Showing papers on "Grid parity published in 2009"

A current and future state of art development of hybrid energy system using wind and PV-solar: A review

Abstract: The wind and solar energy are omnipresent, freely available, and environmental friendly. The wind energy systems may not be technically viable at all sites because of low wind speeds and being more unpredictable than solar energy. The combined utilization of these renewable energy sources are therefore becoming increasingly attractive and are being widely used as alternative of oil-produced energy. Economic aspects of these renewable energy technologies are sufficiently promising to include them for rising power generation capability in developing countries. A renewable hybrid energy system consists of two or more energy sources, a power conditioning equipment, a controller and an optional energy storage system. These hybrid energy systems are becoming popular in remote area power generation applications due to advancements in renewable energy technologies and substantial rise in prices of petroleum products. Research and development efforts in solar, wind, and other renewable energy technologies are required to continue for, improving their performance, establishing techniques for accurately predicting their output and reliably integrating them with other conventional generating sources. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of the design, operation and control requirement of the stand-alone PV solar–wind hybrid energy systems with conventional backup source i.e. diesel or grid. This Paper also highlights the future developments, which have the potential to increase the economic attractiveness of such systems and their acceptance by the user.

Wind power forecasting : state-of-the-art 2009.

Abstract: Many countries and regions are introducing policies aimed at reducing the environmental footprint from the energy sector and increasing the use of renewable energy. In the United States, a number of initiatives have been taken at the state level, from renewable portfolio standards (RPSs) and renewable energy certificates (RECs), to regional greenhouse gas emission control schemes. Within the U.S. Federal government, new energy and environmental policies and goals are also being crafted, and these are likely to increase the use of renewable energy substantially. The European Union is pursuing implementation of its ambitious 20/20/20 targets, which aim (by 2020) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% (as compared to 1990), increase the amount of renewable energy to 20% of the energy supply, and reduce the overall energy consumption by 20% through energy efficiency. With the current focus on energy and the environment, efficient integration of renewable energy into the electric power system is becoming increasingly important. In a recent report, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) describes a model-based scenario, in which wind energy provides 20% of the U.S. electricity demand in 2030. The report discusses a set of technical and economic challenges that have to be overcome for this scenario to unfold. In Europe, several countries already have a high penetration of wind power (i.e., in the range of 7 to 20% of electricity consumption in countries such as Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Denmark). The rapid growth in installed wind power capacity is expected to continue in the United States as well as in Europe. A large-scale introduction of wind power causes a number of challenges for electricity market and power system operators who will have to deal with the variability and uncertainty in wind power generation when making their scheduling and dispatch decisions. Wind power forecasting (WPF) is frequently identified as an important tool to address the variability and uncertainty in wind power and to more efficiently operate power systems with large wind power penetrations. Moreover, in a market environment, the wind power contribution to the generation portofolio becomes important in determining the daily and hourly prices, as variations in the estimated wind power will influence the clearing prices for both energy and operating reserves. With the increasing penetration of wind power, WPF is quickly becoming an important topic for the electric power industry. System operators (SOs), generating companies (GENCOs), and regulators all support efforts to develop better, more reliable and accurate forecasting models. Wind farm owners and operators also benefit from better wind power prediction to support competitive participation in electricity markets against more stable and dispatchable energy sources. In general, WPF can be used for a number of purposes, such as: generation and transmission maintenance planning, determination of operating reserve requirements, unit commitment, economic dispatch, energy storage optimization (e.g., pumped hydro storage), and energy trading. The objective of this report is to review and analyze state-of-the-art WPF models and their application to power systems operations. We first give a detailed description of the methodologies underlying state-of-the-art WPF models. We then look at how WPF can be integrated into power system operations, with specific focus on the unit commitment problem.

