Abstract:
It is highly costly and not feasible to supply power for rural areas which are far from grid and
have low population density where their electric consumption is very low. Since currently PV
prices are decreasing, it is a better alternative to use solar PV/diesel hybrid systems in order to
decrease fuel consumption, operation and maintenance cost and deliver higher quality service
than a single diesel generator electric power source.
By this thesis work, optimum design and sensitivity analysis of solar PV/diesel hybrid power
supply system with battery bank and converter was done using HOMER for Cheri Alga irrigation
site and electrification of nearby rural community in Kosha Kebele.
The services include lighting, school, health center, tea shops, flour mill, radio and television
services and water pumping where a diesel generator power supply system is installed only for
irrigation water pumping of 70HP.
By designing this hybrid system, additional services/loads of the nearby rural community can be
supplied by electric power.
The operational concept of the hybrid system is that solar will be the first choice of supplying
load and excess energy produced will be stored in battery. Diesel generator set will be a
secondary source of energy.
Electrical load estimation of the area was done by interview, gathering appropriate data from the
government administration offices and referring related literatures.
Solar sun shine hour, minimum and maximum temperature of the site was taken from NMSA
Jimma Branch and average solar irradiation potential of the site is 5.8kwh/m2/day. Size, quantity
and cost of components was fed to HOMER and the optimum hybrid system is obtained.
Sensitivity analysis also done by considering variation in diesel fuel price, solar radiation and
primary load.
In addition, cost and environmental impact comparison was done between diesel generator only
and solar PV/diesel hybrid power supply system and cost of the hybrid system was compared
with g
