Techno-economic optimization for implantation of parabolic trough power plant: Case study of Algeria

Abstract

This paper deals with Hassi R'mel's solar power plant, a solar power plant one (SPPI) located in Algeria's southern region. The current configuration of the SPPI is a 25 MW parabolic trough used with 130 MW connected cycle gas turbines. In this paper, a techno-economic analysis of the solar part of the SPPI is described. A multiobjective optimization process was carried out to find the most favorable conditions, the most suitable parameters, and the solar power plant's optimum design configuration for better energy production in the future. We optimized the solar multiple, the fossil fill fraction of the backup system, and a full load of thermal storage system for the minimum levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and the maximum capacity factor. The results showed that the lowest LCOE reached about 5.83 €/kWh for a solar multiple of 1.6. The optimum value of fossil fill fraction is 0.2, with a capacity factor of 60%, and the best optimization of the storage system is 4 h. The optimum power plant produced 118.26 GWh per year. It was concluded that the use of wet cooling was more economical than dry cooling and that among the heat transfer fluids, Therminol VP1 was the best. The validation of the theoretical results confirmed their agreement with the SPPI and solar energy generation system-VI power plants' experimental data. These findings proved that concentrating solar power may be considered as the right solution in countries in the desert and equatorial regions, the Middle East and North Africa region, especially Algeria, where abundant solar energy is available.