Optimising hybrid renewable energy systems for remote tribal villages: A techno-economic case study from central and Eastern India

Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) offer a sustainable and resilient solution for meeting domestic energy demands in remote regions and combating climate change. This study assessed the technical and economic feasibility of establishing a self-sufficient HRES for the remote tribal villages of Koopgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Kurkheta, Jharkhand, India, as a case study. These regions, owing to their dense forest cover, are not connected to the national grid but offer significant potential for tapping into solar, wind, and micro hydropower. Hence, site-specific HRES configurations were proposed in this study, considering solar PV, Wind, Battery energy storage, and Diesel Generators, along with current grid connectivity. In addition to traditional metrics such as net present cost (NPC), levelized cost of energy (LCOE), and environmental emissions for HRES configurations, a sensitivity analysis considering future variations in resource availability and energy demands was presented to understand the influence of capital cost shortages on LCOE. The proposed hybrid photovoltaic-wind battery (PV-WT-B) system, supplemented with a battery energy storage system for improved efficiency and safety, is the most viable option. Simulation results show that the proposed HRES can achieve an LCOE of USD 0.193 per kilowatt-hour for Koopgarh and USD 0.033 per kilowatt-hour for Kurkheta, while significantly reducing the carbon footprint and promoting energy equity in rural areas. This approach goes beyond mere energy generation and creates a sustainable, self-reliant community that satisfies the current and future energy demands of the region.