scholarly journals Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a PVGS on the Electrical Power Supply of a Small Island

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng-Ting Hsu ◽  
Roman Korimara ◽  
Tsun-Jen Cheng

This paper presents a feasibility study of a large simulated stadium-scale photovoltaic generation system (PVGS) on a small island. Both the PVGS contribution to the energy demand on the island and its financial analysis were analysed in this study. The maximum allowable PVGS installation capacity is obtained by executing load flow analysis without violating the voltage magnitude and voltage variation ratio limits. However, the estimated power generation of PVGS is applied to know its impact on the power system according to the hourly solar irradiation and temperature. After that, the cost-benefit analysis of payback years (PBY) and net present value (NPV) method is derived considering the cash flow from utilities annual fuel and loss saving, the operation and maintenance (O&M) cost, and the capital investment cost. The power network in Kiribati (PUB DNST) is selected for study in this paper. The simulation results are very valuable and can be applied to the other small islands for reducing the usage of fossil fuel and greenhouse gas emissions.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1276
Author(s):  
Paola Marrone ◽  
Francesco Asdrubali ◽  
Daniela Venanzi ◽  
Federico Orsini ◽  
Luca Evangelisti ◽  
...  

Among the super insulating materials, aerogel has interesting properties: very low thermal conductivity and density, resistance to high temperatures and transparency. It is a rather expensive material, but incentives in the field can improve its economic attractiveness. Starting from this, the thermal behavior of a test building entirely insulated with aerogel panels was investigated through an extended experimental campaign. A dynamic simulation model of a case study building was generated to better comprehend the energy savings obtained through aerogel in terms of energy demand over a whole year. The investigation was completed by computing the carbon and energy payback times of various retrofit strategies through a life cycle assessment approach, as well as by a cost-benefit analysis through a probabilistic financial framework. Compared to conventional insulation materials, aerogel is characterized by a higher energy and carbon payback time, but it guarantees better environmental performance in the whole life cycle. From an economic-financial perspective, the aerogel retrofit is the best in the current tax incentive scenario. However, due to its higher lump-sum investment, aerogel’s net present value is very sensitive to tax deductions, and it is riskier than the best comparable materials in less favorable tax scenarios.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nhat Nguyen ◽  
Khalid Almarri ◽  
Halim Boussabaine

PurposeThe net-present-value (NPV) method is well-known for its drawbacks. To overcome some of these NPV weaknesses this paper aims to provide a methodology to determine an optimal concession period that treats risk and time separately. The purpose of this paper is to apply the notion of risk-adjusted decoupled net present value (risk-adjusted DNPV) to determine a conception period taken into consideration synthetic insurance premiums as compensation for risks.Design/methodology/approachThis paper conducts theoretical and empirical analysis and provides an integrated model for deriving concession periods of any PPP projects. The model is able to capture several contractual issues such risks costing and other contractual scenarios. Methodologically, the paper addressees both the issues of risk-based cost–benefit analysis and cash flow analysis bearing an emphasis of risk-adjusted DNPV to compute an optimum concession period.FindingsThe results show that using DNPV will produce a shorter concession period comparatively to NPV. The consequence of this is that the public sector will gain financially from an earlier transfer of the concession.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper contributes to the PPP literature by combing DNPV and risk to determine the PPP concession period for the mutual benefits both the private and public sectors. The decoupling of risk from traditional NPV computation will allow for risk pricing and tradability through insurance and allocation.Originality/valueThe attempt to decouple time and risk in the computation of NPV is the added value to the body of knowledge.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4179
Author(s):  
Maria Dicorato ◽  
Gioacchino Tricarico ◽  
Giuseppe Forte ◽  
Francesca Marasciuolo

The problem of electric network expansion has different implications concerning the definition of criteria for the comparison of different candidate projects. Transmission expansion planning usually involves a set of economic and technical influences on market framework and on network operation over defined scenario evolutions, or even combining generation and transmission planning, although the application to real-sized networks usually implies cost-benefit analysis. In this paper, a methodology for performance analysis of a set of network development projects is proposed, including zonal market framework and load flow analysis, in order to individuate possible candidate projects and their influence on active power losses, admissible load increase and admissible renewable generation increase. Those merit indicators are compared among candidate projects by means of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, aiming at determining the most promising solution under different weights of criteria. Moreover, the influence of network development investment cost on project selection is assessed by means of an extension of AHP. The procedure is applied to yearly operation of NREL-118 test system.


