Design and optimization of a climate-resilient hybrid renewable microgrid for rural electrification in flood-affected regions

Abstract

Abstract Seasonal flooding in the wetland regions of rural Bangladesh frequently disrupts national grid infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands of households without reliable electricity access for extended periods, a critical energy vulnerability that conventional grid extension strategies have consistently failed to resolve. To address this challenge, this study designs and optimizes a hybrid renewable energy microgrid combining solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines (WT), and a battery energy storage system (BESS), connected to the existing grid via a power converter, to provide reliable and affordable electricity to 200 rural households in Mithamain Upazila, Kishoreganj District, Bangladesh. The system, modeled using HOMER Pro (version 3.14.2), achieves a competitive cost of energy of $0.02995/kWh, which is comparable to conventional rural electricity tariffs. The system’s net present cost is $107,712.60, with an initial investment of $48,107 and an annual operating cost of $895.93. Additionally, the system produces 73.9% of its energy from renewable sources, which reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 43,675 kg every year. Sensitivity analysis highlights the system’s strength in different weather and economic situations, confirming that hybrid microgrids are a feasible and resilient solution for energy access in rural areas that have been hit by floods. This research demonstrates that hybrid renewable energy microgrids are a long-term, low-cost solution for rural electrification in flood-prone areas.