A novel integrated solar tri-generation system for cooling, freshwater and electricity production purpose: Energy, economic and environmental performance analysis

Abstract

This article presents the results of a thermodynamic-economic-environmental analysis of integrating linear Fresnel reflector (LFR) with a tri-generation system. The optimal integrated solar field size has been identified and the pertinent reduction in CO2 emissions due to solar integration is estimated. For the considered tri-generation plant (that is required to produce 110 MWe of electricity from steam turbines, 45461 m3/day of freshwater and 2300 kg/s of chilled water), the study revealed that the optimal configuration is the integration of 83.6 hectares of LFR solar field with the tri-generation plant of 130 MWe, which gives a levelized electricity cost of 6.37 USȻ/kWh with 96.40 k-tonne reduction of the annual CO2 emission. The study also revealed that the integration of LFR technology with a conventional tri-generation system (TGS) in high insolation regions has more economic feasibility compared to equivalent TGS integrated with CO2 capturing technology while achieving the same emissions reduction result.