Ministry Of Electricity And Water Research Articles

Forecasting of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in Kuwait using United States Environmental Protection Agency, Intergovernmental panel on climate change, and machine learning methods

The second largest share of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions is generated by electricity production. Approximately 63% of the generated electricity is from burning fossil fuels. Currently, The Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) owns and operates 8 power plants to secure the demand for electricity in Kuwait. Burning more fuel to generate electricity increases CO2 emissions to the air which causes air pollution and environmental issues. This study aims to calculate the amount of CO2 emission from the power sector specifically from each power plant in Kuwait in 2019 using combustion equation from United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC). According to USEPA, total CO2 emissions from the power sector in Kuwait in 2019 were found to be 38.47 MtCO2. However, IPCC equation gave total CO2 emissions of 45.57 MtCO2. The second part of the research focused on forecasting CO2 emissions for 5 years (2018–2022) using machine learning (ML) algorithms, which are mainly support vector machine (SVM), deep learning (DL), and ANN. Based on DL model results, the forecasted CO2 emissions for the 5 years were 44.2, 46, 48, 47, and 49 MtCO2, respectively. While ANN model showed the following CO2 emissions result for each year: 43, 44, 49, 51, and 50 MtCO2, respectively. Moreover, SVM algorithm found the forecasted CO2 emissions for the 5 years to be 43.8, 52 , 56, and 56 MtCO2, respectively. DL model was found to be the most appropriate one to fit the data followed by ANN and lastly SVM respectively.

Water Distribution System Pipe Break Failure Modeling and Analysis: Case Study of Kuwait

The Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW), as well as other water authorities all over the world, is facing a difficult challenge in assessing the physical condition of its distribution systems. Since the majority of the mains are buried, the MEW must rely upon indirect methods, including analysis of repair records. A case study on Kuwait’s water distribution system using the techniques of survival analysis is analyzed and investigated for modeling the pipe break failures. The proportional hazard model has the advantage of being able to separate the effects of component deterioration on failure due to aging from the effects of site-specific causes. Another desirable feature is its ability to analyze censored data. The sensitivity of the model parameters to sample size and percent censoring is examined through random sampling of the database. In addition, the proportional hazard model is suitable for describing failure rates of components.

Evaluation and forecasting groundwater consumption in Kuwait

With rapid growth of population coupled with increasing urbanisation and agriculture, the demand for water in Kuwait is continually on the increase. The objective of this research is to analyse and forecast groundwater consumption in Kuwait. Al-Rowdhatain and Umm Al-Aish aquifers in the northern part of Kuwait are the only regions in the country that contain fresh groundwater. Total groundwater consumption in Kuwait has increased from 190 × 106 imperial gallons (0.864 × 106 m3) in 1954 to 18.5 × 109 imperial gallons (84.1 × 106 m3) in 2010, which represents a 97.4 fold increase. The Government of Kuwait heavily subsidises water production. While 1,000 imperial gallons (4,545 m3) of water costs the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) KD 3.21 (US$11.00) to produce, the customer is charged KD 0.8 (US$2.72) for it. Predictions of future groundwater consumption would help the government in its efforts to reform its subsidy policy. Our conclusions provide useful remarks on groundwater usage rationalisation and future investigation of groundwater resources in Kuwait and other arid regions.

Comparison of energy performance and economics of chilled water thermal storage and conventional air-conditioning systems

During the summer of previous years, Kuwait faced a series of power shortages emphasizing the need for urgent commissioning of power generation projects. It is estimated that the demand for electricity is growing at an average of 5.4% per year, encouraged by government subsidies and driven by the rapid and continual expansion in building construction, urban development, and heavy reliance on air-conditioning (AC) systems for the cooling of buildings. The chilled water thermal storage (CWTS) system is one of the available techniques that can be utilized to reduce peak electricity demand of buildings when national electricity consumption is at its highest level.This paper demonstrates that the implementation of CWTS system reduces the peak power demand of AC systems for design day conditions by 36.7–87.5% and annual energy consumption by between 4.5% and 6.9% compared with conventional systems, where chillers and pumps significantly contribute to this reduction. In addition, the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) was estimated for both the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) and the consumer. Results show that CWTS operating with a load leveling strategy gives the lowest LCC compared to 50% demand limiting and full storage strategies, and is, therefore, considered as the most cost effective option for both MEW and consumer.

