Initial Investment Cost Research Articles

Energy and Economic Analysis of Renewable Energy-Based Isolated Microgrids with AGM and Lithium Battery Energy Storage: Case Study Bigene, Guinea-Bissau

By the year 2020, 90% of the population with access to electricity worldwide was surpassed. However, the reality is very different for many countries, especially for those on the African continent that had more than 572 million people without electricity service at the end of 2019. This work studies the implementation of an isolated microgrid activated with photovoltaic energy and energy storage in batteries under the case study of the community of Bigene, located in the African country of Guinea-Bissau. This type of project is a potential solution to the problem of access to energy, but as the cost of the energy storage system is typically very high, this work technically and economically addresses the effect of using absorbed glass material (AGM) and lithium batteries. A simulator was developed using TRNSYS software to analyze the operation of the microgrid under a defined annual demand profile for different types of users, and economic analysis was conducted considering a project lifetime of 25 years. The results showed no significant differences in the solar fraction of both types of batteries when the photovoltaic power was less than 600 kW, regardless of the capacity of the storage bank. The analysis of auxiliary power requirements showed that lithium technology leads to a lower consumption from 800 kW of PV capacity, and utilizing less than this capacity did not have a significant difference with AGM batteries. In this microgrid with a photovoltaic capacity of less than 700 kW and an energy storage of less than 2580 kWh, the type of storage technology, AGM or lithium, did not represent a considerable difference in the levelized cost of energy, indicating that AGM technology could be selected considering its low initial investment cost compared to lithium batteries.

A real-world case of autoclave loading and scheduling problems in aerospace composite material production

Due to their high initial investment costs, and excessive energy consumption, autoclaves are costly pieces of machinery to operate in manufacturing composite materials. They play a critical role in the process since they feed the subsequent processes. For more effective autoclave operations, careful planning is necessary to decide what and when to load. Accordingly, the current research deals with a real-world case of autoclave loading and scheduling problems in a large-scale facility in an aerospace company. We introduce a single mixed-integer quadratically constrained programming to solve the facility's loading (bin-packing) and scheduling problems simultaneously. We utilize real-world data under different scenarios of changing the number of autoclaves and fixtures (tools that the prepared materials are laid on before entering the autoclave). Moreover, we present and test a two-stage approach to the same problem in that two main components are considered consecutively for faster solutions. Both single and two-stage approaches to the problem are elaborated along with their benefits and drawbacks. Nevertheless, the results of both methods reveal that the facility has a significant amount of saving potential. We also determine that a better course of action to improve the company's ability to meet demand would be to direct future investments towards fixtures rather than new autoclaves.

Economic feasibility of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production under protected and unprotected environment

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a high-value crop that is in high demand globally. The present study was carried out at G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar, Uttarakhand during 2016–18 with the objective to explore the economic feasibility of tomato production under controlled and uncontrolled environments. The present study examines the costs and returns associated with the production of tomatoes in greenhouses and open fields, including the initial investment, operational costs, and revenue generated. The study found that greenhouse tomato production was more expensive, with a higher initial investment and operational costs, but generated higher yields and returns per unit area. On the other hand, open-field tomato production had lower initial investment and operational costs but had lower yields and returns per unit area. Overall, tomato production can be economically feasible under both controlled and uncontrolled environments, but the decision to use either method should be based on the specific conditions of each farm and the market demand for the product.

RECYCLED AGGREGATE CONCRETE (RAC): A viable solution for sustainable construction

