Assessment of a hybrid grid‐connected renewable energy system of solar panels, wind turbine, and biomass coupled with hydrogen fuel cell systems for lighting use

Abstract This paper presents a techno‐economic‐environmental assessment of the energy yield potential of different land ratios of an energy mix, including vertical‐axis wind turbines, photovoltaics, biomass gasifiers, and hydrogen fuel cells, for streetlighting in Egypt's governorates (Red Sea, with maximum wind speed, and South Sinai, with maximum solar radiation). The system combines vertical‐axis wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, a biomass gasifier, and a hydrogen fuel cell, and different land ratios were tested to meet an annual demand of 1000 MWh. Among the single‐source cases, the wind‐turbine‐only case yielded the highest, at 23,562 MWh in the Red Sea and 23,482 MWh in South Sinai, while the biomass‐only case yielded the lowest, at 18,476 MWh in both governorates. The photovoltaic‐only case was the most economical, with a payback period of 4.1–4.4 years, an LCOE of 0.0033–0.0035 $/kWh, a capital cost of $77,224 to $82,056, a lifetime energy yield of about 23,400 MWh, and a revenue close to $439,920, while avoiding roughly 25,272 tons of CO2 per governorate. Only the photovoltaic‐wind hybrid achieved an LCOE of 0.0057–0.0059 $/kWh, below the Egyptian grid tariff of 0.0188 $/kWh. The study supports Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13.