Techno-Economic Analysis of Hybrid PV-Fuel Cell Systems for Rural Agricultural Areas in Egypt

As the demand for sustainable and reliable energy solutions grows, the integration of renewable energy resources, especially in rural networks, becomes increasingly essential. Hybrid renewable energy systems offer a viable solution, especially in rural agricultural areas where access to conventional electricity is limited, and dependence on diesel generation is both logistically challenging to transport and economically burdensome. These systems not only offer energy security and reduce reliance on fuel imports, but also provide an environmentally sustainable alternative to alleviate greenhouse emissions. In this work, HOMER software is utilized to optimize and size a hybrid renewable energy system-in an agricultural dairy farm in Al Wadi Al Gadid in Egypt. The optimization results illustrate that integrating fuel cells and solar panel achieve optimal techno-economic solution, with substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 41%, increasing the energy supply reliability and significant economic value.