Solar and wind opportunities for water desalination in the Arab regions

Abstract: Despite the abundance of renewable energy resources in the Arab region, the use of solar thermal, solar photovoltaics, and wind is still in its technological and economic infancy. Great potential exists, but economic constraints have impeded more rapid growth for many applications. These technologies have certainly advanced technically over the last quarter century to the point where they should now be considered clean-energy alternatives to fossil fuels. For the Arab countries and many other regions of the world, potable water is becoming as critical a commodity as electricity. As renewable energy technologies advance and environmental concerns rise, these technologies are becoming more interesting partners for powering water desalination projects. We evaluate the current potential and viability of solar and wind, emphasizing the strict mandate for accurate, reliable site-specific resource data. Water desalination can be achieved through either thermal energy (using phase-change processes) or electricity (driving membrane processes), and these sources are best matched to the particular desalination technology. Desalination using solar thermal can be accomplished by multistage flash distillation, multi-effect distillation, vapor compression, freeze separation, and solar still methods. Concentrating solar power offers the best match to large-scale plants that require both high-temperature fluids and electricity. Solar and wind electricity can be effective energy sources for reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, and ultra- and nano-filtration. All these water desalination processes have special operational and high energy requirements that put additional requisites on the use of solar and wind to power these applications. We summarize the characteristics of the various desalination technologies. The effective match of solar thermal, solar photovoltaics, and wind to each of these is discussed in detail. An economic analysis is provided that incorporates energy consumption, water production levels, and environmental benefits in its model. Finally, the expected evolution of the renewable technologies over the near- to mid-term is discussed with the implications for desalination applications over these timeframes.

Update on the Cost of Nuclear Power

Abstract: We update the cost of nuclear power as calculated in the MIT (2003) Future of Nuclear Power study. Our main focus is on the changing cost of construction of new plants. The MIT (2003) study provided useful data on the cost of then recent builds in Japan and the Republic of Korea. We provide similar data on later builds in Japan and the Republic of Korea as well as a careful analysis of the forecasted costs on some recently proposed plants in the US. Using the updated cost of construction, we calculate a levelized cost of electricity from nuclear power. We also update the cost of electricity from coal- and gas-fired power plants and compare the levelized costs of nuclear, coal and gas. The results show that the cost of constructing a nuclear plant have approximately doubled. The cost of constructing coal-fired plants has also increased, although perhaps just as importantly, the cost of the coal itself spiked dramatically, too. Capital costs are a much smaller fraction of the cost of electricity from gas, so it is the recent spike in the price of natural gas that have contributed to the increased cost of electricity. These results document changing prices leading up to the current economic and financial crisis, and do not incorporate how this crisis may be currently affecting prices.

Development Trends and Economics of Innovative Solar Power Generation Technologies: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract: In this paper we compare development trends, economics and financial risks of alternative large-scale solar power generation technologies (parabolic trough, solar tower, and three different photovoltaic technologies). In particular, a number of European countries, Algeria and the US promote solar power generation. In oure study, we investigate the economic viability of the solar trough projects Andasol-I (Spain), Nevada Solar One (US), the solar tower projects PS-10 and Solar Tres (Spain), and the three PV projects Solarpark Waldpolenz (Germany), Parque Solar Beneixama (Spain) and Nellis Solar Power Plant (US). To this end, we employ a battery of economic indicators, such as net present value (NPV), return on investment (ROI), alternative discount rate (ADR), and amortization time (Ta), and also perform a detailed sensitivity analysis. We find that, in the absence of subsidization, current solar technologies cannot compete with conventional power plant technologies. Overall, we conclude that for realizing the Europe-Middle East-North Africa (EUMENA) Mediterranean ring connection, more research and development is needed on solar power generation technologies for making them sufficiently attractive on economic grounds.

A probabilistic reliability evaluation of a power system including Solar/Photovoltaic cell generator

Abstract: Renewable energy resources such as wind, wave, solar, micro hydro, tidal and biomass among others are becoming more important because of increasingly restricted environmental constraints. Production of electrical energy using solar energy falls next to wind energy among all renewable energy sources. While a two-state model is well suited for modeling conventional generators, a multi-state model is needed for modeling solar/photovoltaic cell generators due to the random variation of solar radiation. This makes the method of finding reliability evaluation indices of solar cell generators different from the conventional generators. This paper presents a method suited for the purpose and presents details of a reliability evaluation study on a power system with solar cell generators. Test results indicate the viability of the method.

