Economical Impact of Using Wind/PV Hybrid Systems on Energy Sector in Jordan

Despite being in the oil-rich region, Jordan is completely dependent on the imported oil from neighboring countries. This significantly affects the country’s economy and people’s lives. Therefore, the search for alternative sources of energy was one of the serious responsibilities of the decision makers in Jordan. One of the feasible solutions was to adopt the renewable energy approach. These sources have become a competitive alternative to conventional sources in many countries. Economically, the price of energy generated by renewable decreases day after day compared with a continuous increase in crude oil prices. In the present work, the focus will be on the economical impact of wind/PV (photovoltaic) hybrid system in rural areas. Unlike the previous projects, which were either in pilot or experimental form, the present study considers a commercial type project. An actual site of the applied study will be assessed in terms of electricity consumption, wind and solar energy availability, equipment cost and energy saving. This implies an accurate evaluation of the complete and partial replacement of the existing electricity sources used for water pumping and electrification in the examined site. Different scenarios will be investigated to illustrate various economical options of the capital cost and payback periods. Finally, the impact of this project on spreading this idea to many sites of similar conditions will be discussed.