Sustainability Analysis for Islanded Desert Camp-Based Hybrid Microgrid Systems

Abstract

Sustainable electricity supply remains a major challenge for remote desert areas near Hafr Al Batin City in Saudi Arabia. Due to their extreme isolation and harsh climate, these remote locations lack access to the national power grid, forcing reliance on costly and polluting diesel generators. Although no previous research has focused on techno-economic feasibility studies for off-grid systems for these locations, this study introduces a comprehensive methodology for evaluating hybrid microgrid configurations based on five Key Sustainability Performance Indicators (KSPIs): economy, environment, technology, energy, and society. These indicators are further broken down into 12 sub-indicators, including levelized cost of energy (CoE), return on investment (RoI), CO2 emissions, renewable energy share, ecosystem health, job creation, quality of life, backup power, and others. Five microgrid configurations integrating solar PV, wind turbines, diesel generators, bidirectional converters, and battery storage are optimized and ranked. The Hybrid Optimization Model for Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) optimization tool is used to analyze the models and rank them according to the sub-indicators. To address uncertainty in weighting some indicators that HOMER cannot handle, the study employs fuzzy logic Mamdani-type rules, which incorporate human judgment in linguistic terms while reducing subjective bias. The combined results from HOMER and fuzzy logic reveal that a PV/Wind/Diesel/Battery hybrid system is the most economically viable option across all sustainability metrics. Additionally, the study conducts electrical, financial, emissions, and sensitivity analysis for the chosen microgrid. This framework offers policymakers, investors, and researchers a structured approach to planning sustainable microgrid deployments in desert regions, supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals for renewable energy adoption and reducing carbon footprints.