Techno-Economic Analysis of a PV-Biogas Hybrid Renewable Energy System for Rural Electrification

Abstract

The increasing demand of clean and reliable electricity in the rural setting has also contributed to the increased development of hybrid renewable energy systems with these systems having various forms of renewable energy. This paper examines both the cost-effectiveness and technical efficiency of a system which uses solar and biogas to generate electricity and deliver it to rural communities. The system will consist of solar panels, biogas generator, energy-storing batteries, and converter to regulate the electricity supply. The weather databases were used to provide the data on the sunshine and temperature, and the electricity demand was calculated depending on the average requirements at the rural territory. Using the HOMER Pro software, the system configuration has been configured and tuned to identify the most cost-efficient system configuration depending on the total cost per time frame and average energy cost. The optimal design will consist of 10 kilowatts of solar panels, 500 kilowatt biogas generator, 30 lead-acid batteries and 10 kilowatt converter. The findings indicate that its overall cost per kilowatt-hour is a total of 6,435 and the average cost of energy is 0.121. The sensitivity analysis was carried out to understand the certain ways in which the amount of sunlight on the surface and the amount of the use made on the generator influence the performance of the system. The results indicate that this hybrid system is dependable and has lower operation costs and less environmental damage. The solar and biogas hybrid system is then a good option to supply clean and secure energy in the rural settings.

Introduction

This paper presents the design and optimization of a hybrid renewable energy system that combines solar photovoltaic (PV) and biogas power generation to provide reliable, cost-effective electricity for remote and rural areas. Since solar energy is intermittent due to weather conditions, the biogas generator serves as a backup source, while battery storage ensures continuous power supply. The system is modeled and optimized using HOMER Pro, which identifies the most economical configuration based on energy demand, resource availability, and system cost.

The proposed hybrid system consists of:

• 10 kW Solar PV array
• 500 kW Biogas generator
• 30 batteries (1 kWh each)
• 10 kW converter

The study models the performance of the PV system, wind turbine (for comparison), biomass/biogas generator, battery storage, and load profile. Solar energy acts as the primary power source, biogas provides continuous backup generation, and batteries store excess electricity for use during periods of low renewable generation. The system is designed for a rural load with an average daily demand of 11.25 kWh and a peak load of 1.52 kW.

Economic analysis using HOMER Pro evaluates:

• Net Present Cost (NPC)
• Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE)
• Initial capital cost
• Operating cost

Simulation results show that the optimized hybrid system achieves:

• Net Present Cost (NPC): $6,435
• Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE): $0.121/kWh
• Initial Capital Cost: $3,725
• Annual Operating Cost: $209.62

Annual energy production indicates:

• Solar PV: ~21,000 kWh/year (primary source)
• Wind: ~6,000 kWh/year (supplementary)
• Biogas: ~1,500 kWh/year (backup generation)

Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the hybrid PV–biogas system remains economically viable even when solar radiation decreases, as the biogas generator compensates for reduced solar output and maintains a stable electricity supply

Conclusion

This paper has examined a step-by-step cost and technical effort to examine a system incorporating the combination of various renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, a biogas generator, batteries, and a power converter. The HOMER Pro was used to develop and trial the system to identify the optimal structure to supply electricity to remote locations. The results show that the best setup includes a 10 kW solar panel system, a 500 kW biogas generator, 30 lead-acid batteries, and a 10 kW converter. The total cost of this installation is 6435 during the life of the installation, and the cost of 1kWh of electricity per unit is 0.121 (unit) so it is a good cheap alternative in producing power in remote areas. The solar energy, in combination with biogas will maintain the power supply constant because the biogas will be available to provide the alternative times when the sun is not shining. The experiment has also ensured the performance of the system in varying weather and usage and concluded that it is good to be used even when quantity of sunlight or power requirements vary. The results indicate that biogas as a source of energy can be used to ensure sustainable electricity and lower the quantity of toxic gases in the atmosphere. The system is greener and less expensive in the long run when compared to the more traditional methods of generating electricity through fossil fuels. All in all, this analysis reveals that intending to use solar and biogas energy together is a viable solution to providing the reliable electricity to rural communities and especially where there is plenty of sunlight and biomass retention. The further work may focus on adding additional sources of renewable energy such as wind energy and means to store energy to make the system even more efficient and economical.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Visweta K. Chaudhari, Sanjay R. Bhanderi, Manthan M. Patel. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.