Study plan

So far, Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation utility company uses extension of grids and
installation of diesel generators as an option for the electrification of rural villages. Grid
expansion to such areas is either financially not viable or practically not feasible as these
locations are geographically isolated, sparsely populated and have a very low power demand.
The use of diesel generators has also harmful effect on the environment in addition to their
higher cost of fuel, maintenance and operation. Consequently, rural areas are dependent on local
solutions for electricity supply. These areas have been using Kerosene for lighting, diesel for
milling and pumping, traditional biomass as source of energy for cooking and dry cells for radio
and tape recorders. However, the current increase in oil price and the negative effects of fossil
fuels on the environment motivates to search for other alternative (preferably renewable) sources
of energy. In this work, feasibility of PV-Wind-Biogas hybrid system with battery storage as a
backup will studied to electrify the village in AXUM district. It also compares the cost of the
hybrid system against the cost required to electrify the village by extending the grid. The
feasibility of this paper will analyze using MATLAB software. The data for biogas energy
potential estimation will obtain from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) of Ethiopia. The
paper utilize meteorological data obtained from National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia,
NASA and SWERA to estimate the
Solar and wind energy potentials. The data needed for calculating the cost of extending the grid
will take from Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation, and will analyze using interlinked
Microsoft office excel spread sheet prepared by Universal Electric Access Program. Electric load
estimation and forecasting for the basic needs of the community, such as, for lighting, radio,
television, water pumps and flour mills, will be done. Primary school and health clinic are also
considered for the community. The simulation results will show many feasible hybrid system
combinations having a less cost of energy which is much lower than diesel generators and
previously studied PV/Wind hybrid systems. The hybrid energy system optimized by MATLAB
for this village is cost effective as compared to the cost required to electrifying the village.