Achieving Techno-Economic Feasibility for Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems through the Production of Energy and Alternative Fuels

Ekua Afrakoma Armoo (), Mutala Mohammed, Satyanarayana Narra, Essossinam Beguedou, Francis Boateng Agyenim and Francis Kemausuor
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Ekua Afrakoma Armoo: Department of Waste and Resource Management, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Mutala Mohammed: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research—Institute of Industrial Research, Accra P.O. Box LG 576, Ghana
Satyanarayana Narra: Department of Waste and Resource Management, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Essossinam Beguedou: Department of Waste and Resource Management, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Francis Boateng Agyenim: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research—Institute of Industrial Research, Accra P.O. Box LG 576, Ghana
Francis Kemausuor: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB, Kumasi AK-039-5028, Ghana

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: In developing countries like Ghana, the conversion of waste into energy is gaining greater interest among policy makers and researchers. The present study investigates the feasibility of producing electricity and/or fuels from a hybrid waste-to-energy pilot plant located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The plant integrates three technologies: anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis and solar PV. The plant has the potential to produce both energy and fuels such as green hydrogen, refuse derived fuels, bio-compressed natural gas and compost. Thus, this study compares the financial feasibility of three scenarios—generating electricity and fuels, generating electricity alone and generating fuels alone—by modelling their energy output and financial performance using RETSCREEN expert 6.0.7.55 and Microsoft Excel 2019 softwares. The results indicate that the multiple products of electricity and fuels provide higher investment interest with a Net Present Value in excess of EUR 13 million and a payback period of 12 years compared to the electricity-only model. Also, converting electricity into fuels alone also provides substantial benefits which can be explored. However, the Levelized Cost of Energy, ranging from 0.3 to 0.68 EUR/kWh, is far above the average residential End User tariff. Overall, this study provides an important methodology for assessing the potential products of future projects.

Keywords: municipal solid waste; green hydrogen; refuse-derived fuels; compost; electricity; bio-CNG; techno-economic analysis; waste to energy; renewable energy (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: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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