Techno-Economic Analysis of a Microgrid System for Rural Communities in the United States

Conference · 11 July 2023

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/GreenTech56823.2023.10173791· OSTI ID:1996239

Nakhai, Aryana Y.; Kwasinski, Alexis; Kerestes, Robert J.

Access to running water has been a pressing issue in many developing countries across the globe, and also continues to be a problem in some rural areas in the United States. Today, more than two million Americans living in rural areas lack access to basic water supply and infrastructure. Rural communities tend to be located in environmentally fragile areas with poor economic conditions, making access to appropriate, low-cost technology for clean water supply and sanitation more challenging. In addition, many of the water resources located in these areas are being jeopardized by climate change in recent years. This research proposes a photovoltaic (PV)-battery microgrid system for powering water pumps in off-grid areas in an effort to identify economically and technologically feasible solution to the problems. Utilizing the HOMER Pro software, developed by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the case of the Navajo Nation is examined by analyzing the effects of this region's air temperature on the life and performance of battery storage and the economics of the proposed microgrid system.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1996239
• Report Number(s): NREL/CP-5700-87256; MainId:88031; UUID:e1e35375-f191-4302-9a4d-05e3ebc5f841; MainAdminID:70267
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY,POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
Native American
PV
battery
microgrid
off-grid
pump
rural communities
solar
techno-economic analysis
temperature effects
water