Crystalline silicon solar module technology: Towards the 1 € per watt-peak goal

Abstract: Crystalline silicon solar module manufacturing cost is analysed, from feedstock to final product, regarding the equipment, labour, materials, yield losses and fixed cost contributions. Data provided by European industrial partners are used to describe a reference technology and to obtain its cost breakdown. The analysis of the main cost drivers allows to define new generation technologies suitable to reduce module cost towards the short-term goal of 1 € per watt-peak. This goal roughly corresponds with the cost level needed to enable ‘grid parity’: the situation solar electricity becomes competitive with retail electricity. The new technologies are described and their costs are analysed. Cost reductions due to scale effects in production are also assessed for next generation manufacturing plants with capacities in the range of several hundreds of megawatts to one gigawatt of module power per year, which are to come in the near future. The combined effects of technology development and economies of scale bring the direct manufacturing costs of wafer-based crystalline silicon solar modules down into the range of 0·9–1·3 € per watt-peak, according to current insights and information (the range results from differences between technologies as well as from uncertainties per technology). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Economic analysis of power generation from floating solar chimney power plant

Abstract: Solar chimney thermal power technology that has a long life span is a promising large-scale solar power generating technology. This paper performs economic analysis of power generation from floating solar chimney power plant (FSCPP) by analyzing cash flows during the whole service period of a 100 MW plant. Cash flows are influenced by many factors including investment, operation and maintenance cost, life span, payback period, inflation rate, minimum attractive rate of return, non-returnable subsidy rate, interest rate of loans, sale price of electricity, income tax rate and whether additional revenue generated by carbon credits is included or not. Financial incentives and additional revenue generated by carbon credits can accelerate the development of the FSCPP. Sensitivity analysis to examine the effects of the factors on cash flows of a 100 MW FSCPP is performed in detail. The results show that the minimum price for obtaining minimum attractive rate of return (MARR) of 8% reaches 0.83 yuan (kWh)−1 under financial incentives including loans at a low interest rate of 2% and free income tax. Comparisons of economics of the FSCPP and reinforced concrete solar chimney power plant or solar photovoltaic plant are also performed by analyzing their cash flows. It is concluded that FSCPP is in reality more economical than reinforced concrete solar chimney power plant (RCSCPP) or solar photovoltaic plant (SPVP) with the same power capacity.

Tracking the Sun: The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the U.S. from 1998-2007

Abstract: As installations of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have grown, so too has the desire to track the installed cost of these systems over time, by system characteristics, by system location, and by component. This report helps to fill this need by summarizing trends in the installed cost of grid-connected PV systems in the United States from 1998 through 2007. The report is based on an analysis of installed cost data from nearly 37,000 residential and non-residential PV systems, totaling 363 MW of capacity, and representing 76percent of all grid-connected PV capacity installed in the U.S. through 2007.

Situation and outlook of solar energy utilization in Tibet, China

Abstract: The near-exponential rise in tourist numbers and accelerating economic growth have challenged Tibetan energy supply and threaten its peculiar environment and valuable ecosystem. Exploitation of pollution free solar power may medicate this demand for energy. Here we shall provide a review of solar power development in Tibet. This region has a near inexhaustible source of solar energy due to its average annual radiation intensity of 6000–8000 MJ/m2, ranking it first in China and second after the Sahara worldwide. Currently, Tibet has 400 photovoltaic power stations with a total capacity of nearly 9 MW. In addition, 260,000 solar energy stoves, passive solar house heating covering 3 million square meters, and 400,000 m2 of passive solar water heaters are currently in use in Tibet. Although Tibet places first in applying solar energy in China, solar energy faces big challenges from hydroelectric power and the absence of local know-how. The new power generation capacity in Tibet's “11th Five-Year (2006–2010)” Plan focuses primarily on hydropower, PV power stations being relegated to a secondary role as supplementary to hydropower. Here it will be argued that this emphasis is incorrect and that solar energy should take first place in Tibet's energy development, as it is crucial in striving for a balance between economic development, booming tourism, and environmental protection.

