Accessibility and Sustainability of Hybrid Energy Systems for a Cement Factory in Oman

Wesam H. Beitelmal, Paul C. Okonkwo, Fadhil Al Housni, Wael Alruqi and Omar Alruwaythi
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Wesam H. Beitelmal: Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Dhofar University, Salalah 211, Oman
Paul C. Okonkwo: Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Dhofar University, Salalah 211, Oman
Fadhil Al Housni: Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Dhofar University, Salalah 211, Oman
Wael Alruqi: Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
Omar Alruwaythi: Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Diesel generators are being used as a source of electricity in different parts of the world. Because of the significant expense in diesels cost and the requirement for a greener domain, such electric generating systems appear not to be efficient and environmentally friendly and should be tended to. This paper explores the attainability of utilizing a sustainable power source based on a cross-breed electric system in the cement factory in Salalah, Oman. The HOMER software that breaks down the system setup was utilized to examine the application and functional limitations of each hybridized plan. The result showed that a renewable-energy (RE)-based system has a lower cost of energy (COE) and net present cost (NPC) compared to diesel generator-based hybrid electric and standalone systems. Although the two pure renewable hybrid energy systems considered in this study displayed evidence of no emissions, lower NPC and COE values are observed in the photovoltaic/battery (PV/B) hybrid energy system compared with photovoltaic/wind turbine/battery (PV/WT/B). The PV/WT/B and PV/B systems have higher electricity production and low NPC and COE values. Moreover, the PV/B has the highest return on investment (ROI) and internal rate of return (IRR), making the system the most economically viable and adjudged to be a better candidate for rural community electrification demands.

Keywords: hybrid electrical system; sustainability; renewable energy; HOMER software; community; electricity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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