TITLE:
Technical and Economic Pre-Feasibility Study for a Micro-Hydro Plant and Solar Photovoltaic System for the Eco-Tourist Village of Mandraka
AUTHORS:
Adélaïde Lareba Ouedraogo, Dominique Bonkoungou, Eric Simonguy, Eric Korsaga, Sami Florent Palm, Sié Kam, Achille Olivier Ravoninjatovo, Dieudonné Joseph Bathiebo
KEYWORDS:
Pre-Feasibility Study, Sizing, Micro-Hydropower Plant, Photovoltaic System, Investment Cost
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems,
Vol.15 No.1,
January
26,
2025
ABSTRACT: Madagascar is well endowed with energy resources, particularly renewable energies. These include watercourses for hydropower, solar irradiation for photovoltaic solar energy, wind for wind power, as well as exploitable surfaces for bioenergy, although these are currently little exploited. What’s more, the electricity distribution network covers only a small part of the national territory, which excludes most rural areas. As a result, the population continues to consume fossil fuels, while gradually turning to solar energy (autonomous installation). Rural electrification should be totally oriented towards renewable energies, making the most of hydroelectric sites, solar energy, wind power and biomass, so that production costs are low, enabling us to offer a tariff adapted to subscribers’ purchasing power and promote production activities. The aim of this project is to carry out a technical and economic pre-feasibility study of a micro-hydropower plant and a photovoltaic system to supply the village of Mandraka. Initially, field surveys were carried out to establish the consumption profile and estimate household energy expenditure. Next, a sizing, financial pre-analysis and system simulation were carried out to assess the economic interest of the installation. The results of the pre-feasibility study gave a power of 24.64 kW for the micro-hydro plant and 1.58 kW for the solar photovoltaic system, which we oversized to 1.76 kW to compensate for unforeseen circumstances. Finally, a technical-economic study enabled us to obtain a positive NPV for a minimum cost of 1040 Ar, thus concluding that the project is feasible. The results of this study show that most households in this village can afford the cost of electricity consumption.