Sustainable modernization of rural agricultural power systems in North Africa via optimal renewable microgrid design

• Framework for upgrading fossil-fuelled farms to renewable microgrids in North Africa. • Scalable AC microgrid prototype validated with industrial-grade equipment. • Accelerated-time protocol validates system dynamics under realistic daily scenarios. • Developed Mathematical models compare AC vs. DC efficiency in the Moroccan context. • Techno-economic optimization of PV inverter sizing for Moroccan climatic profiles. This paper, conducted within the framework of the MG-FARM project, presents an integrated methodology for the design, sizing, and experimental validation of a microgrid tailored to an isolated agricultural farm in rural Morocco. The proposed approach relies on a scaled-down functional prototype, built with certified industrial-grade equipment and tested under an accelerated-time protocol, enabling the dynamic simulation of a full agricultural day under realistic operating conditions. Energy sources were initially sized using PVSyst software (25kWp - 2,828Ah at 51V). To select the architecture, a rigorous comparison between AC- and DC-coupling was conducted, factoring in specific constraints—namely, exclusively AC loads and an AC backup source typical of the Moroccan context. Based on developed mathematical efficiency models, this analysis demonstrated the AC configuration's superiority, yielding a 2.1% efficiency gain. Building on this, a techno-economic optimization of the PV inverter identified an optimal sizing ratio tailored to local conditions, ensuring a balanced trade-off between energy performance and Levelized Cost of Energy. To justify the transition from the conventional architecture to the proposed microgrid system, an environmental and economic assessment revealed a 98% reduction in CO 2 emissions and estimated savings of €26,000 compared to the reference configuration. Finally, experimental validation was performed using a reduced-scale AC microgrid configuration (2kW - 120Ah at 24V), designed to meet rapid testing constraints. The prototype’s design is based on a theoretical source sizing specifically adapted to the accelerated-time protocol. This validation confirmed the consistency of the proposed design and the continuity of electricity supply across various dynamic scenarios.