scholarly journals Net-Metering and Self-Consumption Analysis for Direct PV Groundwater Pumping in Agriculture: A Spanish Case Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvaro Rubio-Aliaga ◽  
Angel Molina-Garcia ◽  
M. Socorro Garcia-Cascales ◽  
Juan Miguel Sanchez-Lozano
Keyword(s):  
Power Systems ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Multidimensional Analysis ◽  
Groundwater Pumping ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Net Metering ◽  
La Mancha

International policies mainly that are focused on energy-dependence reduction and climate change objectives have been widely proposed by most developed countries over the last years. These actions aim to promote the integration of renewables and the reduction of emissions in all sectors. Among the different sectors, agriculture emerges as a remarkable opportunity to integrate these proposals. Indeed, this sector accounts for 10% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the EU, representing 1.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016. Within the agriculture sector, current solutions for groundwater pumping purposes are mainly based on diesel technologies, leading to a remarkable fossil fuel dependence and emissions that must be reduced to fulfill both energy and environmental requirements. Relevant actions must be proposed that are focused on sustainable strategies and initiatives. Under this scenario, the integration of photovoltaic (PV) power plants into groundwater pumping installations has recently been considered as a suitable solution. However, this approach requires a more extended analysis, including different risks and impacts related to sustainability from the economic and energy points of view, and by considering other relevant aspects such as environmental consequences. In addition, PV solar power systems connected to the grid for groundwater pumping purposes provide a relevant opportunity to optimize the power supplied by these installations in terms of self-consumption and net-metering advantages. Actually, the excess PV power might be injected to the grid, with potential profits and benefits for the agriculture sector. Under this scenario, the present paper gives a multidimensional analysis of PV solar power systems connected to the grid for groundwater pumping solutions, including net-metering conditions and benefit estimations that are focused on a Spanish case study. Extensive results based on a real aquifer (Aquifer 23) located in Castilla La Mancha (Spain) are included and discussed in detail.

scholarly journals The Role of Local Citizen Energy Communities in the Road to Carbon-Neutral Power Systems: Outcomes from a Case Study in Portugal

Smart Cities ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 840-863
Author(s):  
Hugo Algarvio
Keyword(s):  
Power Systems ◽  
Electricity Markets ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Hydroelectric Power ◽  
Solar Power Plants ◽  
Carbon Neutral

Global warming contributes to the worldwide goal of a sustainable carbon-neutral society. Currently, hydroelectric, wind and solar power plants are the most competitive renewable technologies. They are limited to the primary resource availability, but while hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) can have storage capacity but have several geographical limitations, wind and solar power plants have variable renewable energy (VRE) with stochastic profiles, requiring a substantially higher investment when equipped with battery energy storage systems. One of the most affordable solutions to compensate the stochastic behaviour of VRE is the active participation of consumers with demand response capability. Therefore, the role of citizen energy communities (CECs) can be important towards a carbon-neutral society. This work presents the economic and environmental advantages of CECs, by aggregating consumers, prosumers and VRE at the distribution level, considering microgrid trades, but also establishing bilateral agreements with large-scale VRE and HPPs, and participating in electricity markets. Results from the case-study prove the advantages of CECs and self-consumption. Currently, CECs have potential to be carbon-neutral in relation to electricity consumption and reduce consumers’ costs with its variable term until 77%. In the future, electrification may allow CECs to be fully carbon-neutral, if they increase their flexibility portfolio.

scholarly journals Multidimensional Analysis of Groundwater Pumping for Irrigation Purposes: Economic, Energy and Environmental Characterization for PV Power Plant Integration

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rubio-Aliaga ◽  
M. Socorro Garcia-Cascales ◽  
J.M. Sanchez-Lozano ◽  
Angel Molina-Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Multidimensional Analysis ◽  
Energy Integration ◽  
Groundwater Pumping ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Relevant Topic ◽  
Agriculture Irrigation

