Optimizing a Sustainable Hybrid Renewable Microgrid for EV and Hydrogen Applications

This research study presents a techno-economic analysis of a renewable energy-based microgrid for Rajshahi city, Bangladesh, using HOMER Pro software. The system is designed to meet both electricity demand and hydrogen production, with applications including electric auto-rickshaw charging and fueling hydrogen-powered vehicles. The proposed microgrid integrates solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines (WT), a biogas generator (BioGen), an electrolyzer, and hydrogen storage. Two distinct configurations were evaluated: Scenario-A (PV, WT, BioGen, electrolyzer, and hydrogen tank) and Scenario-B (PV, BioGen, electrolyzer, and hydrogen tank). Simulation results indicate that Scenario-A provides superior performance in terms of both cost and energy output. It achieves a lower Net Present Cost (NPC) of $5.11 million, reduced Cost of Energy (COE) at $0.174/kWh, and a Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) of $2.09/kg, while supplying 12.2 GWh/year of electricity and 182,546 kg/year of hydrogen. Additionally, Scenario-A ensures a 99.95% reduction in CO2 emissions. These findings highlight Scenario-A as a more sustainable and economically favorable configuration, offering a replicable model for clean energy transitions in similar urban settings.