An Improved Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm for design of a microgrid with energy storage system: Case study of El Kharga Oasis, Egypt

Abstract

The microgrid design problem needs efficacy tools to reach good results with optimal convergence characteristics. Stochastic metaheuristic algorithms are the best choice to address complex problems. This paper proposes new hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) design, composed of PV, wind turbine, diesel generator, and battery system. The objective function is minimizing the total net present cost, which includes all expenses during the project lifetime; the optimization respects other aspects, technical and ecologic. The improved algorithm is called IAOA that developed by modifying the original Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm (AOA) using the leading operators of the Aquila Optimizer (AO). The modified version is conducted to improve the search ability of the original AOA and avoid its weaknesses like being trapped in a local search. Moreover, the proposed IAOA makes a learning stage from the search process of the AO to enhance the research history of the AOA. Two HRES scenarios are suggested, the first is based on using PV/wind/diesel/battery, while the second scenario consists of PV/diesel/battery. This proposed HRES is located in El Kharga Oasis in Egypt with latitude of 25.42 and longitude of 30.581. The obtained results prove that the proposed IAOA gives better results compared with the other well-known algorithms, namely the original algorithm of AOA, Equilibrium Optimizer (EO), Gray Wolf Optimization (GWO), Artificial Electric Field Algorithm (AEFA), and Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO). It is recognized that the proposed IAOA is a promising alternative to solve hybrid renewable energy systems.