Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Standalone Hybrid Systems for Small Residential Units: Case Study Lebanon

In this paper, a hybrid system based on solar and wind energy sources is designed, simulated and evaluated in terms of performance and economic interest. When there is a drop of power, fuel cells are used to manage the deficiency. The investigated system is situated in Lebanon and the sizing takes into account the surrounding conditions such as meteorological data and particularities of the Lebanese situation. The main objective is to optimize the design such as the PV, wind and FC system would fully supply a typical 5 kW residential unit in Lebanon without any need for backup. A cost study is carried out in order to evaluate the effectiveness of such solution and whether it is applicable or of interest.

I. Introduction

Electrical power generation is still depending on traditional energy sources which are leading to dramatic environmental changes causing pollution and affecting lives [1]. These sources are also limited and will decay after a certain period of time. The cost of extracting, transporting and utilizing coal, natural gas and oil which are the main examples of these sources will drastically increase in the upcoming years [2].