Impact of Renewable Energy Expansion to the Balancing Energy Demand of Differential Balancing Groups

After the Great East Japan Earthquake, energy security and vulnerability have become critical issues facing the Japanese energy system. The integration of renewable energy sources to meet specific regional energy demand is a promising scenario to overcome these challenges. To this aim, this paper proposes a novel hydrogen-based hybrid renewable energy system (HRES), in which hydrogen fuel can be produced using both the methods of solar electrolysis and supercritical water gasification (SCWG) of biomass feedstock. The produced hydrogen is considered to function as an energy storage medium by storing renewable energy until the fuel cell converts it to electricity. The proposed HRES is used to meet the electricity demand load requirements for a typical household in a selected residential area located in Shinchi-machi in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan. The techno-economic assessment of deploying the proposed systems was conducted, using an integrated simulation-optimization modeling framework, considering two scenarios: (1) minimization of the total cost of the system in an off-grid mode and (2) maximization of the total profit obtained from using renewable electricity and selling surplus solar electricity to the grid, considering the feed-in-tariff (FiT) scheme in a grid-tied mode. As indicated by the model results, the proposed HRES can generate about 47.3 MWh of electricity in all scenarios, which is needed to meet the external load requirement in the selected study area. The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of the system in scenarios 1 and 2 was estimated at 55.92 JPY/kWh and 56.47 JPY/kWh, respectively.

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A Sizing Method for PV–Battery–Generator Systems for Off-Grid Applications Based on the LCOE

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14071988 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (7) ◽

pp. 1988

Author(s):

Ioannis E. Kosmadakis ◽

Costas Elmasides

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Temporal Distribution ◽

Electrical Energy ◽

Optimal Number ◽

Diesel Generator ◽

Levelized Cost Of Electricity ◽

Sufficient Power ◽

Battery Energy

Electricity supply in nonelectrified areas can be covered by distributed renewable energy systems. The main disadvantage of these systems is the intermittent and often unpredictable nature of renewable energy sources. Moreover, the temporal distribution of renewable energy may not match that of energy demand. Systems that combine photovoltaic modules with electrical energy storage (EES) can eliminate the above disadvantages. However, the adoption of such solutions is often financially prohibitive. Therefore, all parameters that lead to a functionally reliable and self-sufficient power generation system should be carefully considered during the design phase of such systems. This study proposes a sizing method for off-grid electrification systems consisting of photovoltaics (PV), batteries, and a diesel generator set. The method is based on the optimal number of PV panels and battery energy capacity whilst minimizing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for a period of 25 years. Validations against a synthesized load profile produced grid-independent systems backed by different accumulator technologies, with LCOEs ranging from 0.34 EUR/kWh to 0.46 EUR/kWh. The applied algorithm emphasizes a parameter of useful energy as a key output parameter for which the solar harvest is maximized in parallel with the minimization of the LCOE.

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Optimal Planning and Operation of a Residential Energy Community under Shared Electricity Incentives

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14082045 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (8) ◽

pp. 2045

Author(s):

Pierpaolo Garavaso ◽

Fabio Bignucolo ◽

Jacopo Vivian ◽

Giulia Alessio ◽

Michele De Carli

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Power Distribution ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Energy System ◽

Distribution Networks ◽

Building Envelope ◽

Net Energy ◽

Technical Equipment ◽

Optimal Planning

Energy communities (ECs) are becoming increasingly common entities in power distribution networks. To promote local consumption of renewable energy sources, governments are supporting members of ECs with strong incentives on shared electricity. This policy encourages investments in the residential sector for building retrofit interventions and technical equipment renovations. In this paper, a general EC is modeled as an energy hub, which is deemed as a multi-energy system where different energy carriers are converted or stored to meet the building energy needs. Following the standardized matrix modeling approach, this paper introduces a novel methodology that aims at jointly identifying both optimal investments (planning) and optimal management strategies (operation) to supply the EC’s energy demand in the most convenient way under the current economic framework and policies. Optimal planning and operating results of five refurbishment cases for a real multi-family building are found and discussed, both in terms of overall cost and environmental impact. Simulation results verify that investing in building thermal efficiency leads to progressive electrification of end uses. It is demonstrated that the combination of improvements on building envelope thermal performances, photovoltaic (PV) generation, and heat pump results to be the most convenient refurbishment investment, allowing a 28% overall cost reduction compared to the benchmark scenario. Furthermore, incentives on shared electricity prove to stimulate higher renewable energy source (RES) penetration, reaching a significant reduction of emissions due to decreased net energy import.

