The Role of Earth Observation Satellites in Maximizing Renewable Energy Production: Case Studies Analysis for Renewable Power Plants

Mariarosa Argentiero,Pasquale Marcello Falcone

doi:10.3390/su12052062

Abstract

This paper is based on a novel approach towards clean energy production, i.e., space innovative applications toward sustainable development. Specifically, the role of Earth observation (EO) satellites in maximizing renewable energy production is considered to show the enormous potential in exploiting sustainable energy generation plants when the Earth is mapped by satellites to provide some peculiar parameters (e.g., solar irradiance, wind speed, precipitation, climate conditions, geothermal data). In this framework, RETScreen clean energy management software can be used for numerical analysis, such as energy generation and efficiency, prices, emission reductions, financial viability and hazard of various types of renewable-energy and energy-efficient technologies (RETs), based on a large database of satellite parameters. This simplifies initial assessments and provides streamlined processes that enable funders, architects, designers, regulators, etc. to make decisions on future clean energy initiatives. After describing the logic of life cycle analysis of RETScreen, two case studies (Mexicali and Toronto) on multiple technologies power plant are analyzed. The different results obtained, when projecting the two scenarios, showed how the software could be useful in the pre-feasibility phase to discriminate the type of installation not efficient for the selected location or not convenient in terms of internal rate of return (IRR) on equity.

Highlights

Finding an effective way to deal with current resource depletion and climate change will require soon a complete transformation of existing unsustainable energy systems [1]
Further tools have been developed, as databases or atlases, depicting only a small set of parameters; among these tools, we found the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resource (POWER) project aimed to improve the current renewable energy data set and to create a new database from new satellite systems
The space industry, and related applications and tools, gives rise to a significant and innovative approach to clean energy generation; it is enough to think that starting from satellite missions, providing more and more accurate weather information, we are able to map every area of the globe, overcoming data limitation due to the lack of meteorological ground stations

Summary

Introduction

Finding an effective way to deal with current resource depletion and climate change will require soon a complete transformation of existing unsustainable energy systems [1]. NASA’s commitment to Earth, the atmosphere and green technologies continues today through solar arrays and fuel cells projects, EO satellite applications, more powerful spaceships, more efficient climate models and air, water and waste recycling processes This is giving a strong enhancement for our planet’s clean energy programs while advancing in highly technological research for science, aeronautics and space exploration tasks [20]. Copernicus is the European Union (EU) EO and monitoring program, which looks to our planet and its environment for the ultimate benefit of all European citizens It aims at providing accurate and accessible data to improve environment management and understanding of climate Scuhsataningaebileitfyfe20c2t0s, 1[22,22]0.62Copernicus primarily draws on data collected from EO satellites, but it aolfs1o9 depends on a large amount of information gathered in situ (meaning on-site or local) measurement sCCyoosppteeeIImrrnnnnsiiFFccmuuiiggsasuudpprrerereooagg11v,r,raaaittmmlhhaeeb.. It aims at providing accurate and accessible data to improve environment management and understanding of climate Scuhsataningaebileitfyfe20c2t0s, 1[22,22]0.62Copernicus primarily draws on data collected from EO satellites, but it aolfs1o9 depends on a large amount of information gathered in situ (meaning on-site or local) measurement sCCyoosppteeeIImrrnnnnsiiFFccmuuiiggsasuudpprrerereooagg11v,r,raaaittmmlhhaeeb.. leSSeebnnyttiitnnheeellMffaaemmmiibllyyeriiSsstaddtiiesssppollaafyytehedde,,EwwUhhtioicchhtheccoopnnrssottgiittruuatmteessmttehh.ee ssppaaccee sseeggmmeenntt ooff tthhee

Materials and Methods

Findings

Conclusions