Empowering Remote and Off-Grid Renewable Energy Communities: Case Studies in Congo, Australia, and Canada

Julien Lemaire, Rui Castro () and Fátima Montemor
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Julien Lemaire: Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Rui Castro: INESC-ID/IST, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Fátima Montemor: Centro de Química Estrutural-CQE, Departamento Engenharia Química, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-19

Abstract: This paper aims to explore the feasibility of establishing self-sufficient electricity generation systems in off-grid remote communities using renewable energy sources. It provides an overview of current trends and developments in Renewable Energy Communities worldwide, with a focus on remote locations. To assess the technical feasibility, simulations were conducted using PVGIS for irradiation data and a load generator for energy consumption data. Different scenarios combining photovoltaic modules with lithium-ion battery systems were simulated using a dedicated optimization model developed in the PYTHON environment. The simulations aimed to size the entire system for three distinct locations: Congo, Australia, and Canada. The optimal number of PV modules determined for each location was 50 for Congo and 55 for Australia, and the battery system sizes were found to be 225 kWh and 150 kWh, respectively, admitting usual practices for the energy not supplied. The results obtained regarding Canada pointed to a system difficult to justify from an economic standpoint due to challenging weather conditions, namely, the existence of several consecutive days without irradiation.

Keywords: off-grid systems; renewable energy communities; solar PV energy; battery energy storage systems (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: 2024
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