Optimal Design and Sensitivity Analysis of an Off-grid Hybrid Renewable Energy System for Un-electrified South African Rural Villages

The paper presents a cost-effective design of off-grid hybrid renewable energy system by hybridizing local renewable resources with diesel generator and battery storage for a remote and completely unelectrified rural village in South Africa. The system sensitivity analysis was performed by looking at two major sensitive parameters (diesel price and wind speed). Two rural villages based in different climate regions of South Africa were selected. Sigodlweni system (PV and wind turbine with storage) resulted in more optimal solution than Sigonde system (PV and generator with storage) due to the fact that two renewable resources were used for Sigodlweni system reducing use of diesel generator.