Accessibility and Sustainability of Hybrid Energy Systems for a Cement Factory in Oman

Wesam H Beitelmal,Omar Alruwaythi,Wael Alruqi,Fadhil Al Housni,Paul C Okonkwo

doi:10.3390/su13010093

Wesam H Beitelmal, Omar Alruwaythi + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010093

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Abstract

Diesel generators are being used as a source of electricity in different parts of the world. Because of the significant expense in diesels cost and the requirement for a greener domain, such electric generating systems appear not to be efficient and environmentally friendly and should be tended to. This paper explores the attainability of utilizing a sustainable power source based on a cross-breed electric system in the cement factory in Salalah, Oman. The HOMER software that breaks down the system setup was utilized to examine the application and functional limitations of each hybridized plan. The result showed that a renewable-energy (RE)-based system has a lower cost of energy (COE) and net present cost (NPC) compared to diesel generator-based hybrid electric and standalone systems. Although the two pure renewable hybrid energy systems considered in this study displayed evidence of no emissions, lower NPC and COE values are observed in the photovoltaic/battery (PV/B) hybrid energy system compared with photovoltaic/wind turbine/battery (PV/WT/B). The PV/WT/B and PV/B systems have higher electricity production and low NPC and COE values. Moreover, the PV/B has the highest return on investment (ROI) and internal rate of return (IRR), making the system the most economically viable and adjudged to be a better candidate for rural community electrification demands.

Highlights

The demand for fossil fuel is increasing and likely to be limited in supply in the coming years due to government policies, environmental pollution, production, and logistical challenges
HOMER is a micropower optimization software developed by Mistaya Engineering, Canada, for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the USA, and was utilized in this examination to rearrange the assignment of assessing the design of both off-grid and grid-connected power system for an assortment of uses
The main objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and economic viability of utilizing the most effective hybrid energy system to meet the electrical demands of a cement factory located in Salalah, Oman

Summary

Introduction

The demand for fossil fuel is increasing and likely to be limited in supply in the coming years due to government policies, environmental pollution, production, and logistical challenges. Oman is a petroleum and natural gas exporting nation with estimated reserves of 4.7 billion barrels of oil and 25 trillion cu ft of natural gas, the reserve to production ratios (R/P) are only 15 and 18 years, respectively [1]. The arrangement is pointed toward decreasing the nation’s dependence on oil and gas creation by broadening the economy in the industrial and financial areas.

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