Economic Dispatch for Power System included Wind and Solar Thermal energy

Abstract: With the fast development of technologies of alternative energy, the electric power network can be composed of several renewable energy resources. The energy resources have various characteristics in terms of operational costs and reliability. In this study, the problem is the Economic Environmental Dispatching (EED) of hybrid power system including wind and solar thermal energies. Renewable energy resources depend on the data of the climate such as the wind speed for wind energy, solar radiation and the temperature for solar thermal energy. In this article it proposes a methodology to solve this problem. The resolution takes account of the fuel costs and reducing of the emissions of the polluting gases. The resolution is done by the Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm (SPEA) method and the simulations have been made on an IEEE network test (30 nodes, 8 machines and 41 lines).

Strategic framework of an energy management of a microgrid with a photovoltaic-based active generator

Abstract: By taking into account the fluctuations of renewable energy based power production (photovoltaic panels) and the ancillary services supply to a microgrid (improvement of the availability and capacity of the power from Renewable Energy Source, uninterruptible supply of critical loads, micro grid power quality improvement, peak shaving, load shifting, reactive power supply/compensation etc.), this paper describes an energy management of a micro grid with a PV-based active generator. This energy supervision is implemented into two parts: a central energy management of the microgrid and a local power management in the active generator. Between them information and orders are exchanged. Our energy supervision is organized in different functions. In this paper we present the following functions: the prediction of the power production and the load forecasting; power planning and the real time power regulation.

Power system operation with large-scale wind power in liberalised environments

Abstract: Our society revolves around electricity. Most electricity is produced from fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas. The disadvantages are that their supply is finite and unevenly distributed across the earth. Conventional power stations also emit greenhouse gases. Therefore, sustainable alternativees must be developed, such as wind power. The disadvantages of wind are that it may or may not blow and that it is unpredictable. Th generation of electricity must however always equal the consumption. This makes the integration of wind power in the electricity system more difficult. This Ph.D.-theis investigates the integration of wind power into the existing power system. Simulation models are developed and used to explore the operation of power systems with a lot of wind power. The simulations provide a picture of the reliability, cost and emission of CO2 of the generation of electricity, with and without wind power. The research also takes into account electricity exchange on international markets. Possible solutions for integrating wind power, such as flexible power plants and energy storage, are investigated as well.

Harnessing the sun

Abstract: Now is the time to plan for the integration of significant quantities of solar energy into the electricity grid. Although solar energy constitutes a very small portion of our energy system today, the size of the resource is enormous: The earth receives more energy from the sun in one hour than the global population uses in an entire year. In addition, the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry is growing very rapidly, sustaining an annual growth rate of more than 40% for the last decade. The combination of this rapid growth, falling costs, and a vast technical potential could make solar energy a serious contender for meeting our future energy needs.

Wind-solar resource complementarity and its combined correlation with electricity load demand

Abstract: The paper presents analysis of wind and solar data for the same geographical location. The wind speed data taken at ground level are calibrated to evaluate the resource available for a large wind turbine with a hub height of approximate 80m. The correlation of each resource data against the electricity load demand for an entire year is then calculated separately and selected results are documented. The combined availability of wind and solar source against the same electricity demand and the respective correlation are also studied confirming that there is a strong complementarity between the two resources although such level of complementarity depends profoundly upon the location. It is shown that a combined resource can effectively deliver energy to the electricity grid when load demand experiences peaks, hence strengthening the case for further integration of wind and solar sources with the electricity grid. The study used actual weather data reported for the Sydney Airport and electricity load for New South Wales, Australia.

Toward a Low-Carbon Economy: Municipal Financing for Energy Efficiency and Solar Power

Abstract: he economic and environmental need to transition to a low-carbon economy is now at the forefront of energy science, engineering, and policy discussions in the United States and internationally. Former Vice President Al Gore has called for a carbon-free electricity supply in the United States by 2018, and in California, Japan, and the United Kingdom, a growing list of municipalities have legislated 70–80 percent or higher reductions in their greenhouse gas emissions over the next four to five decades. These cuts are consistent with the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Thus far much of the effort has been focused on technology and policy solutions, with very little attention given to how this change can be enabled through creative financing.

