scholarly journals Multi-Criteria Method for Sustainable Design of Energy Conversion Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6513
Author(s):  
Kathleen Mallard ◽  
Vincent Debusschere ◽  
Lauric Garbuio

Energy production systems for isolated communities lacking national energy grids are, in many countries, associated with first energy access of rural or developing regions. Those communities require innovative design methods to select relevant solutions for sustainable developments in a context of continuously strengthening climate change conditions. The design of an innovative solution goes through multiple stages. After identifying opportunities, analyzing a context and identifying a problem, we are interested here in the process of imagining solutions and guiding reflections so that the resulting solutions are sustainable. Sustainability is analyzed from technical, economic, environmental and social angles. The two main visions for imagining solutions, the value proposition and the technical solution, are discussed. We are then developing a multi-criteria method of sustainable design to imagine the technical solution of an electricity production system in a context of first access to energy for isolated communities. This method serves as decision and discussion support between all stakeholders (community, decision makers, project managers) so that they collectively build a sustainable solution. As the exchanges progress, criteria from different fields meet and complement each other to allow the development of the specifications for the energy production solution which will be ultimately developed.

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 4114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celena Lorenzo ◽  
Luis Narvarte ◽  
Ana Belén Cristóbal

The use of photovoltaic (PV) systems for powering heat pumps (HP) leads to an economic, energy efficient and environmentally friendly alternative for heating and cooling generation. A technical solution developed by the authors permits stand-alone configurations to operate without batteries, mitigating up to 75% of the solar power fluctuations resulting from cloud-passing. Once its technical feasibility has been demonstrated, the economic potential of this innovative solution should be assessed (avoiding a battery system is a significant advantage). This paper presents a comparative economic assessment of this autonomous (AU) solution and a self-consumption (SC) solution, that would substitute a grid-powered HP system for the space heating and cooling of two livestock farms located in Spain. Results show that PV-HP systems are economically feasible regardless of the technical solution: the Profitability Index (PI) is in the 2.23–2.97 €/€ range, the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is in the 8.1–10.9% range, the Payback Period (PBP) is in the 9.2–11 years range and the savings in terms of the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) are in the 57–70% range. The AU solution offers a higher economic profitability, because it permits larger savings in the electricity bill. The SC solution presents lower LCOEs because of its greater electricity production.


Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 271
Author(s):  
Béatrice A. Ledésert ◽  
Ronan L. Hébert ◽  
Justine Mouchot ◽  
Clio Bosia ◽  
Guillaume Ravier ◽  
...  

The Soultz-Sous-Forêts geothermal site (France) operates three deep wells for electricity production. During operation, scales precipitate within the surface installation as (Ba, Sr) sulfate and (Pb, As, Sb) sulfide types. Scales have an impact on lowering energy production and inducing specific waste management issues. Thus scaling needs to be reduced for which a thorough characterization of the scales has to be performed. The geothermal brine is produced at 160 °C and reinjected at 70 °C during normal operation. In the frame of the H2020 MEET project, a small heat exchanger was tested in order to allow higher energy production, by reinjecting the geothermal fluid at 40 °C. Samples of scales were analyzed by XRD and SEM-EDS, highlighting that mostly galena precipitates and shows various crystal shapes. These shapes can be related to the turbulence of the flow and the speed of crystal growth. Where the flow is turbulent (entrance, water box, exit), crystals grow quickly and mainly show dendritic shape. In the tubes, where the flow is laminar, crystals grow more slowly and some of them are characterized by well-developed faces leading to cubes and derived shapes. The major consequence of the temperature decrease is the increased scaling phenomenon.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10344
Author(s):  
Sameh Monna ◽  
Adel Juaidi ◽  
Ramez Abdallah ◽  
Mohammed Itma

