Energy and Environmental Analysis of a Linear Concentrating Photovoltaic System

The world is facing an imminent energy supply crisis. In order to sustain and increase our energy supply in an environmentally-conscious manner, it is necessary to advance renewable technologies. Despite this urgency, however, it is paramount to consider the larger environmental effects associated with using renewable energy resources. This research is meant to better understand linear concentrating photovoltaics (LCPVs) from an engineering and environmental standpoint. In order to analyze the LCPV system, a simulation and life cycle assessment (LCA) were developed. The LCPV system serves two major purposes: it produces electricity, and waste heat is collected for heating use. There are three parts to the LCPV simulation. The first part simulates the multijunction cell output so as to calculate the temperature-dependent electricity generation. The second part simulates the cell cooling and waste heat recovery system using a model consisting of heat transfer and fluid flow equations. The waste heat recovery in the LCPV system was linked to a hot water storage system, which was also modeled. Coupling the waste heat recovery simulation and the hot water storage system gives an overall integrated system that is useful for system design, optimization, and acts as a stepping stone for future multijunction cell Photovoltaic/Thermal (PV/T) systems. Finally, all of the LCPV system components were coded in Engineering Equation Solver (EES) and were used in an energy analysis under actual weather and solar conditions for the Phoenix, AZ, region.The life cycle assessment (LCA) for the LCPV system allowed for an environmental analysis of the system where areas of the highest environmental impact were pinpointed. While conducting the LCA research, each component of the system was analyzed from a resource extraction, production, and use standpoint. The collective production processes of each LCPV system component were gathered into a single inventory of materials and energy flows. From these parameters, an analysis was conducted to identify areas of high environmental impact. This area identification can lead to the optimizing of the corresponding processes or materials so as to reduce the overall impact of the system

Current state and requirements in components and energy systems databases

With the objective to develop a suitable database for the Design4Energy (D4E) workspace, the requirement identification of the component and energy system database started from the analysis of the existing database solutions. The classification, evaluation and analysis of the state of the art of the BIM and energy efficiency oriented database have inspired the requirement identification and also the approach, concept and functionalities design in T3.2. This document then identifies the major related stakeholders of the envisioned platform and project outputs. Taking into account the project objectives and the interests of the analysed stakeholders, this report brings the requirement for simulation outputs which could help the end users or architects to understand the energetic performance of their on-going design, IT requirements in architecture, data structure and interface, as well as the operation and maintenance issues. As another main focus of this document, components and energy systems database (DB) are detailed described. It defines and recommends the parameters for different building components such as wall, roof, floor, windows and doors, lighting system, renewable energy system and HVAC components such as heat pump, boiler, energy storage and distribution. During the research of the database requirement, interviews, questionnaire, literature review, internal discussions with partners and energy experts, investigation of the simulation software and BIM technologies have been the main data sources. The key information presented within this document can be summarised as follows: · Objectives and vision of the component and energy system database. · Analysis of existing database solutions. By classifying the current practices into three categories: construction material database, component database and others such as building type database, different technologies and platforms are analysed. · Identification and analysis of the major stakeholders related to the D4E scope. · Questionnaire design and the collected results · Database requirement in system architecture, interoperability, data structure, user interface and user management. · Database requirement description of the simulation outputs, specifying the interesting data which could help the end users to understand their on-going building design. · Database requirement description of the operation and maintenance related issues. · Database requirement description of building components, including envelope (wall, covers/roof, floor), window and door. The recommended parameters are given in table format. · Database requirement description of energy systems, focusing on the subcategories like lighting system, renewable energy, heat pump, boiler, energy storage and distribution, in each subcategory, requirements for specific technologies are described. Introduction of the strengths and weaknesses of the latest and popular technologies is also included in appendices

A Comprehensive Optimization Framework for Designing Sustainable Renewable Energy Production Systems

As the world has recognized the importance of diversifying its energy resource portfolio away from fossil resources and more towards renewable resources such as biomass, there arises a need for developing strategies which can design renewable sustainable value chains that can be scaled up efficiently and provide tangible net environmental benefits from energy utilization. The objective of this research is to develop and implement a novel decision-making framework for the optimal design of renewable energy systems. The proposed optimization framework is based on a distributed, systematic approach which is composed of different layers including systems-based strategic optimization, detailed mechanistic modeling and operational level optimization. In the strategic optimization the model is represented by equations which describe physical flows of materials across the system nodes and financial flows that result from the system design and material movements. Market uncertainty is also incorporated into the model through stochastic programming. The output of the model includes optimal design of production capacity of the plant for the planning horizon by maximizing the net present value (NPV). The second stage consists of three main steps including simulation of the process in the simulation software, identification of critical sources of uncertainties through global sensitivity analysis, and employing stochastic optimization methodologies to optimize the operating condition of the plant under uncertainty. To exemplify the efficacy of the proposed framework a hypothetical lignocellulosic biorefinery based on sugar conversion platform that converts biomass to value-added biofuels and biobased chemicals is utilized as a case study. Furthermore, alternative technology options and possible process integrations in each section of the plant are analysed by exploiting the advantages of process simulation and the novel hybrid optimization framework. In conjunction with the simulation and optimization studies, the proposed framework develops quantitative metrics to associate economic values with technical barriers. The outcome of this work is a new distributed decision support framework which is intended to help economic development agencies, as well as policy makers in the renewable energy enterprises

