Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Article Title: OPTIMIZATION OF A HYBRID ENERGY SYSTEM FOR RELIABLE OPERATION OF AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINES
by Michael S. Okundamiya, Vincent O. A. Akpaida, Benedict E. Omatahunde

Abstract:
This study presents the optimum size of a hybrid energy system for reliable operation of automated teller machines (ATMs). The aim is to identify a configuration among a set of power generation options that can reliably satisfy the electrical power consumption requirements of a remote load at the lowest energy cost, taking into consideration the availability and dynamic nature of energy sources. Three primary energy sources (solar, wind and diesel) are considered. The optimum design configuration is determined by making energy balance calculations based on HOMER (hybrid optimization model for electric renewable) software. Simulations are carried out for a one-year period, using long-term meteorological data and load profile of a typical ATM installation for Ekpoma, located (latitude 6.75oN, longitude 6.13oE) in the southern part of Nigeria. Simulation results show that the optimum design configurations consist of 5 kW wind turbine generator, 12 kW photovoltaic arrays and 81 kWh battery bank for study location. A more reliable and less expensive operations of ATMs would not only improve the quality of banking services, but will also reduce emissions of CO2 and other harmful gasses from ATM installation sites in Nigeria by approximately 95.7% thereby making the environment much more friendly and safe.

Keywords: automated teller machine; energy optimization; hybrid energy system; photovoltaic system; wind energy

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