Techno-Economic and Environmental Optimization of a Grid-Connected Photovoltaic-Utility Hybrid System for Industrial Applications in Sohar, Oman

Mahmoud Younis; Alia Al. Shidi; Anas Quteishatb; I. I. Mohd

doi:10.48084/etasr.19077

Authors

Mahmoud Younis Electrical and Computer Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering, Sohar University, Sohar, Oman
Alia Al. Shidi Electrical and Computer Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering, Sohar University, Sohar, Oman
Anas Quteishatb Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering Technology, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-Salt, Jordan
I. I. Mohd Electrical and Computer Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering, Sohar University, Sohar, Oman

Volume: 16 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 36949-36955 | June 2026 | https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.19077

Received: 2 April 2026 | Revised: 1 May 2026, 12 May 2026, and 15 May 2026 | Accepted: 16 May 2026 | Online: 6 June 2026

Corresponding author: Mahmoud Younis

Abstract

The growing need for affordable and eco-friendly sources of industrial energy has increased interest in Photovoltaic (PV)-utility hybrid power plants. Most current studies use synthetic load profiles, thus limiting the design accuracy of PV-utility hybrid systems. In this paper, the performance of grid-connected PV-utility hybrid power plants is analyzed for an industrial plant in Sohar, Oman, based on the actual measured 24 h industrial load profile under three different operating scenarios. HOMER Pro software is employed to estimate the technical, economic, and environmental performance of the system. The novelty of the proposed work is that the actual measured industrial load profile is considered during the optimization of the PV-utility hybrid system, making the design analysis more accurate and specific. Simulation results show that the hybrid system attains a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of 0.030–0.032 $/kWh, a payback period of 3.7–3.9 years, and an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 25–26%, whereas the grid-only LCOE is 0.156 $/kWh. Furthermore, the hybrid system reduces CO₂ emissions by approximately 62%. These results demonstrate that the proposed hybrid system is technically feasible, economically profitable, and environmentally friendly.

Keywords:

hybrid energy system, solar Photovoltaic (PV), industrial load optimization, renewable energy integration, grid-connected PV, techno-economic analysis

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