Assessment Of Renewable Energy Potential Research Articles

A geospatial assessment of the techno-economic wind and solar potential of Mongolia

Even though the country's geographic and climatic characteristics are favourable for renewable energy technology, Mongolia's power infrastructure has a large carbon footprint. Therefore, it is crucial to determine Mongolia's economic potential for solar and wind energy. The technological and financial potential of solar and wind energy in Mongolia is determined in a two-step approach while considering the geographical feasibility. In order to include physical-geographical limits such as slope and socio-geographical constraints such as protected areas in the assessment of renewable energy potential, a GIS-based technique for assessing the appropriateness of possible renewable energy sites is first created. This is followed by an energy potential tool which calculates the technical and economic potential. The combined technical wind and solar potential is estimated to be 7.25TW capacity and 12.17PWh/year of electricity. The results indicate an economic wind potential capacity of 0 to 73.36GW (0 to 123.10TWh/year). The economic potential of ground-mounted PV is 5.12TW (9.57PWh/year) and rooftop PV is 1.11GW (1.92TWh/year). In addition, the estimated area suitable for wind power plants is 325 431 km2, ground-mounted PV is 118 484 km2 and rooftop PV is about 27 km2.

Regression-based spatial GIS analysis for an accurate assessment of renewable energy potential

This work aims to evaluate technically and economically the performance of a large photovoltaic power plant, emphasizing the potential of the eastern region of Morocco for the production of electricity and hydrogen. We used weather data from about 24 cities and based on the simulation of a 110 MW power plant by the SAM (System Advisor Module) software. The required data is collected and then implemented in a regression model to obtain a suitable energy production equation. This assessment method aims to provide high-resolution GIS maps and provide accurate data on the techno-economic potential of the plant in the region as well as the amounts of hydrogen that can be produced. The findings reveal that at the regional level, the simulation of the available power plant potential gives good results. The use of a regression model instead of the interpolation methods provided by GIS software allows us to obtain a better cartographic resolution, this last one depends certainly on the resolution of the spatial data used in the prediction, as far as data resolution and quality are good, as far as the results are better too.

Sustainable Tourism and Renewable Energy’s Potential: A Local Development Proposal for the La Florida Community, Huaral, Peru

Tourism contributes 10% to global gross domestic product (GDP), yet it generates 5% of all anthropogenic CO2, while 50 to 60% of carbon emissions are indirectly related to the sector. High levels of poverty afflict rural areas in developing countries, and sustainable tourism based on renewable energy is an ideal approach to generate local development. Our objectives are thus to gauge sustainable tourism’s influence on local development in the community of La Florida, Huaral, Peru and to evaluate the potential of renewable energy (solar and wind power) to propose an eco-efficient business alternative. A non-experimental, quantitative approach was used, in which 265 local residents completed a survey to ascertain their perspectives on the proposal. Moreover, the potential for solar and wind energy was measured to identify sustainable alternatives that residents might incorporate into local ventures. The results demonstrate a relationship between sustainable tourism and local development, as tourism activity enables community members to improve their quality of life and offers them the opportunity to generate new enterprises. Likewise, the assessment of renewable energy potential confirms its feasibility in this area.

Performance Analysis of Photovoltaic Systems and Energy Return on the Environment Economy

Using fossil fuels and non-renewable forms of energy has many adverse effects on the global ecosystem, and global demand exceeds the limited available resources. Renewable energy is one of the essential elements of social and economic development in any civilized country. This study comprises a feasibility study of the implementation of PV systems in a hybrid diesel network and analyzes the relationship between the effective uses of photovoltaic systems, the return of energy to the environment, and that country’s national economy. As a potential solution for the public and private utilities, the sunny web design application was used to calculate of all equipment requirements, presents a cost-effective analysis of electricity saving, and simulate PV/diesel-hybrid systems. Detailed results show that using photovoltaic systems can foster positive developments in several areas (for cost comparisons, effective savings, sensitivity analyses, photovoltaic system costs, photovoltaic system financing, generator operation, and investment costs) for up to 20 years or more and simultaneously reduce CO2 emissions significantly. Therefore, this study conducts an intensive assessment of renewable energy potential for government and private facilities (ministries, universities, hospitals, schools, etc.), which will provide useful insights for renewable energy engineers.

The Forest Observation System, building a global reference dataset for remote sensing of forest biomass

Forest biomass is an essential indicator for monitoring the Earth’s ecosystems and climate. It is a critical input to greenhouse gas accounting, estimation of carbon losses and forest degradation, assessment of renewable energy potential, and for developing climate change mitigation policies such as REDD+, among others. Wall-to-wall mapping of aboveground biomass (AGB) is now possible with satellite remote sensing (RS). However, RS methods require extant, up-to-date, reliable, representative and comparable in situ data for calibration and validation. Here, we present the Forest Observation System (FOS) initiative, an international cooperation to establish and maintain a global in situ forest biomass database. AGB and canopy height estimates with their associated uncertainties are derived at a 0.25 ha scale from field measurements made in permanent research plots across the world’s forests. All plot estimates are geolocated and have a size that allows for direct comparison with many RS measurements. The FOS offers the potential to improve the accuracy of RS-based biomass products while developing new synergies between the RS and ground-based ecosystem research communities.