Construction activities are booming in and around the cities with development and modernization. As a result of these constructions, natural aggregates are being extracted. Simultaneously, there is a significant amount of construction and demolition waste (CDW) generated due to the demolition of structures either due to the structure attaining service life or fashion and the ongoing trend of reconstruction. Therefore, recycling coarse aggregate from CDW in concrete is one of the sustainable solutions to prevent a serious threat to the environment due to the extraction of virgin aggregates and landfilling. This paper presents the results of a study undertaken to examine the influence of recycled concrete aggregate on the properties of new concrete and its life cycle cost (LCC) analysis. It is clear from the test that the strength of RAC is much lowered than natural aggregate concrete (NAC). In order to achieve the optimum strength, the natural aggregate is replaced by recycled aggregate within a range of 0% to 100%, in intervals of 10%. Additionally, to enhance its strength further, reinforcing RAC with new and recycled polypropylene (PP) fiber is done in percentages ranging from 0.25% to 2% by weight of cement with an interval of 0.25%. For analysis, compression, and split tensile strength tests were performed at the end of 28 days of the curing period. The result revealed that 40% replacement of natural aggregate with recycled aggregate achieves the ideal percentage replacement without compromising the strength. Moreover, incorporating 1.5% of new PP fiber or 1.25% of recycled PP fiber in the RAC provides optimum strength. For LCC analysis, the initial investment cost, operations, and maintenance cost, and salvage cost of all the alternatives are compared. Through this analysis, it was determined that the LCC of concrete manufactured using recycled aggregate as concrete ingredients is the lowest. Consequently, incorporating recycled aggregates in concrete production reduces the LCC compared to using natural aggregates.

Impact of demand-side management on the sizing of autonomous solar PV-based mini-grids

Solar PV-based autonomous mini-grids represent an economically affordable and robust electrification option for rural communities. However, the initial investment cost for renewable energy technologies such as solar PV remains high for rural communities. Implementation of demand-side management (DSM) could increase the cost-efficiency of mini-grids in rural areas. This requires demand-side knowledge, but little is still known of electricity demands in recently electrified areas and, in particular, of how DSM implementation could impact mini-grids. The few studies available focus either on systems or on appliance levels while this study aims to determine cost-efficiency impacts of DSM implementation at a category level. A shifting strategy is applied based on classification into high priority loads and low priority loads. Autonomous rural mini-grid components sizing for four different load categories and load flexibility are carried out using particle swarm optimization. The results show that different load category combinations result in large variations in terms of possible levelized energy cost reductions and, thus, in terms of the cost-optimal sizing of the mini-grid components. The DSM implementation on the household and productive use categories have the largest capacity of reducing the levelized energy cost, by 45.8% and 20.7%, respectively, compared to the no demand-side management case.

Studi Perencanaan Penerangan Jalan Umum Panel Surya di Kelurahan Gading Kasri Kecamatan Klojen

Malang City is a city that has an increasing need for electrical energy in the technological era, which today is very much needed in fulfilling daily life, both for household, social and industrial needs. One of them is the supply of electrical energy for Public Street Lighting (PJU). If you only rely on the supply of electrical energy from grid, this is a heavy burden that must be borne by the Malang City Regional Budget to pay the electric energy consumption bill for the PJU. This study aims to determine the comparison of the use of conventional PJU with solar powered PJU (PJUTS) in the area of Gading Kasri Village, Klojen District, Malang City both in terms of technical installations which include solar panels, batteries, and charger controllers as well as from an economic point of view. That shines for 5 hours every day, the solar panel power specifications are 240 Wp with 37 points of light. Budget calculations using the ACS (Annual cost system) which is obtained in the 16th year the difference from the initial investment costs and revenue from sales met at BEP (break event point) amounting to Rp. 256,761,376.00.

Energy and Economic Analysis of a Hydroelectric Power Plant: A Case Study

In this study, the electricity production and energy costs of hydroelectric power plant is analyzed by using actual power plants data. Using long term actual data, the capacity utilization rates of the hydroelectric power plant were estimated on an hourly basis. Economic analysis of the power plant and factors affecting the energy production costs (initial investment cost, operating-maintenance costs, etc.) were researched and the energy production costs of the power plant were assessed in detail. Additionally, for the first time in this study, a dimensionless number was defined to denote the variation of electricity consumption in the country on an hourly, monthly and yearly basis. This number was called the hourly electricity consumption coefficient (HECC). A detailed investigation of the electricity consumption in Turkey was analyzed.

