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Renewable energy

Techno-Economic Optimization of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for Sustainable Energy Solutions

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers at Annamalai University have made significant strides in the development of sustainable energy solutions, focusing on the techno-economic optimization of hybrid renewable energy systems. The study, published in Scientific Reports, explores the integration of geothermal, wind, and solar sources for sustainable hydrogen production, achieving 78.5% energy efficiency and 64.3% exergy efficiency. The proposed system produces 500 kg of hydrogen daily with a low levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of $0.085 per kWh, demonstrating its economic potential.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study aims to maximize energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, and ensure stable energy delivery through a simulation-based framework.
  • The proposed hybrid system achieves 78.5% energy efficiency and 64.3% exergy efficiency, making it a viable option for sustainable energy solutions.
  • The system produces 500 kg of hydrogen daily with an LCOE of $0.085 per kWh, which is significantly lower than current market rates.
  • A 15% increase in wind speed improves output by 10%, while a 20% drop in solar irradiance reduces output by 8%, highlighting the system's sensitivity to weather conditions.
  • Geothermal contributes 40% of the total energy share, with wind and solar supplying 35% and 25%, respectively, demonstrating a balanced energy mix.
  • Optimization improves hydrogen production efficiency by 12% and leads to a six-year payback period, making the system economically viable.
  • The system shows resilience under load changes, supporting its robustness and scalability.

Statistics:

  • 78.5% energy efficiency achieved by the proposed hybrid system
  • 64.3% exergy efficiency achieved by the proposed hybrid system
  • $0.085 per kWh: LCOE of the proposed hybrid system
  • 40%: Geothermal contribution to the total energy share
  • 35%: Wind contribution to the total energy share
  • 25%: Solar contribution to the total energy share
  • 500 kg/day: Hydrogen production rate of the proposed system
  • 12%: Improvement in hydrogen production efficiency through optimization
  • 6 years: Payback period of the optimized system

Sources:

  • Techno-economic optimization of hybrid renewable systems for sustainable energy solutions. Scientific Reports, 2025;15(1):21114.
  • Scientific Reports can be contacted at: Nature Portfolio, Heidelberger Platz 3, Berlin, 14197, Germany. (Nature Publishing Group - www.nature.com/; Scientific Reports - www.nature.com/srep/)
  • Annamalai University, Department of Electrical Engineering, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India.
  • Kanaga Bharathi N, Research Scholar, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India.
  • Manoharan Abirami, Devi Vighneshwari, and Manoharan Hariprasath, Additional authors of the research.

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