Techno-economic analysis of biogas based micro-generation for a university facility

The inadequate capacity of the Nigerian grid has necessitated the use of distributed energy resources for on-site generation. Alternative energy sources such as biogas may offer a more economic and environmentally-friendly approach to meeting energy demand when compared to fossil-based on-site generation such as the use of gasoline or diesel generators. Hybrid energy systems may also be more beneficial economically and technically. In this paper, we use HOMER, a micropower modelling and optimization software, to determine the optimal configuration of a biogas-based power system for a facility in a Nigerian University. A feasible, optimal hybrid configuration for the system was determined, considering biogas generation, diesel generation, and battery storage under certain constraints. Simulation results showed that the biogas and battery configuration is the most suitable techno-economic configuration for our design.