High-resolution global cost advantages of stand-alone small-scale hybrid PV-Battery-Diesel Systems
Catherina Cader, Markus Hlusiak, Christian Breyer
Rural electrification is a crucial factor for the development of countries globally. A lack of access to an electricity transmission and distribution grid due to a remote location leads to a widespread use of diesel generators to produce electricity. This is cost-intensive and leads to high CO2 emissions. The present paper summarizes the results of a least-cost modeling approach which is designed to compare electricity generation costs from ubiquitous diesel generation with a hybrid PV-Battery-Diesel system. The inclusion of PV in the generation process will reduce the electricity generation costs in the long-term, as on a global scale many areas possess high potentials for PV applications through strong solar irradiation. Regarding the future, an energy system with a high share of renewable energies is the key to produce cost-efficient electricity.