Modeling energy resilience and outage survivability of hybrid distributed energy resource system using REopt: A case study of a coastal institution

Abstract

Energy systems must evolve to become more economical and resilient in response to the increasing frequency of climate-related disruptions. While several studies have presented renewable energy options, their resilience benefits, particularly in sensitive places, remain unexplored. This study analyzes the possibility of a hybrid distributed energy resource (DER) system to increase energy reliability and sustainability at the Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), located in a coastal area with potential for flooding. The system configuration was evaluated using the REopt optimization software under an extended grid outage scenario utilizing a mixed-integer linear programming model. The results show that an efficient DER system could effectively maintain critical loads during long power outages while increasing energy autonomy. The findings additionally demonstrate that environmental performance and economic feasibility have significantly improved. Overall, this study indicates how hybrid DER systems can be used to improve energy resilience in vital infrastructures located in regions at risk of disasters.