The energy efficiency management at urban scale by means of integrated modelling

Innovative technologies such as ICTs are recognized as being a key player against climate change and the use of sensors and actuators can efficiently control the whole energy chain in the Smart Thermal Grids at district level. On the other side, advances on 3D modelling, visualization and interaction technologies enable user profiling and represent part of the holistic approach which aims at integrating renewable energy solutions in the existing building stock. To unlock the potentiality of these technologies, the case study selected for this research focuses on interoperability between Building Information Models (BIM), GIS (Geographic Information System) models and Energy Analysis Models (EAM) for designing Renewable Energy Strategies (RES) among the demonstrator. The objectives aims at making a whole series of data concerning the energy efficiency and reduction at district level usable for various stakeholders, by creating a District Information Model (DIM). The described system also integrates BIM and district level 3D models with real-time data from sensors to analyse and correlate buildings utilization and provide real-time energy-related behaviours. An important role is played by the energy simulation through the EAM for matching measured and simulated data and to assess the energy performance of buildings starting from a BIM model or shared data. With this purpose interoperability tests are carried out between the BIM models and quasi-steady energy analysis tools in order to optimize the calculation of the energy demand according to the Italian technical specification UNI TS 11300. Information about the roofs slope and their orientation from the GIS model are used to predict the use of renewable energy – solar thermal and PV – within the selected buildings (both public and private) of the demonstrator in Turin, Italy. The expected results are a consistent reduction in both energy consume and CO2 emissions by enabling a more efficient energy distribution policies, according to the real characteristics of district buildings as well as a more efficient utilization and maintenance of the energy distribution network, based on social behaviour and users attitudes and demand. In the future the project will allow open access with personal devices and A/R visualization of energy-related information to client applications for energy and cost-analysis, tariff planning and evaluation, failure identification and maintenance, energy information sharing in order to increase the user’s awareness in the field of energy consumption

Performance prediction tools for low impact building design

IT systems are emerging that may be used to support decisions relating to the design of a built enviroment that has low impact in terms of energy use and environmental emissions. This paper summarises this prospect in relation to four complementary application areas: digital cities, rational planning, virtual design and Internet energy services

The EnTrak system : supporting energy action planning via the Internet

Recent energy policy is designed to foster better energy efficiency and assist with the deployment of clean energy systems, especially those derived from renewable energy sources. To attain the envisaged targets will require action at all levels and effective collaboration between disparate groups (e.g. policy makers, developers, local authorities, energy managers, building designers, consumers etc) impacting on energy and environment. To support such actions and collaborations, an Internet-enabled energy information system called 'EnTrak' was developed. The aim was to provide decision-makers with information on energy demands, supplies and impacts by sector, time, fuel type and so on, in support of energy action plan formulation and enactment. This paper describes the system structure and capabilities of the EnTrak system

An Assessment of PIER Electric Grid Research 2003-2014 White Paper

This white paper describes the circumstances in California around the turn of the 21st century that led the California Energy Commission (CEC) to direct additional Public Interest Energy Research funds to address critical electric grid issues, especially those arising from integrating high penetrations of variable renewable generation with the electric grid. It contains an assessment of the beneficial science and technology advances of the resultant portfolio of electric grid research projects administered under the direction of the CEC by a competitively selected contractor, the University of California’s California Institute for Energy and the Environment, from 2003-2014

Improving building energy efficiency: case study

The main purpose of this study was to conduct a study for improving energy efficiency of an important building in Rome, the Headquarters of the Italian State Monopoly. The study was conducted by comparing conventional analysis tools with innovative ones, in order to evaluate the possible solutions, both structural and plant, aimed at the use of renewable sources and at energy saving. After making a thermo graphic survey, the first and useful step for a good energy audit, conduct building energy was simulated, at first in steady state by the use of a software widely used at the professional level, then in transient state by the use of TRNSYS, a finite difference method software which is able to simulate more accurately conduct building energy. The next step was to propose possible redevelopment of a structural and energy plant that promotes the building energy rating higher, finding the right balance between the energetic and economic aspect. Among the interventions plant, two possible workarounds have been proposed and designed in detail: - installation of a photovoltaic system; - installation of a solar cooling system. Both solutions lead to a reduction of electricity consumption with a significant impact in economic and environmental term