Techno-Economic Analysis of a Grid-Connected PV/Biomass Hybrid Energy System for an Olive Facility in Manisa

Abstract

Fluctuations in global energy markets and the necessity to reduce carbon emissions are driving energy-intensive agricultural enterprises to seek alternative solutions. Turkey, particularly with its olive potential in the Aegean Region, holds a strategic position for hybrid systems in terms of both solar energy and agricultural waste (biomass). In this study, a grid-connected hybrid energy system was designed to meet the energy needs of an olive harvesting and processing facility operating in the Medar Neighborhood of Akhisar district, Manisa. The main objective of the study is to determine the optimal system that will meet the facility's year-round administrative loads and the industrial loads occurring only during the harvest season (September-December) at the lowest cost. In the analyses performed with HOMER Pro software, a 10 kW biomass generator using the facility's waste pomace as fuel and a 5 kW photovoltaic (PV) system were integrated. Simulation results indicate that the proposed system meets 95.2% of the total electricity demand from renewable sources. In the economic analysis, the Net Present Cost (NPC) was calculated as -$460.76 and the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) as -$0.00144/kWh; it was determined that the system amortizes its investment in 5.97 years and presents a carbon-negative business model.