Efficient and low-carbon heat and power cogeneration with photovoltaics and thermochemical storage

Wenjia Li, Yong Hao, Hongsheng Wang, Hao Liu and Jun Sui

Applied Energy, 2017, vol. 206, issue C, 1523-1531

Abstract: This study proposes an efficient, flexible and low-carbon combined heating and power (CHP) system with solar energy and methanol as energy inputs. The system features a modular design combining concentrated photovoltaics, methanol thermochemistry and internal combustion engines that enable efficient power generation, effective energy storage and flexible, demand-driven supply of heat and power. Cascaded utilization of solar energy results in a high net solar-to-electric efficiency of 38.9%, while tunable output flexibility of energy allocation between heat and power leads to both coal saving ratio and CO2 emission saving ratio in a wide range between 16.9% and 100%. Effective solar energy storage via methanol-derived syngas enables off-sun operations under normal energy demand conditions up to a few days, and attains round-the-clock heat supply with 41% carbon consumption and CO2 emission savings. The proposed system showcases a practical and efficient means of solar energy utilization complemented by fossil fuels, and provides a potential solution towards imminent energy and environmental challenges worldwide.

Keywords: Combined heating and power; Solar energy; Photovoltaics; Thermochemical energy storage; Low-carbon; Efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261917313934
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:appene:v:206:y:2017:i:c:p:1523-1531

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 405891/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.09.111

Access Statistics for this article

Applied Energy is currently edited by J. Yan

More articles in Applied Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().