Assessment of the feasibility and techno-economic viability of a SPV-driven autonomous power generation system for electrification in remote areas of India

The integration of conventional and renewable energy sources offers a viable solution for electrifying remote and underserved regions of India, where reliable grid connectivity remains a challenge. This paper presents a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of a Solar Photovoltaic (SPV)-based System for Integrated Electricity Generation (SIEG) tailored for a remote area in West Bengal, Eastern India. The system's performance is rigorously evaluated using a suite of performance indices, alongside a detailed feasibility study that incorporates both economic and environmental metrics. The SPV system exhibits a performance ratio of 77.50 % and an average annual capacity factor of 16.78 %, attributable to the local climatic conditions. The system design and optimization are carried out using the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) software, which facilitates the integration of solar energy with conventional generation resources and storage solutions. The optimal configuration, designed to meet a 30.39 kWh/d load, consists of a 12.4 kW SPV array, a 6 kW diesel generator set (DGS), a 19 kWh battery storage unit, and a 4.83 kW converter. This hybrid setup delivers the lowest cost of electricity (COE) at $0.248/kWh, with a total present cost (TPC) of $35,627.85. The system achieves a high renewable fraction (RF) of 96.66 %, substantially reducing carbon emissions by 97.5 % compared to a standalone DGS configuration. Furthermore, the hybrid system's TPC and COE are 76.4 % lower than those of a conventional DGS-only setup. To evaluate the robustness and adaptability of the proposed system, a multi-dimensional sensitivity analysis is performed. This analysis examines the impact of variations in critical parameters, including energy resource availability, fuel costs, and load profiles, on the COE and system performance. The findings underscore the feasibility and economic viability of the hybrid SIEG system as a sustainable and resilient energy solution for rural electrification in Eastern India.