Economic analysis of clean energy options for Kuwait

PurposeAn economic assessment was performed of the potential for clean energy options to contribute to the power and desalination needs in the State of Kuwait over the next 20 to 40 years. The paper aims to summarize two analyses that were performed for the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research to develop a strategy promoting renewable energy and evaluating alternative technologies including nuclear energy.Design/methodology/approachThe analyses were performed using a power and water model for Kuwait that was constructed using the International Energy Agency – Energy Technology Systems Analysis Programme (IEA‐ETSAP) TIMES modeling framework. Data provided by the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) and the Kuwait Petroleum Company (KPC) characterizes the projected demand for power and water; the existing and planned power generation and water desalination plants, including the expected retirement of existing plants; and future fossil fuel prices and availability. New power generation options – including renewable energy (RE), nuclear, combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) and reheat steam power plants (RHSPP) – were compared in this least‐cost optimization framework.FindingsThe model results indicate that by 2030 the cost‐effective RE share is 11 percent of electricity generation in the reference case and 8 percent in the case with the nuclear option. The RE technologies alone provide a 2030 net‐back value compared to the reference case of US$2.35 billion, while in the nuclear case they increase the 2030 net‐back value by an additional US$1.5 billion. Increasing the RE share, as a government policy, to 10 percent, 15 percent and 20 percent, decreases the 2030 netback benefit by US$1.0, $3.6 and $8.3 billion, respectively.Research limitations/implicationsSensitivity runs based on scenarios that assume higher RE costs or lower availability, lower demand growth, lower oil and gas prices, higher nuclear plant investment costs, and RE capacity credit were analyzed.Practical implicationsThe analysis provides a compelling economic basis for initiating a renewable energy program in the State of Kuwait. However, these forecasted benefits will only materialize to the extent the projected RE investments are achieved if they begin in earnest soon.Originality/valueThe analysis identifies a cost‐effective share of renewable energy use in Kuwait as about 11 percent of electricity generation in 2030. The investment in renewable energy provides the State of Kuwait with a net‐back value of US$2.35 billion, due to the fuel savings that are generated by using renewables.

Ecomomic Assessment of Chilled Water Thermal Storage and Conventional Air-Conditioning Systems

In Kuwait, electricity is becoming an increasingly essential element of modern life. This flexible energy is used for heating, cooling, appliances, TVs, computers and transportation. The demand for electricity is growing at an average of 5.4% per year well above the world average of 2.7%. The growth of Kuwait energy demand is projected to rise sharply over coming years. The Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) expects that the peak demand will grow to 17.2 GW by the year 2013. The chilled water thermal storage (CWTS) system is one of the available techniques that can be utilized to reduce peak electricity demand of buildings when national electricity consumption is at its highest level. In this paper, Life Cycle Cost (LCC) was estimated to investigate impact of implementing CWTS for cooling of buildings for both the MEW and the consumer. Results show that CWTS operating with a load leveling strategy gives the lowest LCC compared to 50% demand limiting and full storage strategies, and is, therefore, considered as the most cost effective option for both MEW and consumer.

Performance of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic System in Two Sites in Kuwait

This paper presents an assessment of the electricity generated by photovoltaic (PV) grid-connected systems in Kuwait. Three years of meteorological data are provided for two main sites in Kuwait, namely, Al-Wafra and Mutla. These data and a PV grid-connected system mathematical model are used to assist a 100 kWp grid-connected PV system proposed for both sites. The proposed systems show high energy productivity whereas the annual capacity factors for Mutla and Al-Wafra are 22.25% and 21.6%, respectively. Meanwhile the annual yield factors for Mutla and Al-Wafra are 1861 kWh/kWp/year and 1922.7 kWh/kWp/year, respectively. On the other hand the cost of the energy generated by both systems is about 0.1 USD/kWh which is very close to the price of the energy sold by the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW). Furthermore the invested money is recovered during the assumed life cycle time whereas the payback period for both sites is about 15 years. This work contains worthwhile technical information for those who are interested in PV technology investment in Kuwait.