Grid-Parity Analysis for EU and US Regions and Market Segments - Dynamics of Grid-Parity and Dependence on Solar Irradiance, Local Electricity Prices and PV Progress Ratio

Abstract: Grid-parity is a very important milestone for further photovoltaic (PV) diffusion. A grid-parity model is presented, which is based on levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) coupled with the experience curve approach. Relevant assumptions for the model are given and its key driving forces are discussed in detail. Results of the analysis are shown for all member states of the European Union and the United States of America, respectively. High PV industry growth rates enable a fast reduction of LCOE. Depletion of fossil fuel resources and climate change mitigation forces societies to internalize these effects and pave the way for sustainable energy technologies. In the EU and the US, first grid-parity events will occur in late 2009 or early 2010 in Italy and Hawaii, respectively. The 2010s are characterized by ongoing grid-parity events throughout the most regions in the EU and the US, reaching an addressable market of about 90% and 65% of total electricity market, respectively. In parallel to grid-parity events, next milestones for PV industry will be diesel-parity and natural gas-parity. Reaching grid-parity will require new political frameworks for maximizing social benefits. PV technology is on the pathway to become a highly competitive energy technology.

Solar and wind energy potential in GCC countries and some related projects

Abstract: The paper highlights the solar and wind energy potentials in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The potential projects in each GCC country are also highlighted herein. We are expecting that the amount of new solar and wind electricity by 2015 in these countries may reach 5000MW distributed as follows: 1000MW in Bahrain, Qatar, 3500MW solar electricity, UAE: 400MW, and Kuwait and Oman: few MW. The paper also proposes a mechanism to accelerate the renewable energy utility in these countries.

Distributed hybrid renewable energy power plant and methods, systems, and comptuer readable media for controlling a distributed hybrid renewable energy power plant

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes a distributed hybrid renewable energy power plant One exemplary hybrid renewable energy power plant includes a plurality of renewable energy power generation sources that are distributed over a geographic area A plurality of grid interface boxes connect each of the renewable energy power generation sources to a power distribution grid, measure power output by each of the renewable energy power generation sources, and regulate power delivered to the grid by each of the renewable energy power generation sources A plant front end communicates with the grid interface boxes, determines a total output power available from the renewable energy power generation sources based on instantaneous power available from each of the renewable energy power generation sources, determines a statistical availability of the total output power based on weather and other conditions affecting power output from the renewable energy power generation sources, and outputs the total output power and the statistical availability to an energy management system

A Novel Solar Thermal Power Plant with Floating Chimney Stiffened onto a Mountainside and Potential of the Power Generation in China's Deserts

Abstract: A novel solar thermal power plant with a floating chimney stiffened on a mountainside segment by segment is proposed. The novel power plant is suitable for the special topography in China (i.e., a vast desert belt surrounded by high mountain chains up to thousands of meters). An investigation of its performance is carried out using a simple mathematical model. The levelized electricity cost and the potential of the proposed solar chimney power generation in the large desert regions in Northwest China are also estimated. The results show that the levelized electricity cost of the proposed power generation is competitive with that of clean coal power plant, that the potential power obtained from the proposed power plant in the Taklamakan Desert or the Badain Jaran Desert can satisfy the total electricity consumption in China, and that the total potential power in the twelve deserts and sands, reaching 25,761 TWh per year, can even supply the electric power needs over the world, which are rapidly increasing.

Characterisation of Solar Electricity Import Corridors from MENA to Europe

Abstract: The huge solar resources in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) countries, significant improvements in solar electricity generation and power transmission technologies, and the growing need for the decarbonisation of European electricity supply leads to increased interest in an EUMENA electricity grid interconnection. The objective of this analysis was to specify the long term potential and probable routes for solar electricity import from MENA countries to Europe, and to provide technical and cost data for electricity generation and power transmission options. Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants including high temperature heat storage and high voltage direct current (HVDC) lines for power transmission represent the key technologies for implementing this most promising option for the import of renewable energy to Europe.