Assessment of renewable energy potential in Kwazulu-Natal province, South Africa

In order to overcome the electricity demand in the country and in its effort to reduce the greenhouse gas emission and climate change, South African (SA) government is encouraging research in the field of renewable energy (RE). Higher educational institutions in each province are involve in different renewable energy projects found by provincial governments and private companies. This paper presents an evaluation of RE potential sources in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). It is found that KZN province has a RE potential exploitable of about 45 GW divided into 53.63 % of global normal irradiance (GHI), 23.28 % of direct normal irradiance (DNI), 13.52 % of wind energy, 9.51 % of geothermal and 0.06 % of biomass energy that can be converted into electricity, ocean energy and hydropower excluded. With the results exposed in this article, further investigations can be done to determine the net electrical energy that can be produced from those sources for design of RE systems and energy harvesting as well as the appropriate areas to install RE systems.

Integrated assessment of renewable energy potential: Approach and application in rural South Africa

This paper presents the development and application of the Integrated Renewable Energy Potential Assessment (IREPA), employing a three-pronged approach: (i) literature review of renewable energy potential assessment methodologies, renewable energy technology (RET) selection factors and impact assessment methods; (ii) discussions with academic peers from natural and social sciences, and the private energy engineering sector; (iii) evaluation of the IREPA methodology through case-study research in a rural community in South Africa. Locally relevant social, institutional, environmental and techno-economic factors were explored through mutual knowledge exchange with smallholders and subsequently applied for appropriate RET selection. Three barriers to participatory decision-making were revealed: i) lack of knowledge ofrenewable energy among smallholders; ii) insufficient practical information dissemination in IREPA; iii) abstract nature of the analytical hierarchy process. The adaptions recommended by this research would render IREPA a suitable bottom-up approach for the assessment and effective implementation of RET, stimulating socio-economic development in rural areas.

Renewable Energy Potential for Sustainable Long-Term Electricity Energy Planning: A Bottom-up Model Application

This paper presents a preliminary assessment of renewable energy potential for long-term electricity energy planning. In order to implement a sustainable supply-demand framework, renewable energy resources consist of geothermal and solar energy based power plants are included in a bottom-up accounting based model along with energy efficient and energy conservation approach in the demand side. The developed model is applied to a region comprises 5 cities or regencies in the eastern part of East Java province, Indonesia. The main purpose of the study is to compare several supply-demand scenarios with respect to the resources, costs, and environmental impacts over the study period. According to the analyses, the 2025 total electricity consumption of the observed area would be 6,873.8 GWh for the case of Business as Usual scenario, or increase by 203% compared to year 2014 as the baseline. Meanwhile, applying energy efficiency and conservation scenario, the growth would increase in a lower pace with 175% compared to the baseline or 6,222 GWh. Given the shortage of supply, more electricity should be imported from the interconnected system if the existing coal fired power plant is preserved through out the simulation period compared to planning involving geothermal and solar energy based power plants. In this study, geothermal and photovoltaic power plant would have their contribution toward the supply around 15.49% and 4.06%, respectively, from early year of their appearence until the last simulation year.

Assessment of renewable energy potential and policy in Turkey – Toward the acquisition period in European Union

Abstract This paper aims to assess the renewable energy capacity of Turkey in order to consider main priorities in the energy policy of Turkey. In this paper, renewable energy potential and regulatory conditions are discussed in Turkey in comparison with European Union. The results of the study implemented within the framework of EnviroGRIDS project indicated a promising yet very susceptible future for the implementation of renewable energy power plants in Turkey. The forecasts have shown that the solar power potential utilization is becoming more significant after 2020. The projections for 2050 indicate that electricity consumption from small and medium renewable energy sources including solar and wind will constitute 15% of the total, whereas the solar thermal will constitute around 16%. Geothermal and other renewables will remain around 3%. According to the high demand scenario, in 2050 the share of hydropower in overall electricity generation will be 12%, followed by solar power at 7% and wind power at 3%. Additionally, renewable energy policy and regulations in Turkey and in EU are overviewed in this study. On the contrary to EU, the constant feed-in tariff amount does not consider capital investments of specific energy sources in Turkey that brings disadvantage to the implementation. However, new regulations published and currently applied should be accepted as milestones in acquisition period of Turkey in EU.

Energetic and exergetic assessment of solar and wind potentials in Europe

This paper deals with a physics–based assessment of renewable energy potential in Europe, particularly solar and wind energy sources, using two literature models. A sensibility analysis with the weather data is first done. Actual temperature, pressure, relative humidity, global radiation and wind speed data are employed to develop energy and exergy maps for Europe, based on iso–areas of land–use. These maps are compared with similar existing ones. A good agreement is obtained. A paradoxical result is found for wind exergy efficiency. The yearly average exergy efficiency where wind speed is less than 5 m/s is greater than that where wind speed is greater than 7 m/s. This can be explained by the 'dome' shape of wind exergy efficiency. A solar efficiency map for Europe is also developed to serve as a useful guide for choosing a renewable energy form based on yearly energy production.

Assessment of renewable energy potential through satellite data and numerical models

There is an increasing use of satellite data and numerical models to assess the environmental constraints and energy potential of several renewable energies, namely solar, wind, hydropower, biomass and geothermal. This paper presents an overview of state of the art spatial technology and quantitative models in renewable energy research, with an emphasis on applications.

An Assessment of Renewable Energy Potential for U.S. National Parks

ABSTRACT This article presents the results of an assessment of renewable energy resources for the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) and provides recommendations to the NPS for capitalizing on available renewable resources. The article applied geographic information systems (GIS) to assess renewable energy resource potential within national parks by overlaying solar and wind resource data with NPS boundaries. From the analysis, we could identify parks with a “high renewable energy potential.” Maps and tables illustrating the findings were developed to facilitate dissemination of the results. The assessment resulted in the identification of nearly one hundred park units that have superior renewable resource availability, and provides the NPS with a starting point to identify ideal locations within its boundaries for renewable energy technology (RET) use.