Nowadays, the agriculture sector presents relevant opportunities to integrate renewable energy sources as an alternative solution to mitigate fossil-fuel dependence and decrease emissions. Moreover, this sector demands a detailed review of energy uses and other factors that are addressed as priority issues in most developed countries. In this framework, groundwater pumping energy requirements for agriculture irrigation emerge as a relevant topic to be improved in terms of power demand. Actually, this demand is currently supplied by diesel equipment solutions, with relevant drawbacks such as: (i) a large energy dependence on fossil fuels for the agricultural sector and (ii) a lack of participation in reducingCO 2 emissions.This paper proposes a multidimensional characterization to evaluate photovoltaic (PV) solar energy integration intogroundwater pumping requirements. Alternative solutions are compared under economic, energy and environmentalaspects; thus providing an extensive scenario where the considerable influence of multiple factors such as water needs, irrigation area or aquifer depth are explicitly considered. Extensive results based on a real Spanish aquifer and discussion about the solutions are also included in the paper.

Current and Future Economics of Parabolic Trough Technology

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Price ◽  
Mark Mehos ◽  
Chuck Kutscher ◽  
Nate Blair
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Power Market ◽  
Parabolic Trough ◽  
Cost Of Electricity ◽  
Near Term ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Utility Scale

Solar energy is the largest energy resource on the planet. Unfortunately, it is largely untapped at present, in part because sunlight is a very diffuse energy source. Concentrating solar power (CSP) systems use low cost reflectors to concentrate the sun’s energy to allow it to be used more effectively. Concentrating solar power systems are also well suited for large solar power plants that can be connected into the existing utility infrastructure. These two facts mean that CSP systems can be used to make a meaningful difference in energy supply in a relatively short period. CSP plants are best suited for the arid climates in the Southwestern United States, Northern Mexico, and many desert regions around the globe. A recent Western Governors’ Association siting study [1] found that the solar potential in the U.S. Southwest is at least 4 times the total U.S. electric demand even after eliminating urban areas, environmentally sensitive areas, and all regions with a ground slope greater than 1%.While it is currently not practical to power the whole county from the desert southwest, only a small portion of this area is needed to make a substantial contribution to future U.S. electric needs. Many of the best sites are near existing high-voltage transmission lines and close to major power load centers in the Southwest (Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix). In addition, the power provided by CSP technologies has strong coincidence with peak electric demand, especially in the Southwest where peak demand corresponds in large part to air conditioning loads. Parabolic troughs currently represent the most cost-effective CSP technology for developing large utility-scale solar electric power systems. These systems are also one of the most mature solar technologies, with commercial utility-scale plants that have been operating for over 20 years. In addition, substantial improvements have been made to the technology in recent years including improved efficiency and the addition of thermal energy storage. The main issue for parabolic trough technology is that the cost of electricity is still higher than the cost of electricity from conventional natural gas-fired power plants. Although higher natural gas prices are helping to substantially reduce the difference between the cost of electricity from solar and natural gas plants, in the near-term increased incentives such as the 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) are needed to make CSP technology approach competitiveness with natural gas power on a financial basis. In the longer term, additional reductions in the cost of the technology will be necessary. This paper looks at the near-term potential for parabolic trough technology to compete with conventional fossil power resources in the firm, intermediate load power market and at the longer term potential to compete in the baseload power market. The paper will consider the potential impact of a reduced carbon emissions future.

scholarly journals Simultaneous Inertia Contribution and Optimal Grid Utilization with Wind Turbines

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 3013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemens Jauch ◽  
Arne Gloe
Keyword(s):  
Power Systems ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Frequency Control ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Realistic Case ◽  
System Utilization ◽  
Continuous Feed

This paper presents findings of a study on continuous feed-in management and continuous synthetic inertia contribution with wind turbines. A realistic case study, based on real measurements, is outlined. A wind turbine feeds into a weak feeder, such that its power has to be adapted to the permissible loading of this feeder. At the same time the wind turbine is to provide inertia to the grid by applying the previously published variable inertia constant controller. It is discussed that optimal grid utilization and simultaneous inertia contribution are mandatory for the frequency control in power systems that are heavily penetrated with renewable energies. The study shows that continuous feed-in management can be combined well with continuous inertia provision. There are hardly any negative consequences for the wind turbine. The benefits for the grid are convincing, both in terms of increased system utilization and in terms of provided inertia. It is concluded that wind turbines can enhance angular stability in a power system to a larger extent than conventional power plants.

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