Renewable energy based power generation for stand-alone applications: A review

Small scale power generation near consumer's premises has received greater attention in recent years for use in remote and rural communities due to the cost and complexity involved in the grid extension. It is therefore, suitable stand-alone systems using locally available renewable energy sources have become a preferred option. However, there are two approaches that are used to harness available renewable energy (RE) sources namely, integrated systems and hybrid systems. In the present paper, a suitable methodology and an extensive review on unit sizing, cost optimization, and energy flow management of renewable energy system have been discussed.