ORCID
0000-0003-2735-643X
Abstract
Telecommunication services are pivotal for the socio-economic development of communities, regions, and countries. Extensive and reliable telecom infrastructure enables populations to leverage development opportunities and bridge the urban-rural divide. However, extending these services to rural areas often necessitates the deployment of telecommunication towers in locations lacking national grid access. Consequently, service providers typically rely on diesel generators (DG) for power, which introduces significant challenges. These challenges include a high operational expenditure (OPEX), rendering telecom services unaffordable for rural communities, and substantial environmental pollution from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study aims to present an optimal design, encompassing sizing and economic analysis, of a hybrid solar PV-battery-generator system for powering telecommunication towers in rural areas. This Hybrid Energy System (HES) is designed to replace existing DG systems. To validate performance and conduct an economic analysis, a numerical study was performed using HOMER Pro software, incorporating real meteorological data from Misughaa Village in the Singida region, Tanzania. HOMER Pro 3.5.4 was utilized to accomplish system sizing and design based on measured load profiles, optimizing for the lowest Net Present Cost (NPC), Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE), and unmet energy. The proposed system continuously supplies power to a 3-kW telecom tower and ten nearby households, with a total mean daily consumption of 7.77 kWh. A comparative analysis between the designed hybrid system (including surrounding households) and existing alternatives demonstrates significant advantages. The hybrid configuration achieved the lowest LCoE ($0.11/kWh) and NPC ($41,378.54), compared to a generator-only system ($0.27/kWh) and grid-extension ($0.71/kWh). Technically, the system produced 34,490 kWh/year with 13.5% excess energy, ensuring high supply reliability. Environmentally, carbon dioxide emissions were drastically reduced from 33,003 kg/year (generator-only) to merely 2,262 kg/year in the hybrid configuration, representing a reduction of over 93%. The results indicate that the designed hybrid system offers higher profitability for telecom operators due to reduced operating costs, significantly lower GHG emissions, and the added benefit of providing clean energy to nearby rural households at a very low cost as part of corporate social responsibility.
Recommended Citation
Mwammenywa, I., & Mwaikenda, M. (2026). Optimal Design and Techno-Economic and Environmental Analysis of a Hybrid Solar PV-Battery-Generator System for Off-Grid Telecom Towers and Rural Households: Case of Misughaa Village in Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET), 45(1), 111-127. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.65085/2619-8789.1034
Plagiarism report
Publisher Name
University of Dar es Salaam