Demand-Side Optimal Sizing of a Solar Energy–Biomass Hybrid System for Isolated Greenhouse Environments: Methodology and Application Example

Juan D. Gil, Jerónimo Ramos-Teodoro, José A. Romero-Ramos, Rodrigo Escobar, José M. Cardemil, Cynthia Giagnocavo and Manuel Pérez
Additional contact information
Juan D. Gil: Department of Informatics, ceiA3, University of Almeria, Ctra. Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain
Jerónimo Ramos-Teodoro: Department of Informatics, ceiA3, University of Almeria, Ctra. Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain
José A. Romero-Ramos: CIESOL Research Center on Solar Energy, Joint Center UAL-CIEMAT, University of Almeria, Ctra. Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain
Rodrigo Escobar: Escuela de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Santiago, Chile
José M. Cardemil: Escuela de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Santiago, Chile
Cynthia Giagnocavo: Department of Economics and Business, ceiA3, University of Almería, Ctra. Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain
Manuel Pérez: CIESOL Research Center on Solar Energy, Joint Center UAL-CIEMAT, University of Almeria, Ctra. Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-22

Abstract: The water–energy–food nexus has captured the attention of many researchers and policy makers for the potential synergies between those sectors, including the development of self-sustainable solutions for agriculture systems. This paper poses a novel design approach aimed at balancing the trade-off between the computational burden and accuracy of the results. The method is based on the combination of static energy hub models of the system components and rule-based control to simulate the operational costs over a one-year period as well as a global optimization algorithm that provides, from those results, a design that maximizes the solar energy contribution. The presented real-world case study is based on an isolated greenhouse, whose water needs are met due to a desalination facility, both acting as heat consumers, as well as a solar thermal field and a biomass boiler that cover the demand. Considering the Almerian climate and 1 ha of tomato crops with two growing seasons, the optimal design parameters were determined to be (with a solar fraction of 16% and a biomass fraction of 84%): 266 m 2 for the incident area of the solar field, 425 kWh for the thermal storage system, and 4234 kW for the biomass-generated power. The Levelized Cost of Heat (LCOH) values obtained for the solar field and biomass boiler were 0.035 and 0.078 €/kWh, respectively, and the discounted payback period also confirmed the profitability of the plant for fuel prices over 0.05 €/kWh. Thus, the proposed algorithm is useful as an innovative decision-making tool for farmers, for whom the burden of transitioning to sustainable farming systems might increase in the near future.

Keywords: global optimization; energy hubs; thermal desalination; greenhouse agriculture; levelized cost of heat; water–energy–food nexus and optimal design (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: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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