Hybrid hydro-PV system with pumped storage for rural region

The problem of electricity outages in Lebanon has existed for several decades. Habitants used electric generators as alternative resources to provide their houses with electric current, which became costly due to the rise in fuel costs. The photovoltaic system is usually used in the seasons when the sun rises with sufficient hours. However, in the winter seasons, the efficiency of the photovoltaic system is reduced, and another source should be used to fulfill the habitants’ needs. This paper aims to investigate the feasibility of a hybrid photovoltaic and Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) system in a rural area in Mount Lebanon. The objective of this study is to provide electricity to the Warhaniyeh village, through which a natural river passes, with 350 houses that do not have electricity 24/24. A detailed photovoltaic study of the system, based on the village’s needs, will be conducted, considering the installation and operation aspects. Furthermore, a structural analysis of the steel structure supporting the photovoltaic panels will be performed, taking into consideration all types of loads and surrounding conditions (weight, wind, and snow). The pumped storage potential of the site, considering various aspects such as surface area, altitude differential, water source, and locations will be discussed. In addition, the water flow speed inside the penstock of the hydroelectric power station was checked using Autodesk CFD 2023 software. The advantage of this selected system is that it ensures water pumping from the riverbed into the artificial pond so that it is possible to dispense with the use of industrial batteries that are harmful to the environment. Moreover, the overall project saved more than 18,000,000$ during 30 years of its life cycle, and the production cost was reduced more than 30% with triple working years more than PV systems with lithium batteries.