Optimization of an energy system in rural Thailand

Abstract: By 2020, Thailand ensured 100% electricity access to its 72 million inhabitants. This was partly done by promoting off-grid energy systems in rural areas instead of using costly grid extensions. Although electricity is ensured for all, future challenges and objectives include- increasing the share of renewable energy and decreasing energy dependence while simultaneously meeting the increasing demand. Off-grid energy solutions for rural areas have been studied in many previous projects. The most optimal energy system concerning cost, resilience, and emissions can be found by quantifying natural resources, estimating electricity consumption, and comparing technologies. This project aims to evaluate how an existing off-grid system can be complemented in the future. This was done by using the optimization program HOMER. The village Ban Wangwon, located in Prachuap Khiri Khan, was for a long time without electricity access due to a law obstructing them from connecting to the grid. This changed when in 2018, households were mounted with PV and BESS. Energy demand in the village was determined in three scenarios based on the World Banks tier system for rural energy and the previous population growth. In addition, the availability of meteorological and natural resources, energy load profile, and price of technology were determined based on the literature review and a field study. According to the results, the most optimal energy system for today's electricity use, Scenario 1, regarding both cost and emissions, was a PV/BESS system. In scenarios 2 and 3, a PV/BESS/Bio configuration proved the most cost-effective, although not optimal regarding emission rates for future energy demand. However, this system sees much lower emissions compared to when diesel generators were included, which makes this suitable for reaching Ban Wangwons requirements. Using a bio generator optimally requires a centralized energy system, requiring settlements with landowners. The biomass fuel considered in this work was pineapple crowns due to the abundance of pineapple factories and farms in the area. After a sensitivity analysis, the most impactful variables proved to be fuel prices, bio generator efficiency, and discount rate. Only one type of solar panel and battery was considered, and the load was assumed to be constant, which hindered the credibility of the results. Future projects could investigate more thoroughly how pineapple waste can be utilized in energy production, how price changes in renewable energy affect the outcome, and how a microgrid would be constructed. The results were considered beneficial in achieving SDGs 1 No poverty, 7 Affordable and clean energy, 11 Sustainable cities and communities, and 13 Climate action.