Comparative Analysis and Design of a Solar-Based Parabolic Trough–ORC Cogeneration Plant for a Commercial Center

Eduardo A. Pina, Luis M. Serra, Miguel A. Lozano, Adrián Hernández and Ana Lázaro
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Eduardo A. Pina: Group of Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems (GITSE) of Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Calle María de Luna sn, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Luis M. Serra: Group of Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems (GITSE) of Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Calle María de Luna sn, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Miguel A. Lozano: Group of Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems (GITSE) of Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Calle María de Luna sn, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Adrián Hernández: Group of Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems (GITSE) of Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Calle María de Luna sn, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Ana Lázaro: Group of Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems (GITSE) of Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Calle María de Luna sn, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-29

Abstract: This paper performs technical, economic and environmental feasibility analyses of two different solar cogeneration plants, consisting of a solar system (a parabolic trough collector field coupled with thermal energy storage), an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), and mechanical chillers, that should cover the electrical and cooling demands of a commercial center located in Zaragoza (Spain). System A is hybridized with an auxiliary biomass boiler that complements the solar system’s thermal production, providing a constant heat supply to the ORC, which operates at full load during the operating hours of the solar system. In contrast, system B is not hybridized with biomass, so the ORC is fully driven by the solar system, operating at partial load according to the solar resource availability. Both systems are connected to the electrical grid, allowing electricity purchases and sales when needed. The design procedure involves the sizing of the equipment as well as the modelling of the hourly behavior of each system throughout the year. The physical analysis is complemented by an economic assessment, which considers investment and variable costs, as well as an estimate of the significant environmental benefits of the proposed plants. The solar plants are compared to a conventional system in which all the electrical consumption is covered with electricity purchased from the grid. The costs of the electricity produced by systems A and B are estimated at 0.2030 EUR/kWh and 0.1458 EUR/kWh, which are about 49% and 7% higher than the electricity purchase price in Spain (0.1363 EUR/kWh). These results indicate that while none of the solar plants are presently competitive with the conventional system, system B (without biomass hybridization) is actually closer to economic feasibility in the short and medium term than system A (with biomass hybridization).

Keywords: biomass; commercial center; CSP; parabolic trough; solar cogeneration; solar cooling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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