Hybrid renewable energy system for 5G mobile telecommunication applications in Akure, Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Hybrid renewable green energy (solar and wind) configuration is mostly used in a specific situation where the power grid source is not efficient or costly. The ultimate rates associated with power grid source can be minimized through proper equipment sizing and load matching. This research aims to adopt precisely the efficient use of optimization of hybrid green energy system needed for powering base transceiver stations (BTS) for 5G mobile network applications in Akure, Nigeria. A dynamic simulation and optimization were carried out using Hybrid Optimization for Multiple Electric Renewable (HOMER 3.6 pro version) software to properly assess the appropriate level of the net present cost, operating cost per year and the energy cost/kWh. It was found precisely that hybrid renewable energy can be reasonably achieved in the study location. Renewable Hybrid-1 energy system is the optimized configuration in which photovoltaic, wind and conventional energy source| (diesel generator) typically contributed 60%, 30% and 10% of the total energy. These considerably percentages are equivalent to 5696 kWh/yr, 28976 kWh/yr and 9054 kWh/yr respectively. The renewable energy generated from all the hybrid sources can sufficiently satisfy the needed amount by the BTS with a total amount of 65700 kWhr/yr. The effective operation and maintenance cost, net present cost, and total cost of energy per kilowatt were typically₦3.06 million, ₦101 million and ₦118.80 kW/hr respectively. The overall result will produce economically the needed cost effectiveness power system that can positively enhance 5G operation and minimize the level greenhouse gas emissions within the study location. Hybrid-2 was undoubtedly found to be the possible configuration with lowest emission of CO2, but it is economically not cost effective.

Keywords: Optimization, Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HOMER), Cost Effectiveness, Base transceiver station