Design of an Integrated Biogas, Biomass and Solar Bifacial Renewable Energy System for Rural Health Facilities and Teaching Hospitals

Abstract

Reliable energy access is critical for rural health facilities, where power outages directly impact mortality rates through the failure of life-saving equipment. This study presents the design and optimization of a hybrid polygeneration system integrating Bifacial Solar Photovoltaics (PV), Biomass, and Biogas to meet the electrical, thermal, and cooking fuel demands of a 200-bed rural teaching hospital. Unlike conventional designs relying on diesel backups, this proposed system utilizes a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model optimized within a TEESR (Technical, Economic, Environmental, Social, and Reliability) framework. Pinch Analysis is employed to maximize heat recovery. Simulation results demonstrate an optimal configuration comprising a 350 kWp Bifacial PV array, a 200 kWth Biomass CHP unit, and a 50 m³/day Biogas digester. The system achieves a Renewable Energy Fraction (REF) of 96.8% and reduces the Loss of Power Supply Probability (LPSP) to 0.7%. Economically, the system achieves a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of USD 0.087/kWh, offering a 69% reduction compared to diesel generation, with a projected Net Present Value saving of USD 1.8 million over 25 years. The design offers a scalable, resilient, and sustainable energy solution for healthcare infrastructure in resource-limited settings.