organization (IPD), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Matthias Luh: Institute for Data Processing and Electronics (IPE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-25

Abstract: Microgrids using renewable energy sources play an important role in providing universal electricity access in rural areas in the Global South. Current methods of system dimensioning rely on stochastic load profile modeling, which has limitations in microgrids with industrial consumers due to high demand side uncertainties. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach considering demand side management during system design which we implemented using a genetic scheduling algorithm. The developed method is applied to a test case system on Idjwi Island, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which is to be powered by a micro hydropower plant (MHP) in combination with a photovoltaic (PV) system and a battery energy storage system (BESS). The results show that the increased flexibility of industrial consumers can significantly reduce the cost of electricity. Most importantly, the presented method quantifies the trade-off between electricity cost and consumer flexibility. This gives local stakeholders the ability to make an informed compromise and design an off-grid system that covers their electricity needs in the most cost-efficient way.

Keywords: microgrid; off-grid system; rural electrification; optimal design; optimal dimensioning; demand side management; demand side flexibility; genetic algorithm; resource-constrained scheduling; SDG 7 (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
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