Digital tools in chemical engineering education: The needs and the desires

Educators in chemical engineering have a long and rich history of employing digital tools to solve fundamental engineering problems. Today, with the megatrend of digitalisation, there is a growing set of tools that can be used for chemical engineering education. However, identifying which tool is ideally suited to support teaching a given chemical engineering concept can be challenging. To answer this question a survey was distributed to Heads of Departments at IChemE institutions and members of the IChemE committees focused on digitalisation. The survey respondents rated Microsoft Excel (VBA), commercial simulators, and scripting tools as ideal for teaching core subjects such as mass and energy balances, mass transfer and reaction engineering while respondents found 3D Models, and Virtual/Augmented Reality models as being most suited for teaching subjects such as process design, safety and sustainability. Mathematical/programming simplicity, ease of maintenance, and low initial investment costs were identified as key non-technical aspects that will hinder the adoption of a given digital tool. Weighing the benefits of education and non-technical hurdles, the respondents preferred the use of simpler digitalisation platforms such as Excel and scripting languages over the more advanced platforms such as Virtual/Augmented Reality where possible. It was identified that the widespread adoption of more advanced digitalisation tools will require removal of the above mentioned non-technical barriers as well as other barriers such as tool shareability.

Impact of optimal sizing and integration of thermal energy storage in solar assisted energy systems

It is becoming increasingly important for human societies to use renewable energy. More effective energy storage solutions are crucial to increase the share of renewable energy in the domestic and industrial sectors, which consumes a large amount of thermal energy for heating and cooling purposes. There has been little quantitative analysis of thermal energy storage in solar-based cold production units. An efficient method of designing heat and/or cold storage systems and smart operation planning can help a cooling/heating system to be smaller for the same capacity of supply and thereby reducing the costs of initial investment and costs of operation. This paper attempts to show how the size of a heat and cold storage system affects its thermal performance and how it can lower costs and emissions. For this, a solar-assisted thermally driven cooling supply system with various designs and integrations of their cold storage unit is simulated dynamically through a whole year in Qassim region as the case study. The results show that a system design with double solar heat storage and double cold storage in parallel arrangement results in the best techno-economic-environmental performance. For this case, the levelized cost of cooling will be 383 USD/MWhr, which will be at least 3% lower than the typical hot/cold buffer tank design scenario.

Analysis of various design parameters of a desert cooler

ABSTRACT Aside from climatic parameters, the cooling potential of a desert cooler is influenced by fan flow rate, pad thickness, and pad packing factor, all of which are referred to as cooler parameters. In this study, a general equation for determining cooling potential in terms of cooler parameters is proposed and validated. An equation has been devised to determine the combination of fan flow rate (FFR) and pad area required to meet a given heating load. The equation aids in the sizing of coolers for a desired room temperature in various climates. The size of the cooler tank is determined by the rate of water evaporation. In this investigation, we evaluated the influence of different fan flow rates on the rate of water evaporation. It is seen that at a typical set of climatic parameters and for a given pad (1 m2, 350 m2/m3, 10 cm thick), the cooling potential of the cooler increases by increasing fan flow rate (. Furthermore, increasing pad area reduces the amount of fan flow rate required for a given heating load, allowing one to select the appropriate combination of fan flow rate and pad area. Higher fan flow rates increase the running cost, while increasing pad area raises the initial investment cost. The pad area needed (10 cm, 350 m2/m3) for the composite climate of Delhi at a 0.35 m3/s FFR, is roughly 66.7% less than that for the hot climate of Jodhpur for 4 kW heating load.

Capacity optimization of hybrid renewable energy system considering part-load ratio and resource endowment

To help decarbonize the energy sector, a hybrid renewable energy system consisting of wind, solar, and biogas-fueled combined cooling, heating, and power components was investigated. In such systems, thermal and electrical energy are inextricably linked, the local resource endowment is critical, and the main components can be run at part-load. Taken together, these factors make it difficult to optimize a hybrid renewable energy system. To address this issue, we propose a novel method which combines orthogonal design and intelligent algorithms to optimize the capacity of each unit within the system. The optimization results show that the initial investment cost and the dynamic payback period can be reduced by 24.8% and 23.5% compared with optimal orthogonal capacity, and the emission reduction rate increases by 2.3%. In addition, by considering part-load operation and the local resource endowment, it is possible to achieve a 52.2% increase in comprehensive value of the whole system and a 40.4% reduction in investment cost as compared to a simplified model. Importantly, a regional analysis justifies that the proposed evaluation method provides a versatile assessment tool for system optimization.

