Open Access

ARTICLE

Techno-Economic Feasibility Analysis of Grid-Connected Hybrid PV Power System in Brunei

Khairul Eahsun Fahim¹, Liyanage C. De Silva², Sk. A. Shezan^3,*, Md Ashraful Islam⁴, Md Shakib Hassan⁵, Hayati Yassin^1,*, Naveed Ahmad⁶

1 Faculty of Integrated Technologies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, BE1410, Brunei
2 School of Digital Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, BE1410, Brunei
3 Department of Electrical Engineering, Prince Faisal Centre for Renewable Energy Studies and Applications, Northern Border University, Arar, 91431, Saudi Arabia
4 Department of Electrical Engineering, Green University of Bangladesh, Purbachal American City, Kanchon, 1460, Bangladesh
5 Institute of Energy Technology, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Chittagong, 4349, Bangladesh
6 Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Northern Border University, Arar, 91431, Saudi Arabia

* Corresponding Authors: Sk. A. Shezan. Email: ; Hayati Yassin. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Integration of Renewable Energies with the Grid: An Integrated Study of Solar, Wind, Storage, Electric Vehicles, PV and Wind Materials and AI-Driven Technologies)

Energy Engineering 2025, 122(10), 3985-3997. https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2025.066484

Received 09 April 2025; Accepted 14 August 2025; Issue published 30 September 2025

Abstract

Around the world, there has been a notable shift toward the use of renewable energy technology due to the growing demand for energy and the ongoing depletion of conventional resources, such as fossil fuels. Following this worldwide trend, Brunei’s government has initiated several strategic programs aimed at encouraging the establishment of energy from renewable sources in the nation’s energy mix. These initiatives are designed not only to support environmental sustainability but also to make energy from renewable sources increasingly competitive in comparison to more conventional energy sources like gas and oil, which have historically dominated Brunei’s energy market. The optimization of a hybrid energy system that combines diesel generators, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, and the national power grid is the focus of this study. The objective is to identify the most cost-effective and environmentally sustainable configuration that can reliably meet local energy demands. During optimization, several configuration was tried and tested, including only grid, PV and Grid and PV-generator. HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources) software, a popular simulation tool that makes it possible to simulate and analyze hybrid energy systems, is utilized in the optimization process. Inside the HOMER Pro optimization, various system configuration is taken into account for the optimization. While simulating, it takes into account different combinations of components such as solar panels, wind turbines and batteries. Later on, it is being ranked by different factors such as net present cost (NPC), Cost of Energy (COE), etc. A comprehensive techno-economic research is carried out to evaluate various system configurations, considering key performance indicators such as total energy generation cost, operational expenditure, and greenhouse gas emissions. The results provide valuable insights into how renewable-based hybrid systems can reduce environmental impact while maintaining economic viability, supporting Brunei’s broader goals of energy diversification and sustainability. The study also emphasizes how such hybrid systems could be scaled for off-grid and rural populations in Brunei, where a dependable electricity supply is still a problem. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of variations in solar irradiation, load demand, and fuel prices on the overall system performance. Policymakers and energy planners can use these insights to help them make data-driven decisions about future investments in infrastructure for renewable energy.

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