GENETIC ALGORITHMS APPROACH FOR OPTIMIZATION OF HYBRID POWER PLANT SIZING IN SAHELIAN ZONE: CASE STUDY IN BURKINA FASO

Electrification development in rural areas is essential in order to meet electricity needs at bearable cost, for rural areas population development. This work presents optimization of hybrid electric power plant composed of solar photovoltaic and biogas generators, without electrical energy storage, for low-cost electrification of rural and peri-urban areas, at four sites in Sahel region of Burkina Faso. Simulation results give electricity kilowatt-hour cost about 0.0616 dollar at Gorom-Gorom site, 0.0611 dollar at Dori site, 0.0616 dollar at Djibo site and 0.0616 dollar at Sebba site. Compared to kilowatt-hour cost charged by the national electricity distribution company, who is from 0.1345 dollar, produced electricity cost at these sites is very competitive and accessible for this region population. Use of biogas in addition to solar as an energy source for electrical hybrid power plant has made it possible to reduce significantly polluting and greenhouse gas emissions.