Design of a "Mini Smart Grid" for the electrification of Koumnéré locality: Power supply via a hybrid PV/Diesel power plant with battery storage

This work concerns the design of a small hybrid photovoltaic/diesel generator power plant with battery energy storage. This system will supply electricity to the Koumnéré area, located in the South-Central region of Burkina Faso. Photovoltaic energy is obtained from a free primary energy source: solar energy. However, it is an intermittent energy source that depends on the time of day and is generally subject to weather conditions. Electricity production from diesel generators is stable, but the fuel it requires has a high cost. Furthermore, its operation is accompanied by greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, its efficiency remains average, estimated at around 45%. Therefore, we opted for a hybrid system, which offers several advantages. 
The energy needs assessment for the Koumnéré area was based on statistical data from the fifth General Population and Housing Census (GPHC) of Burkina Faso, conducted during 2019-2020 and provided by the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (NISD). A grid connection rate of 65% was also taken into account. This resulted in a daily energy requirement of 600.64 kWh/day. This allowed for the definition of a peak power of 158.47 kWp for solar PV system and 125 kVA for the diesel generator. The combination of these two sources, along with battery storage, resulted in a Mini-Power Plant characterized by competitive cost, a low environmental footprint, and a reliable and continuous energy supply.