Techno-Economic Feasibility Analysis of Solar Wind-Based Hybrid Power System on the Islands of the Northern Bay of Bengal

The ever-rising energy demand has pushed the world from conventional fossil fuel-based power generation systems to more sustainable renewable energy-based power generation systems. Renewable energy-based power systems can be more efficacious than conventional systems in certain locations considering the geological and socioeconomic aspects. Solar wind-based hybrid power systems can be a substantial aid for supplying uninterrupted power to distant islands where transmission lines are unable to reach from the mainland. The concern of this research work is to analyze the feasibility of solar wind-based hybrid systems on the islands of the Northern Bay of Bengal. Seven islands of the Northern Bay of Bengal were picked out based on their size, the volume of population, existing power generation system and socioeconomic conditions. A solar wind-based hybrid power system has been proposed for a community of 5 thousand families on the selected islands that is capable of supplying an average load of 26643 kWh/day and meeting up an annual peak of 2795 kW. The Net Present Cost (NPC), Cost of Energy (COE) and other parameters have been analyzed to figure out the most feasible island. Sandwip is proven to be techno-economically the most feasible island in the Northern Bay of Bengal with an impressive Optimized Cost of Energy (OCOE) of 0.212 USD only.