Photovoltaic Dominance Over Wind in Grid-Connected Hybrid Systems: A Techno-Economic Assessment at Ma’an, Jordan

Objectives This study evaluates the feasibility of a grid-connected hybrid photovoltaic (PV)/wind power plant in Ma’an, Jordan, as a response to rising electricity demand and national renewable energy targets. Methods Ma’an was selected for its strong solar radiation and moderate wind resources. Five 50 MW configurations were assessed: PV-only (50 MW), wind-only (50 MW), balanced hybrid (25 MW PV + 25 MW wind), PV-dominant (40 MW PV + 10 MW wind), and wind-dominant (10 MW PV + 40 MW wind). Measured per-minute solar and wind data from the Water and Environment Research and Study Center (WERSC) at the University of Jordan were aggregated to monthly averages for modeling. System performance and economics were evaluated using the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) together with a life-cycle cost (LCC) framework calibrated to recent Jordanian project benchmarks. Results The PV-only configuration yields approximately 108.12 GWh/year with a payback near 12 years. Wind-inclusive scenarios show substantially lower net generation and much longer paybacks (typically > 30 years), driven by weak site wind speeds and higher balance-of-system costs. Conclusions Under the measured Ma’an wind regime, PV dominates the techno-economic outcome. Wind-only and PV–wind hybrid options are not competitive without materially higher wind resources or structural cost reductions.