Energy and speed optimization of inland battery-powered ship with considering the dynamic electricity price and complex navigational environment

Decarbonization has been a trend worldwide, especially in the shipping industry. A pure battery-powered all-electric ship (AES) may be the most flexible way to achieve ship decarburization in recent years. Compared with the conventional ship, the initial investment cost is high, and energy redundancy is low for battery-powered ships. Therefore, an energy management strategy that can minimize the operation cost and guarantee energy use safety is crucial. In this paper, considering the dynamic electricity price and environmental factors, a co-optimization method of ship speed and energy use is proposed for an inland battery-powered ship. Firstly, the energy consumption model is constructed by analyzing the interaction of the hull, propulsion motor, and propeller. Then the speed and energy optimization model is proposed to minimize the ship operation cost. Finally, a neighborhood search differential evolution (NSDE) is adopted to solve the proposed complex nonlinear optimization problem to obtain optimal sailing speed and departure time. Then case study is implemented with an actual battery-powered cargo ship. The results show that the method could provide ship operators a reference for better management of the inland battery-powered AES.

Improving the energy efficiency of lighting systems for a marine equipment manufacturing plant through retrofitting, daylighting, and behaviour change

As the emissions from the operation phase of ship's life cycle are reduced as a result of ongoing efforts, it is anticipated that the decarbonization of ship's manufacturing phase will gain more attention. Marine equipment manufacturing plants are highly energy-intensive and environmentally polluting segments of the shipbuilding industry, necessitating special consideration for environmental issues such as climate change. Through energy-efficient lighting, this study aims to contribute to the promotion of clean production and energy management cultures in marine equipment manufacturing plants. An energy audit was conducted on the lighting systems of a marine equipment manufacturing plant based on the holistic consideration of the following key energy-saving measures: energy-efficiency retrofitting, daylighting, and behaviour change. The daylighting application for the foundry sections of the plant offered an 80% reduction annually in the entire plant's energy use for lighting, associated costs, CO2 emissions, and external costs, along with an initial investment cost (IIC) of €35.480, a net present value (NPV) of €184.322,6, a benefit-to-cost (B/C) ratio of 3.7, and a discounted payback period (DPP) of 2.1 years. However, the proposed daylighting system was found to provide excessive and non-uniform illuminance in the workspaces during the summer days. On the other hand, LED technology satisfied the requirements for illuminance levels and uniformity. The LED application offered a 60.6% reduction in the entire plant's lighting energy use, with an IIC of around €17.052, a NPV of €153.375, a B/C of 3.5, and a DPP of 1.25 years. The plant's carbon emissions can be reduced by about 33 tons annually, while approximately €108.111 in external health costs per year could be avoided. Additionally, around a 3.2% reduction in overall energy consumption with associated benefits can be achieved through energy-efficient behaviour by the employees.

DETERMINATION OF MIKROTIK ROUTER BASED ON PRICE AND QUALITY USING SIMPLE ADDITIVE WEIGHTING (SAW) METHOD

The increasing use of the internet must be balanced with the reliability of the supporting hardware, MikroTik routers are popular in Indonesia because of their affordable price and reliable performance. To facilitate institutions in determining the appropriate MikroTik router based on their needs, this research aims to determine the best MikroTik router based on price and quality factors using the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method. Choosing the right router can affect network performance and initial investment costs. SAW was chosen as the research method because it can provide objective results and reduce the weaknesses of subjective selection methods. The research was conducted by collecting price and technical specifications data from several types of MikroTik routers available in the market. Then, the data was analyzed using SAW to determine the best score based on price and quality factors. The results show that the MikroTik hEX RB750Gr3 has the highest score with a score of 0.704. This result can be used as a recommendation for choosing the appropriate MikroTik router for a network with consideration for price and quality.

