TECHNO-ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL OPTIMIZATION OF A HYBRID PV�WIND�BATTERY�DIESEL MICROGRID FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION IN BORNO STATE, NIGERIA USING ANT COLONY OPTIMIZATION
Reliable electricity access remains one of the most critical challenges in rural Nigeria, particularly in the northern regions where grid extension is economically and logistically unfeasible. Communities in Guzamala Local Government Area (LGA), Borno State (especially Northern Borno), rely heavily on diesel generators and kerosene lamps, resulting in high operating costs, energy insecurity, and severe environmental impacts. This underscores the urgent need for cleaner and more sustainable off-grid power alternatives. The primary objective of this study is to design and optimize a cost-effective, reliable, and environmentally sustainable standalone hybrid micro grid integrating photovoltaic (PV), wind turbine (WT), battery energy storage system (BESS), and a diesel generator (DG). A metaheuristic optimization framework based on Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) was developed and benchmarked against Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to determine the optimal system configuration and operating strategy under real-world resource and cost conditions. Using solar and wind data from NASA and measured household load demand (~200 kWh/day for 20 households), the optimization minimized the Net Present Cost (NPC) and Loss of Power Supply Probability (LPSP) while maintaining system reliability. The ACO-optimized system comprised 42 kW PV, 15 kW WT, 180 kWh BESS, and 8 kW DG, achieving an NPC of $92,500, Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) of $0.243/kWh, and LPSP of 0.9%. In comparison, PSO produced a higher NPC of $101,300 and LCOE of $0.268/kWh, confirming ACO�s superior economic and convergence performance. The hybrid system reduced diesel consumption by approximately 70% and CO? emissions by about 62% relative to a diesel-only baseline. Sensitivity analyses revealed that a 20% decline in battery cost increased storage capacity to 220 kWh and reduced DG reliance by 35%, while a 30% rise in diesel price increased NPC by only 9%, demonstrating strong resilience to market volatility. In conclusion, the results affirm that Ant Colony Optimization offers a robust and efficient approach for designing rural hybrid micro grids in Nigeria. The proposed ACO-based system provides a techno-economically viable and environmentally sustainable pathway for rural electrification, supporting Nigeria�s Net Billing Regulation and Energy Transition Agenda toward a low-carbon future.
Authors : Tijjani1, M.M., Goni, S.A., Shettima, K.A. and Muhammad, M.M.
Category : Open Access Volume (Issue) : 11(2) Date Uploaded : 27th October 2025