Potential of integrating power generation with solar thermal cooling to improve the energy efficiency in a university campus in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Along with the rapid ongoing developments and expansions of the King Abdulaziz University campus, it is sensible to rethink the way electrical and cooling energy is generated and to explore methods to increase energy efficiency in the academic facilities. A conceptual energy master plan for the entire campus has been developed to achieve feasible results which require a substantial reduction in energy demand in the first place. It combines strategies at the master plan level and the micro level (case study: a single building). Establishing a correlating link between the macro and the micro level is imperative to improve the efficiency of the total system. Therefore, possibilities for centralized and decentralized (building related) energy generation have also been investigated to improve the efficiency of the total system. After outlining the general strategies for renewable energy generation on the master plan level in the university campus of King Abdulaziz University, this study explores the potential of increasing the energy efficiency of an individual building. Key energy saving actions have been simulated using IDA-ICE to assess the possibility to release the load on the shared existing and future energy infrastructure. Besides roof-integrated solar panels, the capacity of carport incorporated energy generation has also been analyzed. The results of the study indicate possible substantial savings on the current consumption of non-renewable energy resources and a combined generation of electrical energy and solar thermal cooling can lead to high coverage fraction.