Strategies for integrating residential PV and wind energy in Eritrea’s electricity grid by imposing feed-in constraints in low voltage network

• Increasing the direct consumption of residential PV in LV network. • Maximized renewable energy penetration while minimizing curtailment. • Identified optimal feed-in limits and battery storage configurations. • Tailored grid expansion and management strategies for developing countries. • Emphasized the importance of storage and balancing generators for grid stability. The global shift towards renewable energy necessitates careful planning and integration strategies, especially in regions like Eritrea, which have abundant solar and wind resources but limited grid infrastructure. This study explores strategies for maximizing direct renewable energy consumption by incorporating residential photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy into Eritrea’s electricity grid. Our research offers a unique approach by proposing tailored grid expansion and management strategies to maximize renewable integration, specifically designed for the context of developing countries like Eritrea, addressing the specific challenges posed by limited infrastructure and data availability. By analyzing historical data and using simulation techniques, the study explored the ideal deployment of PV and battery storage systems to maximize penetration while minimizing curtailment, using a straightforward algorithm for PV injection, battery charging, and discharging for each hour of the year. Key findings reveal that imposing feed-in limit and integrating battery storage significantly reduce curtailment, with a feed-in limit of 0.4 to 0.5 kW/kWp and battery storage below 2 kWh/kWp yielding best results. The analysis also highlights the trade-off between installing additional PV capacity and battery capacity, especially at lower renewable capacity levels. In certain scenarios it is found that curtailment is preferred over storage, particularly at lower PV capacities. The study emphasizes the crucial role of storage utilization and balancing generators in maintaining grid stability during adverse weather and peak demand. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers and grid planners to advance sustainable energy strategies and achieve ambitious renewable energy targets in Eritrea.