Economic evaluation for the implementation of an isolated solar PV/diesel hybrid system for refrigeration equipment

There is a limited supply of electricity in rural communities such as Masa 2 in the Gulf of Guayaquil, which restricts the conservation of fish products and has a significant impact on their economy and quality of life. This study recommends the installation of a hybrid solar PV-standalone system to support community cooling equipment. The HOMER Pro software was used for the simulation of various scenarios carried out under technical, economic and environmental criteria; with the aim of reducing implementation and energy costs without losing autonomy. The optimal model obtained presents a bank of 2-kW solar panels with a diesel generator as a backup and a battery bank that guarantees the correct distribution of the loads and thus they can be used to the fullest, prioritizing the use of renewable energy sources and the reduction in the use of fossil fuels to reduce their emissions. The results show a significant improvement in energy coverage, with 99.2 % of generation coming from solar sources, a significant decrease in polluting emissions and more than 33 hours of autonomy thanks to the installation of the battery bank. In addition, a competitive energy cost of 0.384 USD / kWh was obtained, demonstrating the technical and economic viability of the system to improve quality of life and access to essential services in remote areas.