Techno-Economic Analysis of Solar PV-FC Hybrid Energy Systems: An Exploratory Perspective

The paper discusses the energy challenges faced by Bangladesh, focusing on ensuring energy security for rising demand and reducing carbon emissions. It compares rooftop photovoltaic (PV) based systems for an academic building load using various technical and economic parameters. The study evaluates three cases: grid-connected PV system (case I), PV with fuel cell (case II), and PV with a battery bank (case III). Results indicate that the PV-grid system is the most economically viable with the highest net present value (USD 104,524), while the PV-fuel cell-grid system has the lowest levelized cost of energy (6.85 cents/kWh). The PV-battery-grid system performs poorly due to the building's daytime energy peak. Overall, the study suggests that the PV-grid case is the most effective in terms of both technical and economic parameters.