This paper targets the future energy sustainability and aims to estimate the potential energy production from installing photovoltaic (PV) systems on the rooftop of apartment’s residential buildings, which represent the largest building sector. Analysis of the residential building typologies was carried out to select the most used residential building types in terms of building roof area, number of floors, and the number of apartments on each floor. A computer simulation tool has been used to calculate the electricity production for each building type, for three different tilt angles to estimate the electricity production. Tilt angle, spacing between the arrays, the building shape, shading from PV arrays, and other roof elements were analyzed for optimum and maximum electricity production. The electricity production for each household has been compared to typical household electricity consumption and its future consumption in 2030. The results show that installing PV systems on residential buildings can speed the transition to renewable energy and energy sustainability. The electricity production for building types with 2–4 residential units can surplus their estimated future consumption. Building types with 4–8 residential units can produce their electricity consumption in 2030. Building types of 12–24 residential units can produce more than half of their 2030 future consumption.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiannis A. Katsigiannis ◽  
George S. Stavrakakis ◽  
Christodoulos Pharconides

This paper examines the effect of different wind turbine classes on the electricity production of wind farms in two areas of Cyprus Island, which present low and medium wind potentials: Xylofagou and Limassol. Wind turbine classes determine the suitability of installing a wind turbine in a particulate site. Wind turbine data from five different manufacturers have been used. For each manufacturer, two wind turbines with identical rated power (in the range of 1.5 MW–3 MW) and different wind turbine classes (IEC II and IEC III) are compared. The results show the superiority of wind turbines that are designed for lower wind speeds (IEC III class) in both locations, in terms of energy production. This improvement is higher for the location with the lower wind potential and starts from 7%, while it can reach more than 50%.


2012 ◽  
pp. 73-77
Author(s):  
Orsolya Nagy

Due to the exhaustion of the fossile fuel reserves of the Earth, the increase of fossile fuel prices and the difficulties concerning stable fuel supply, the increase of electricity production from renewable energy sources has a special strategic importance. In this study, I am going to evaluate the circumstances of the production and use of renewable energy sources in Hungary and in the European Union. I present the Hungarian economic, energy policy-related and social circumstances which make it necessary to support renewable energy production. I am going to give an overview on the related EU strategies concerning the sector and the Hungarian development plan in this field. I pay particular attention to the examination of development opportunities and the R&D activities going on in this area in Hungary, as well as the efficiency of the means used to improve renewable energy use.


Hydropolitics ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 201-208
Author(s):  
Christine Folch

This chapter talks about future possibilities relating to the Itaipú Binational Dam. In 2023, important parts of the binational treaty must be renegotiated, and the financial arrangements are once again up for grabs. That year, unless an additional US$4 billion in debt is discovered, the massive construction debt will be paid off. But it is unclear how this will affect the tariff. If the present tariff formula holds and energy production costs are the limits for the energy price, the tariff will plummet by more than 60 percent. Energy experts are concerned that this will lead to haphazard energy waste by the largest consumers, rather than a strategic industrialization plan. On the other hand, politicians in the Paraguayan executive and legislative have begun discussions on what to do with US$1 billion more in royalties. But the hydrostate history of Itaipú illustrates the weaknesses in either transferring more energy rent to the Paraguayan government without enforceable development investment plans or of effectively subsidizing Paraguay's current electricity users, who are disproportionately wealthy, without implementing a strategy to increase energy access to the vast majority of Paraguay.


2019 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 09001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterina Gryznova ◽  
Vadim Davydov ◽  
Yuri Batov ◽  
Valentin Dudkin ◽  
Danila Puz’ko ◽  
...  

The article considers the energy efficiency of energy production from various types of fuel. The analysis of the negative impact of the use of various types of fuel on the environment. The most significant indicators for assessing the environmental efficiency of the use of fuel for electricity production are established. A comparison is made with the performance indicators that are currently used. The advantages and disadvantages are established. The necessity of developing a more effective methodology for assessing environmental performance is substantiated. A new methodology for assessing the environmental efficiency of using various methods for the production of electricity is proposed. Research results are presented.


Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2494
Author(s):  
Ali Elkamel

This Special Issue aims to present solutions that effectively account for sustainability and lower […]


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