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A panel data analysis of policy effectiveness for renewable energy expansion on Caribbean islands

Energy Policy ◽

10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112340 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 155 ◽

pp. 112340

Author(s):

Jessica Kersey ◽

Philipp Blechinger ◽

Rebekah Shirley

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Data Analysis ◽

Panel Data ◽

Panel Data Analysis ◽

Policy Effectiveness ◽

Caribbean Islands ◽

Energy Expansion

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Optimising the Operation of Tidal Range Schemes

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12152870 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (15) ◽

pp. 2870 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jingjing Xue ◽

Reza Ahmadian ◽

Roger Falconer

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Maximum Energy ◽

Energy Output ◽

Tidal Range ◽

Marine Renewable Energy ◽

Modelling Methodology ◽

Similar Operation ◽

Swansea Bay ◽

The Uk

Marine renewable energy, including tidal renewable energy, is one of the less exploited sources of energy that could contribute to energy demand, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Amongst several proposals to build tidal range structure (TRS), a tidal lagoon has been proposed for construction in Swansea Bay, in the South West of the UK, but this scheme was recently rejected by the UK government due to the high electricity costs. This decision makes the optimisation of such schemes more important for the future. This study proposes various novel approaches by breaking the operation into small components to optimise the operation of TRS using a widely used 0-D modelling methodology. The approach results in a minimum 10% increase in energy output, without the inclusion of pumping, in comparison to the maximum energy output using a similar operation for all tides. This increase in energy will be approximately 25% more when pumping is included. The optimised operation schemes are used to simulate the lagoon operation using a 2-D model and the differences between the results are highlighted.

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The role of financial efficiency in renewable energy demand: Evidence from OECD countries

Journal of Environmental Management ◽

10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112122 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 285 ◽

pp. 112122

Author(s):

Köksal Cihat ◽

Katircioglu Setareh ◽

Katircioğlu Salih

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Oecd Countries ◽

Financial Efficiency

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Application and Design Aspects of Ground Heat Exchangers

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14082134 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (8) ◽

pp. 2134

Author(s):

Luka Boban ◽

Dino Miše ◽

Stjepan Herceg ◽

Vladimir Soldo

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Heat Exchangers ◽

Geothermal Energy ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Design Parameters ◽

Direct Expansion ◽

Alternative Source ◽

Ground Heat Exchangers ◽

Point Of Interest ◽

Constant Source

With the constant increase in energy demand, using renewable energy has become a priority. Geothermal energy is a widely available, constant source of renewable energy that has shown great potential as an alternative source of energy in achieving global energy sustainability and environment protection. When exploiting geothermal energy, whether is for heating or cooling buildings or generating electricity, a ground heat exchanger (GHE) is the most important component, whose performance can be easily improved by following the latest design aspects. This article focuses on the application of different types of GHEs with attention directed to deep vertical borehole heat exchangers and direct expansion systems, which were not dealt with in detail in recent reviews. The article gives a review of the most recent advances in design aspects of GHE, namely pipe arrangement, materials, and working fluids. The influence of the main design parameters on the performance of horizontal, vertical, and shallow GHEs is discussed together with commonly used performance indicators for the evaluation of GHE. A survey of the available literature shows that thermal performance is mostly a point of interest, while hydraulic and/or economic performance is often not addressed, potentially resulting in non-optimal GHE design.

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Renewable Energy Federalism in Germany and the United States

Transnational Environmental Law ◽

10.1017/s2047102520000345 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-28

Author(s):

Johannes Saurer ◽

Jonas Monast

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Federal Government ◽

Energy Transition ◽

The United States ◽

Federal Republic Of Germany ◽

The Us ◽

Legal Structures ◽

Cooperative Federalism ◽

Energy Expansion

Abstract The Federal Republic of Germany and the United States (US) have adopted different models for energy federalism. Germany allocates more authority to the federal government and the US relies on a decentralized cooperative federalism model that preserves key roles for state actors. This article explores and compares the relevance of federal legal structures for renewable energy expansion in both countries. It sets out the constitutional, statutory, and factual foundations in both Germany and the US, and explores the legal and empirical dimensions of renewable energy expansion at the federal and state levels. The article concludes by drawing several comparative lessons about the significance of federal structures for energy transition processes.

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