Feasibility of a Hybrid Solar and Wind Power System for an Island Community in The Bahamas

Raymond Bingham, Martin Agelin-Chaab, Marc Rosen

Abstract


Renewable energy in The Bahamas holds promise as an alternative for electricity production, however, the country is heavily reliant on fossil fuels for electricity. This study examines the benefits of solar and wind energy on a community scale on the island of New Providence in The Bahamas. The electricity usage of 500 homes (a mix of luxury and normal) is produced by a combined power generation system that includes rooftop PV and a wind turbine. The system is grid connected and assumes a net billing policy because of the lack of a net metering policy and incentives in The Bahamas. An economic analysis along with sensitivity and risk analyses are performed to determine the system’s feasibility and how uncertainty in parameters affects its viability. To perform the analysis, the RETScreen software suite is used. It is found that a combination of solar and wind for electricity generation is economically feasible in The Bahamas even with the lack of incentives. The system produces a surplus of electrical energy on an annual basis with a greenhouse gas reduction of 2,026 tons of CO2 per annum. The sensitivity and risk analyses indicate that the electricity rates (electricity bought from the grid) and the electricity export rates (electricity sold to the grid) significantly influence the NPV and payback period of the system. The results also show, with 95% confidence, the NPV is within the range US$14.0 million and US$25.1 million.

Keywords


Hybrid; Renewable; Energy; Bahamas; Solar energy; Wind energy

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References


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DOI (PDF): https://doi.org/10.20508/ijrer.v6i3.4006.g6877

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