Energy analysis and techno-economic assessment of a hybrid PV/HKT/BAT system using biomass gasifier: Cuenca-Ecuador case study

This paper analyzes the impact on an off-grid renewable hybrid system composed of photovoltaic energy, hydrokinetic turbines, batteries and biomass gasifiers, using various types of biomass in order to determine the optimal configuration of the system located in southern Ecuador. Three types of energy dispatch, charge cycle, load following and combined cycle have been proposed with the objective of determining new patterns on the behavior of sources with respect to electric demand. The biomass used as an energy resource produces electricity through a biomass gasifier that feeds a microturbine. Considering the types of biomass consumed by the gasifier, the items such as net present cost and cost of energy have been analyzed for the different types of control. Sensitivity studies indicate the increase in the cost of the system by increasing the minimum state of charge in the batteries. However, this increase reduces biomass consumption and CO₂ emissions. Finally, the variation of the cost in the components influences the total cost of the system, being the fuel and the photovoltaic system the systems that have the highest sensitivity, the results have shown that the renewable system is able to supply the demand without violating any norm.