2011 ◽  
pp. 57-78
Author(s):  
I. Pilipenko

The paper analyzes shortcomings of economic impact studies based mainly on input- output models that are often employed in Russia as well as abroad. Using studies about sport events in the USA and Olympic Games that took place during the last 30 years we reveal advantages of the cost-benefit analysis approach in obtaining unbiased assessments of public investments efficiency; the step-by-step method of cost-benefit analysis is presented in the paper as well. We employ the project of Sochi-2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Russia to evaluate its efficiency using cost-benefit analysis for five accounts (areas of impact), namely government, households, environment, economic development, and social development, and calculate the net present value of the project taking into account its possible alternatives. In conclusion we suggest several policy directions that would enhance public investment efficiency within the Sochi-2014 Olympics.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1297
Author(s):  
Juntae Kim ◽  
Hyo-Dong Han ◽  
Wang Yeol Lee ◽  
Collins Wakholi ◽  
Jayoung Lee ◽  
...  

Currently, the pork industry is incorporating in-line automation with the aim of increasing the slaughtered pork carcass throughput while monitoring quality and safety. In Korea, 21 parameters (such as back-fat thickness and carcass weight) are used for quality grading of pork carcasses. Recently, the VCS2000 system—an automatic meat yield grading machine system—was introduced to enhance grading efficiency and therefore increase pork carcass production. The VCS2000 system is able to predict pork carcass yield based on image analysis. This study also conducted an economic analysis of the system using a cost—benefit analysis. The subsection items of the cost-benefit analysis considered were net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and benefit/cost ratio (BC ratio), and each method was verified through sensitivity analysis. For our analysis, the benefits were grouped into three categories: the benefits of reducing labor costs, the benefits of improving meat yield production, and the benefits of reducing pig feed consumption through optimization. The cost-benefit analysis of the system resulted in an NPV of approximately 615.6 million Korean won, an IRR of 13.52%, and a B/C ratio of 1.65.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4519
Author(s):  
Stefano Bifaretti ◽  
Vincenzo Bonaiuto ◽  
Sabino Pipolo ◽  
Cristina Terlizzi ◽  
Pericle Zanchetta ◽  
...  

The role of distributor system operators is experiencing a gradual but relevant change to include enhanced ancillary and energy dispatch services needed to manage the increased power provided by intermittent distributed generations in medium voltage networks. In this context, the paper proposes the insertion, in strategic points of the network, of specific power electronic systems, denoted as active nodes, which permit the remote controllability of the active and reactive power flow. Such capabilities, as a further benefit, enable the distributor system operators to provide ancillary network services without requiring any procurement with distributed generation systems owners. In particular, the paper highlights the benefits of active nodes, demonstrating their capabilities in reducing the inverse power flow issues from medium to high voltage lines focusing on a network cluster including renewable energy resources. As a further novelty, this study has accounted for a real cluster operated by the Italian distributor system operator Areti. A specific simulation model of the electrical lines has been implemented in DigSilent PowerFactory (DIgSILENT GmbH–Germany) software using real operating data obtained during a 1-year measurement campaign. A detailed cost-benefit analysis has been provided, accounting for different load flow scenarios. The results have demonstrated that the inclusion of active nodes can significantly reduce the drawbacks related to the reverse power flow.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saptarshi Pal ◽  
Chengi Kuo