A Hybrid Fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS Approach for Implementation of Smart Sustainable Waste Management Strategies

The integration of smart city technologies into waste management is a challenging field for decision makers due to its multivariate, multi-limiting, and multi-stakeholder structure, despite its contribution to the ecological and economic sustainability understanding of cities. The success of smart sustainable waste management strategies depends on many environmental, technical, economic, and social variables, and many stakeholders are involved in these processes. Using fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods helps decision makers determine effective, affordable, and acceptable smart waste management strategies. Although MCDM methods are widely used in various environmental engineering applications, the determination of smart sustainable waste management strategies using these methods has not yet received enough attention in the literature. This study aims to contribute to this gap in the literature by evaluating four different smart waste management strategies using a hybrid fuzzy MCDM method. The performance of the proposed strategy alternatives according to fifteen sub-criteria (under four main criteria selected from the literature) was evaluated using a combined application of fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP) and fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to obtain the ideal solution (fuzzy TOPSIS). For this evaluation, the subjective opinions of ten different experts working in academia, in the private sector, or in the public sector were obtained using prepared questionnaires. As a result, the sub-criteria of fewer atmospheric emissions (0.42), operational feasibility (0.64), initial investment costs (0.56), and increased awareness of sustainable cities (0.53) had the highest weight values in their main criteria groups. The performance ranking of the alternatives according to the closeness coefficient (CCi) values was obtained as A2 (0.458) > A3 (0.453) > A4 (0.452) > A1 (0.440), with A3 being slightly ahead of A4 due only to a 0.001 higher CCi value. To test the reliability and stability of the obtained performance ranking results, a sensitivity analysis was also performed using eighteen different scenarios, in which the weights of the different sub-criteria were increased by 25% or decreased by 50%, or they were assumed to be 1 and 0, or all sub-criteria in the same group had equal weight values. Since the performance ranking of the alternatives did not change, the ranking obtained at the beginning was found to be robust against the sub-criterion weight changes.

Hydroponic Farming

Hydroponics is a modern farming technique that is gaining popularity due to its ability to produce high yields of crops in a limited space and with minimal resources. This research paper provides a comprehensive review of the advantages and limitations of hydroponics farming. The paper begins with an overview of hydroponics farming, including its history, types, and basic principles. It then examines the advantages of hydroponics, such as its potential to produce higher yields than traditional farming methods, the ability to grow crops in areas with poor soil quality, and the reduced use of water and pesticides. The paper also discusses the limitations of hydroponics farming, including the initial investment cost, the need for technical knowledge and experience, and the reliance on a consistent supply of electricity and water. The research paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of carefully evaluating the advantages and limitations of hydroponics farming before implementing it on a large scale. It also highlights the need for further research to optimize the system and address the challenges faced by hydroponic farmers.

Agrivoltaic: A Strategic Assessment Using SWOT and TOWS Matrix

New strategies and market segments considering integrated approaches have emerged as critical components in the energy transition. Agrivoltaics is one approach that has shown a lot of promise for offering advantages in the food-energy-water nexus. The agrivoltaic system involves the installation of photovoltaic panels above agricultural lands to generate electricity while also allowing for crop production. The paper “SWOT and TOWS Matrix Analysis of Agrivoltaic System” comprehensively analyses the potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) associated with implementing an agrivoltaic system. This study utilizes a SWOT analysis framework to identify and evaluate the internal and external factors that could impact the implementation and success of the agrivoltaic system. A TOWS matrix analysis is also conducted to formulate strategic recommendations based on the identified SWOT factors. The analysis results reveal that the agrivoltaic system has numerous strengths, including its potential to generate renewable energy, increase crop yield, and provide economic benefits to farmers. However, the system also faces several weaknesses and threats, such as high initial investment costs, land use conflicts, and potential environmental impacts. Based on the TOWS matrix analysis, this study provides strategic recommendations to maximize the potential of the agrivoltaic system while mitigating its weaknesses and threats. These recommendations include adopting a flexible pricing strategy, researching the system’s environmental impact, promoting collaboration between various stakeholders like government agencies, farmers, and energy service companies. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the potential of agrivoltaic systems and the factors that should be considered when implementing such a system. The findings can help stakeholders make informed decisions and take appropriate actions to ensure the integration of agrivoltaic systems into agricultural practices.