Prospect of using alternative energy for power and desalted water productions in Kuwait

Extensive research is conducted in Kuwait to apply renewable energy (RE) for electric power (EP) generation. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) formed a committee to study the introduction of solar energy to generate EP. Meanwhile, the government formed a committee to take the necessary steps to build the first nuclear power plant (NPP) for EP production and desalting seawater. This study addresses the technical and economical aspects of using NPP and RE in generating EP in Kuwait in comparison with presently used combined cycle stations which are operated with natural gas or oil fuel. The results of this study indicate that installing wind energy (WE) or solar cells photovoltaic solar cells (PV) power plant (PP) cannot be considered a capacity addition. Capacity addition is required to handle the ever increasing peak load. The WE and PV PPs are primarily fuel savers for the existing fossil fuel plants. The intermittent and the non-dispatchable nature of the WE and PV plants make them unable to generate consistent output like fuel-fired PPs. Their output should be taken by the grid and this decreases the load on the operating dispatchable PPs and thus reduces their fuel consumption. Among the thermal solar concentrating PP options (solar tower, solar dish with Stirling engine, and parabolic trough mirrors), the ones using parabolic trough are the only solar type PP that have reached commercial maturity with well-proven records of reliability and availability. This type of PP should be augmented with supplementary fossil fuel or thermal storage system to become a dispatch-able plant.

Fuel cell operated reverse osmosis desalination system

Kuwait has limited natural water resources and the non-conventional source of desalted seawater is used to satisfy the demand for potable water. Co-generation power-desalting plants (CPDP) are used to produce both electric power and desalted water, with steam extracted from steam turbines to supply desalting units, usually multi-stage flash (MSF) desalting units, with its thermal energy requirements. The MSF system is known for its high rate of energy consumption. The Ministry of electricity and water (MEW) was forced to install gas turbines (GT) to satisfy the increase in the peak load and to carry a good share of the base load. This resulted in a shortage in the availability of steam turbines for future use of the MSF units. Both alternative energy sources (other than steam extracted from turbines) and more energy-efficient desalting systems are needed to meet the rising demands for water and electricity. This paper discusses the feasibility of using reliable and commercially available fuel cells (FC), ...

Combining the nuclear power plant steam cycle with gas turbines

Nuclear steam power plants (NPP) are characterized by low efficiency, compared to steam power plants using fossil fuels. This is due to the relatively low temperature and pressure-throttling conditions of the NPP compared to those using fossil fuel. The light water pressurized water reactor (LW PWR) commercially known as AP600 was suggested for Kuwait cogeneration power desalting plant (CPDP). It has 600 MW nominal power capacity and 33% overall efficiency. Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) installed plenty of gas turbines (GTs) to cover the drastic increase in the peak electrical load during the summer season. Combining some of these GTs with the AP600 can increase the capacity and efficiency of the combined plant, compared to either the GT open cycle or the NPP separate plants. This paper investigates the feasibility of utilizing the hot gases leaving the GT to superheat the steam leaving the steam generator of the AP600 NPP, as well as heating the feed water returning to the steam generator of the NPP condenser. This drastically increases the power output and the efficiency of the NPP. Detailed modifications to the NPP power cycle and the resulting enhancement of its performance are presented.

Simulation of energy consumption for Kuwaiti domestic buildings

Economic and industrial development in countries which have a dry desert climate has led to an increasing demand for electricity, much of which is consumed in air conditioning systems, which is used extensively to overcome the indoor thermal discomfort during the harsh summer seasons. Reduction of energy consumption in buildings is a major aim worldwide and is a particular challenge in desert climate. Such conditions exist in a number of areas throughout the world: one such area is the state of Kuwait. In Kuwait, the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) issued an energy conservation code in 1983, which is still in force and has not been modified, whereas more effective energy-efficient products and techniques have been developed since then. In addition, electrical energy in Kuwait is highly subsidized by the government, with complete disregard to the new products and techniques. Thus, well-defined energy conservation code with effective and energy-efficient design would have both economical and environmental benefits for the Kuwaiti government. Furthermore, practical applications using building and plant simulation programs are becoming increasingly accepted as a design tool for carrying out or confirming the performance of proposed building designs or to evaluate the effects of varying design parameters. A building model representative of a typical Kuwaiti dwelling has been implemented and encoded within the TRNSYS-IISIBAT environment. A typical meteorological year for Kuwait was prepared and used to predict the cooling loads of the air-conditioned dwelling. Several parametric studies were conducted to enable sensitivity analyses of energy-efficient domestic buildings to be carried out, namely relating to building envelope, window type, size and direction, infiltration and ventilation. Simulation results have shown the desirable features that should be adopted in domestic buildings, with a view to modification of the energy conservation code.

