Abstract
The Technological Units of Santander (UTS), a prominent higher education institution in eastern Colombia, consumes an average of 28,490 kWh per month, resulting in monthly costs exceeding USD $5000. To address this, an analysis is underway to reduce expenses and explore viable clean energy solutions for the university buildings. This study aims to assess the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of hybrid energy generation options, promoting rational energy use. The evaluation utilizes Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER Pro) software. The analysis of three scenarios indicates that photovoltaic systems can fulfil 24 % to 43.4 % of the energy demand, potentially reducing energy consumption by 30 % through hybrid system implementation. Each scenario offers alternatives with a return on investment (ROI) of over 5.8 % and a feasible internal rate of return (IRR) exceeding 8.9 %. Currently, UTS emits approximately 229.47 t of CO2 annually. However, implementing rational energy use scenarios could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 49.3 %.