Multi-objective optimization of a liquid metal cooled heat sink for electronic cooling applications

Recently, studies on the use of MCHS applied to chips to benefit from the high thermal conductivity of liquid metals have been increasing. This study came up with an optimum choice for MCHS geometric parameters, MCHS material, Gallium-based liquid metal coolant type, and coolant inlet velocity. Total thermal resistance (Rtot), initial investment cost (Ci), pressure drop (ΔP), and maximum operating temperature (Tmax) are selected as performance parameters. I-optimality algorithm used for generation of the Design of Experiment (DoE) based on the Response Surface Method. The optimization parameters and their levels are determined by performing a parametric study. The derived mathematical models for selected performance parameters Rtot, Ci, Tmax, and ΔP, which are also objective functions, are tested by ANOVA with prediction accuracy of 0.983%, 0.997%, 0.886%, and 0.996%, respectively. As a result, the determined optimum values of the channel width, channel height, half of fin width, fin slope angle, and inlet velocity, are 1.16 mm, 3.00 mm, 0.24 mm, 5.96°, and 0.4 m s−1, respectively. In addition, a hybrid structure in which the base of the designed MCHS is aluminum, and the fins are copper, and the GaIn compound for the coolant are calculated as the optimum material options.

Estimating public and private costs and benefits of implementing a milk quality assurance system in Kenya: A case study

Assuring food safety is increasingly important in emerging and developing economies. Despite being a public good, food safety in these economies is often addressed through limited private sector innovations while the public health costs and impact of food-borne diseases are largely unknown. This study estimates annual private and public costs and benefits of a quality-based milk payment system (QBMPS) in Kenya. Private costs and benefits were estimated using a partial budget analysis. From a private perspective, results show that participating farmers benefit most from the QBMPS, with a net profit of about USD 0.02 USD/kg) from an additional investment cost USD 0.0125/kg to produce Grade A milk. The cooperatives and processor have a net loss of 0.025 USD/kg milk, mainly driven by testing and initial investment costs. Disease burden was calculated using the Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), while direct and indirect health costs were calculated using an incidence-based analysis. We estimate an annual disease burden of 53,000 DALYs from milk-related infectious diseases and a generated health benefit of 13 KES/kg due to reduction in disease incidence if 15% of Kenya’s milk goes through the QBMPS. These health benefits justify public and private sector support for a QBMPS.

Simulation Study on Solar Single/Double-Effect Switching LiBr-H2O Absorption Refrigeration System

In this study, a solar single/double-effect switching LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system was investigated to make full use of solar energy and give full play to the advantages of solar refrigeration systems. A corresponding thermodynamic dynamic mathematical model was developed. The operation characteristics of the system operating continuously for one week were analyzed. In order to highlight the advantages of the solar single/double-effect switching absorption refrigeration system, it was compared with other forms of solar refrigeration systems and compression refrigeration systems. The practical application potential of the single/double-effect switching LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system was evaluated from the perspective of economy and environmental effect. The results showed that the system could achieve the switching operation between single-effect mode and double-effect mode under weather conditions of high solar radiation intensity, and the daily cooling efficiency on such days was relatively high. After an auxiliary heater was added, the primary energy savings of the solar single/double-effect switching LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system were 25–52%, depending on the area of the collector and the volume of the storage tank. The solar fraction of the system was about 71.99% for continuous operation during the whole refrigeration season. However, the initial investment cost of the system equipment accounted for 89.66% of the total cost. Compared with the traditional compression refrigeration system, the initial investment cost of the solar single/double-effect switching LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system was higher, but it had a better environmental protection effect.