Sustainable Energy Planning for Community Microgrids Considering Economic, Environmental, and Resilience Factors

Abstract

This study presents a framework for sustainable energy planning of community microgrids (MGs), integrating optimal design and decision-support tools. A rural community in New South Wales, Australia, is considered as a case study for this investigation. The proposed microgrid framework is evaluated based on economic viability, environmental sustainability, and community resilience. The economic analysis reveals an attractive net present cost of 3.26 million over the MG's 25-year lifetime, with a competitive levelized cost of energy of 0.196 per kWh. The environmental impact assessment quantifies a significant reduction of 394.429 tonnes of CO2- equivalent greenhouse gas emissions annually through the integration of 200 kW of solar photovoltaic and 258 kW of wind turbines. The resilience assessment demonstrates a high energy reliability with zero unmet loads facilitated by backup systems and decision-making tools. The findings contribute to the field of sustainable energy planning by providing a comprehensive and integrated approach that addresses the complex interplay of economic, environmental, and resilience factors in the context of community MGs.