Sustainability Evaluation of Generation Solutions for Microgrids in Bangladesh

Paper in proceeding, 2023

Access to energy for a large part of the world's population is still today a luxury that cannot be taken for granted. In light of several studies demonstrating the social and environmental impact that is obtained by providing clean energy, finding solutions that guarantee the sustainable electrification of underdeveloped areas has become a non-negligible urgency. This paper aims to analyze different configurations of a microgrid and to propose a model to identify its sustainability from the economic, environmental and social points of view. The microgrid is sized using two open-source tools for modelling the load demand and designing the grid. The study relies on field data on techno-economic parameters and social habits of the local population. The data are elaborated relying on the already mentioned tools and literature analysis to address the social and environmental factors. The study concludes that monocrystalline panels offer the best trade-off considering techno-economic, social and environmental aspects. Nevertheless if among these three fields, one is prioritized, the alternative technologies might be the best solution. The novelty of this study lies in the approach aimed at integrating the study of both technological and economic as well as social and environmental aspects, these latter are often overlooked but are also the ones that have a non-negligible impact on the successful implementation of a sustainable microgrid.