Analyzing the Energy Utilization Efficiency of Renewable Energy Resources. Part 2: Exergy Analysis Method

Abstract

Exergy analysis is a powerful tool in the design, simulation and performance evaluation of thermal and thermo chemical systems. A particular thermo dynamical system is the society of a country or a region. This method of exergy analysis has recently been used with an increasing interest to assess the energy utilization efficiencies of countries. Part 2 of the present study, which consists of two parts, analyzes the energy utilization efficiency of renewable energy resources (RERs) by using exergy analysis, while energy analysis of RERs has been presented in Part 1. Turkey, with a projected population of 76,840,418 in 2010, is analyzed as an application country. RERs studied are used in the Turkish conversion, residential-commercial and industrial subsectors. Total exergy inputs are projected to be 7,400.34 PJ, while RERs production values are expected to be 580.20 PJ. The energy and exergy efficiency values for the RERs of Turkey are projected to be 60.99% and 44.30% in 2010, respectively. Besides this, total energy and exergy utilization efficiency values for those are forecasted to be 49.85 and 27.94% in the same year, respectively. The present study has clearly indicated the necessity of the planned studies towards increasing RERs utilization efficiency in the subsectors studied, and especially the critical role of policymakers in establishing effective energy-efficiency delivery mechanisms throughout the country.