Research Article
Towards Optimizing Hybrid Photovoltaic/Utility-Grid/
Diesel-Generator/Battery Power Management across Radio Telescope at CGG, Toro, Nigeria, for VLBI Applications
Dauda Duncan*
,
Joseph Danasabe Dodo,
Umar Afegbua Kadiri,
Mohammed Shuaibu Tsalha,
Yusuf Abubakar Abukakar,
Musa Gwani Samaila,
Maikiyari Saidu,
Omega John Unogwu,
Abiodun Daomi,
Yekini Amobi,
Ishaku Abdul Dalyop,
Muhammad Babayo Abdullahi,
Okpanachi Omatule Joktan
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 6, December 2026
Pages:
245-259
Received:
5 October 2026
Accepted:
21 October 2026
Published:
6 November 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.jeee.20261406.11
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Abstract: Reliable and uninterrupted electrical power is essential for modern radio telescope facilities employing Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), where power interruptions can compromise observation continuity and data acquisition. At the Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics (CGGT), Toro, Nigeria, unreliable utility grid supply and the high operating costs associated with diesel generator dependence present significant challenges to sustainable VLBI operations. This study investigates the design, optimal sizing, and techno-economic performance of a hybrid photovoltaic (PV)/utility-grid/diesel-generator/battery energy system to improve power supply reliability and reduce operating costs at the facility. The hybrid system was modelled and optimized using HOMER Pro, while MATLAB/Simulink was employed to analyze the PV array’s current-voltage (I-V) and the power-voltage (P-V) characteristics. The optimization results identified a configuration comprising a 345 kW PV array, a 150 kVA diesel generator, a utility-grid connection with a maximum available capacity of 300 kW, and a lithium-ion battery energy storage system. The optimized configuration achieved a net present cost (NPC) of approximately ₦507.482 million and an annual PV energy generation of 592,002 kWh, representing 75.29% of the total annual electricity generation. The estimated annual diesel fuel consumption was approximately 7,446.9 litres. Compared with the existing utility-grid/diesel-generator/battery configuration, the proposed hybrid system reduced the NPC from ₦669.918 million to ₦507.482 million and the reported operating cost from ₦49.218 million to ₦29.376 million, despite requiring a higher initial capital investment. These findings indicate that integrating PV generation and battery storage with the utility grid and diesel generator can improve the economic performance and diversify the energy supply of the CGGT facility. Further field validation is required to establish the system’s operational reliability under actual load and meteorological conditions and to verify its suitability for the stringent continuity requirements of VLBI operations.
Abstract: Reliable and uninterrupted electrical power is essential for modern radio telescope facilities employing Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), where power interruptions can compromise observation continuity and data acquisition. At the Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics (CGGT), Toro, Nigeria, unreliable utility grid supply and the high operatin...
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