Kanzumba Kusakana and Herman Vermaak
Hybrid Photovoltaic-wind System, Sizing, Rural Electrification, Energy Efficiency, Sustainability
As a contribution to rural development, this paper studies the current status and presents basic characteristics for the techno-economical sizing of stand-alone Photovoltaic-Wind hybrid power systems in the rural Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It is shown that even though the country has good potential in wind and solar resource, it requires technical expertises in wind and solar energy; which makes vulnerable the sustainability of Photovoltaic-Wind hybrid power systems. The performance of the PV and Wind generators under different meteorological conditions is reviewed. The influence of energy efficient load in the process of sizing the PV-Wind hybrid system is investigated as well. The annual average monthly and the worst renewable months sizing methods are examined to point up calculation of the respective energy contributions of PV and wind in the architecture of the hybrid system under consideration. The results of this study can be used as tools and reference to the designers for implementation of stand-alone hybrid PV-Wind systems to supply other remote areas of The Democratic Republic of Congo, where wind and solar resources are available and exploitable.
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