Techno-economic Analysis of Hybrid Renewable Energy System for Healthcare Centre in Northwest Bangladesh

Assessments for the techno-economic viability of the hybrid renewable energy system have been stimulated due to the frequent price hike and falls of fossil fuels, the derivatives generated during the burning of the fuels that are emitted into the environment, and the very high installation cost of the present day's conventional photovoltaic energy system. This paper reports on the techno-economic performance assessments of a hybrid renewable energy system for a rural healthcare center in Bangladesh. These healthcare centers are essential for the residents of rural areas in Bangladesh. In this regard, a microgrid solar hybrid photovoltaic system has been designed to power a healthcare center in Gangachara Upazila (sub-district), Rangpur district, a northwest region in Bangladesh. The rooftop PV system comprises 400 Wp solar panels, a 25 kW bidirectional inverter, a 28 kW generator, connecting wires, a mounting system, and related accessories. In this assessment, state-of-the-art PV design software, HOMER Powering Health Tool, has been utilized for estimating the load requirements and for techno-economic and environmental evaluation of the microgrid system. The load analysis revealed that a 32 kW grid-connected solar PV system was required for the selected healthcare and the estimated net present cost was US$ 33,818, with a levelized cost of energy was US$ 0.022.

Automated summary

This is a research on the techno-economic performance assessment of a rural healthcare center in Bangladesh. The evaluation of the microgrid system using PV design software revealed that the healthcare center requires a 32 kW PV system with an estimated cost of US$ 33,818.