Abstract In the past 70 years the world has relied extensively for its energy needs based on hydrocarbons produced significantly offshore. In recent years many installations with fixed platforms and pipelines are reaching the end of their useful life and are required by law to be decommissioned and removed if an approved alternative use cannot be found. This process coincides with focus on decarbonization arising from global warming and climate change. The conventional way of decommissioning is to remove the structure and take it onshore for disposal. Such an activity costs around £28 million for smaller UKCS installations in the Southern North Sea. Possible alternative solutions include their use as a research-leisure complex and artificial reef. Such an approach would have less impact on the environment and it is therefore worthwhile to explore the feasibility of repurposing these decommissioned UKCS platforms. The paper begins by highlighting the background to UKCS offshore decommissioning and farming fish life-cycle. This is followed by a critical review of the three options of total and partial removals and leave-on-site. It is found that repurposing decommissioned platforms for aquaculture farm has not been given sufficient attention and thus offers scope for a project to explore the feasibility of such a solution. Existing offshore fish farming in various countries are examined before using a decision-making matrix to select the most suitable UKCS installation for conversion and this led to using a normally unattended gas platform for the case study. The focus for this paper is on design and operation of an unattended fish farm and its cost benefit analysis. The former covers fish cage selection, capacity calculation, fish handling procedures, fish feed characteristics, feed demand, designing feed logistics and storage system. The processing facilities are layout on two decks and power needs are generated using a hybrid system of diesel and Li-ion battery. The possibility of using renewable sources by connecting to wind energy grids was also considered. For the latter capital and operating expenditure, revenue generated and maintenance costs are estimated before performing net present value prediction of the profitability of the fish farm over 10 years with for example up to 8 cages and three discount rates. The main conclusions derived are: It is technically feasible to convert a decommissioned gas platform to a fish farm and the operation can be economic. However, liability transfer implications in a repurposed offshore decommissioned gas platforms to fish farms were not established to verify the project viability. The conversion of unattended offshore gas platforms in the UKCS to an automated offshore fish farm is a novel solution which has not been implemented in the North Sea before. The work will provide an economic and environmental friendly solution to decommissioning offshore platforms and provide with a possible profitable investment.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Monika Ghimire ◽  
Art Stoecker ◽  
Tracy A. Boyer ◽  
Hiren Bhavsar ◽  
Jeffrey Vitale

<p class="sar-body"><span lang="EN-US">This study incorporates spatially explicit geographic information system and simulation models to develop an optimal irrigation system. The purpose of the optimized irrigation system was to save depleted ground water supplies. ArcGIS was used to calculate the area of potential irrigable soils, and EPANET (a hydrological simulation program) was used to calculate energy costs. Crop yield response functions were used to estimate the yield of cotton to the amount of irrigation and the accumulation of soil salinity over a 50-year period. Four irrigation designs (A, B, C, and D) were analyzed with different irrigation schedules.</span></p><p class="sar-body"><span lang="EN-US">Design A allowed all producers to irrigate simultaneously at 600 gallons per minute (gpm) or 2,271 liters per minute (lpm) while designs B and C divided the irrigable areas into two parts. Design D divided the areas into four parts to allow producers to irrigate one part at a time at 800 gpm (3,028 lpm). Irrigation scheduling not only lessened the water use and cost, but also amplified the profitability of the irrigation system. In design A, if all producers adopted 600 gpm (2,271 lpm) pivots and operated simultaneously, the cost of the 360,000 gpm (1363,000 lpm) pipeline would be prohibitive. In contrast, designs B, C, and D increased net benefits and lowered the breakeven price of cotton. The 50-year net present value for designs A, B, C, and D was profitable over 75, 70, 70, and 65 cents of cotton price per pound (454 g), respectively. Thus, this study endorses irrigation scheduling as a tool for efficient irrigation development and management, and increases water conservation.</span></p>


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Sanni Yaya ◽  
Xiaonan Li

This paper offers a general guide on how to conduct a proper economic analysis for community-based intervention projects. Identification and quantification of costs and benefits are the focus of the cost benefit analysis. We categorize costs and benefits from human and physical perspectives and pay special attention to the measures of saving human lives accompanied by the proposed calculation methods. We recommend net present value and benefit-cost ratio as the criteria to assess projects and highlight some challenges remaining in the analysis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 737 ◽  
pp. 794-799
Author(s):  
Liang Yu Xia ◽  
Jing Yi Wen

Owing to the growing gap of natural gas between supply and demand in China, the unconventional natural gas, including coal-bed methane (CBM) and shale gas, has been considered as strategic energy sources. An assessment by China’s Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR) announced that China has potentially resources of 36.7 trillion cubic meters of CBM and 25 trillion cubic meters of shale gas, larger than those of the U.S. Controversial views about their commercial prospects and priorities in order are available. This research aims at exploring which is more economically viable and worth the priority. A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) based on average single well data is employed to carry out a comparative analysis between two typical fields, the coal-bed methane (CBM) fields in the Qinshui basin and the shale gas fields in Sichuan basin. The net present value (NPV), the internal rate of return (IRR) and the payback period are used as indicators in this analysis. The results indicate that CBM is superior to shale gas in viability under the current technological and economic conditions, and the future of the CBM industry is clearer than that of the shale gas industry, but the latter is still promising if the drilling costs can be reduced significantly with technical progress. We suggest that the CBM industry should be given the priority to, and the policy for shale gas should focus on promoting technical innovations.


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