Microgrid PV/Diesel Hybrid System Integration and Economic Analysis at Pong Luek and Bang Kloy villages

This paper presented a microgrid PV/Diesel Hybrid system integration project for the Pong Luek and Bang Kloy villages, which is located amid a forest in Thailand.  The project’s goal was to provide sufficient and sustainable electric energy for the communities.  The project integrated existing solar arrays, designed, and installed the microgrids network to distribute electricity for over 136 households and water pumping systems for household and agricultural purposes at the average rate of 224 cubic meters/day.  For a period of one year in system operation, the system produced a total electricity of 79,400 kWh or 217 kWh per day continuously.  The project saved 34,655 liters/year of diesel consumption and reduced emission of greenhouse gases by 95.1 ton CO₂ /year.  The economic analysis based on 20 operation years and discount rate of 10 %, resulted in the internal return rate of 11 % and the payback period is 9 years was studied