On electric power and desalted water production in Kuwait

The Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) in Kuwait issues annual reports showing the efforts made to satisfy the continuous increasing demands of power and desalted water, status of the operating plants, projects under construction, and future planning. Careful reading of the reports is required for better understanding of power and desalted water production economics, and better planning and utilization of the available resources. The published data in the 2000 MEW statistical books on power and desalted water reveal some of the main characteristics of the co-generation power desalting plants in Kuwait, and raise some concern and comments that are reported in this paper such as: (1) MEW future planning is coping very well with electric power demand, but can face real shortage of fresh water in the immediate near future; (2) Desalting seawater is done using the MSF desalting method. The MSF system is not energy efficient. It consumes about three times the equivalent energy consumed by reverse osmosis (RO), which only consumes mechanical (pumping) energy. (3) There is mismatching between power production (depends on load) and process heat required by the operating MSF desalting units. (4) Demands of electric power and desalted water are continuously increasing, as does the need for installing new power and desalting plants. There is real need to rationalize the public use of water and power. (5) Variation of electric power demands is significant due to power consumed by A/C units. (6) Operation of power plants is at low capacity most of the year, due to part-load operation, except for a few hours at peak demand in summer. This means inefficient use of fuel energy and existing equipment. (7) High cost of generating power and desalted water. (8) Low fuel cost estimation by MEW. These points are discussed in this paper. The paper also introduces a method to allocate fuel energy consumption between desalted water and electric power production and use it to estimate the cost of each product. It also discusses future forecasting for power and water needs, turbine unit size choice, and how to reduce power and desalted water consumption.

Impact of energy-conservation measures on cooling load and air-conditioning plant capacity

Energy conservation measures have been in practice in Kuwait since 1983, through a well defined code of practice enforced by the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW). Additional energy-efficient products and techniques developed thereafter, however, have not been introduced as the electricity is highly subsidized and the code has not been modified. Application of some of the cost-effective energy-conservation measures and use of cool storage for peak-power shaving have been carried out as a demonstration project in a two-storeyed building housing the Center for Speech and Audio Therapy (CSAT). As a first step, the cooling load of the building was reestimated using an energy simulation computer program and proper design specifications. It was found to be 31.4% lower than the original estimated load of 161.3 tons of refrigeration (RT, 1 RT=3.517 kW of heat absorption), which is equal to 567.3 kW. Use of energy-efficient windows and cooling recovery units were found to be cost-effective and resulted in a final building load of 64.5 RT. Finally, ice storage was incorporated to meet 50% of the peak cooling-load.

Fifteen years of R&D program in seawater desalination at KISR part II. RO system performance

Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) and the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) collaborated over the past 15 years in developing and adapting the seawater reverse osmosis (RO) technology to the Gulf seawater conditions (one and half time the salinity of open seas and large temperature variations between summer and winter in the range of 35°C and 10°C, respectively). The development process went through several stages involving performance evaluation of three types of membrane configurations under various operating conditions and using different types of feed water pretreatment techniques. It went also through the evaluation of various commercially available energy recovery systems and the development of a new system. During this period, the RO research program evaluated the performance of ten different seawater membranes, cleaning and restoration techniques and procedures, using various potential agents. Furthermore, computer aided design program and process design and optimization procedures were developed specifically for Gulf seawater conditions. The studies also involved two-phase evaluation of multistage flash/reverse osmosis (MSF/RO) hybrid systems. Cost assessment of product water from RO under different operating conditions and various system configurations was always an important integrated part of each research project.