An Optimal Design of PV—PHS Hybrid System Using HOMER: A Case Study—Khallikote, Ganjam

Among the potential sources for the various renewable energy options, solar energy and wind energy are very easily and economically available options, which are clean, inexhaustible, and eco-friendly. Adopting such renewable energy sources is a more practical and simple way to meet the country's energy needs as solar power becomes more affordable and other competing technologies gain credibility. But during specific hours of the day, renewable energy sources produce the majority of their energy. The peak demand hours are not coincided with its electrical generation. The sporadic nature of sunlight makes it impossible to have a constant supply of power and thus it is unpredictable. Thus, the hunt for storage alternatives is ongoing. In that situation, the simpler and superior option for energy storage is the pumped hydro storage system (PHS). The PHS is a concept that involves pumping water up a hill using excess energy, holding it there until it's needed, and releasing the water when it's time to generate energy. This helps rotate the turbine and produce energy to satisfy demand. PHS has existed for a very long time. Around the world, it already makes up 97% of energy storage. In this context, the study further discusses a case study of Odisha (Khallikote, Ganjam) to show the usefulness of proposed methodology and techno-economic feasibility for adopting PHS to meet the energy needs of Berhampur city. The paper considered applying a different methodology for evaluation of feasibility of PHS by using HOMER software for its validation.