Abstract
The current study is an economic evaluation and feasibility study of hybrid microgrid Net Zero Energy Buildings in Pakistan. A Net Zero Energy approach is proposed for a two-story hospital building situated in Taxila, Pakistan. Consequently, to design a hybrid Net Zero Energy Building, the solar radiation potential of the subject location and electricity usage of the hospital are estimated. The proposed hybrid microgrid Net Zero Energy Building comprises photovoltaic modules and converters. However, the thermal load is computed as a grid-connected hybrid system. Economic evaluation is performed by using economic indicators of the net present cost and the payback period. Also, initial and operational costs are determined, to determine the profitability of the project. Results show that the analysis is a cost-effective approach and has a payback period of 2.53y. Additionally, the per-unit cost of electricity is reduced to 0.12 USD/kWh. Moreover, the energy produced by a hybrid system is 10.24% more economical than that of the pre-working grid system. Results explain the reduction in the cost of energy and profit margin in electricity generation and the increase in electricity production and feasibility of hybrid Net Zero Energy Buildings in Pakistan. Research will help to develop an approach toward an IEA task 47 in Pakistan with the possible development of simulation-based installations of Net Zero Energy Buildings in the health sector in Pakistan.
Highlights
In the past few decades, energy consumption in buildings has been increased to 30% worldwide (Ji et al, 2017; Si et al, 2018)
Economic evaluation for NZEB conversion of a hospital building is performed by three main operations of HOMER software: simulation, optimization, and sensitivity analysis
To attain maximum advantage from the proposed hybrid NZEB system, the designing of the building, calculation of thermal load, simulation, and optimization of the suggested hybrid microgrid NZEB were all performed in HOMER Pro
Summary
In the past few decades, energy consumption in buildings has been increased to 30% worldwide (Ji et al, 2017; Si et al, 2018). Many researchers are already working on various renewable energy systems to reduce capital costs and increase energy production. The importance of simulation and optimization techniques is highlighted by working on PEM fuel cells in the energy sector. Results conclude that by the simulation of operating pressures and voltage parameters as working parameters, the Hybrid Net Zero Energy Building energy and exergy efficiencies are 47.6 and 50.4%, respectively (Taneer, 2018). The simple payback period was thought to be 2.32y (Taneer et al, 2018). The main aim of the research was to reduce capital cost with an increase in the production of turbine power. By way of a well-structured analysis, the unit cost ought to be 3.142 [$/kW] with a payback period of 4.32 years (Taneer and Sivrioglu, 2017)
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