Power Generation In Remote Areas Research Articles

Exploring wind energy for small off-grid power generation in remote areas of Northern Brazil

Exploring wind energy for small off-grid power generation in remote areas of Northern Brazil

Dual axis solar tracking system

<span>Now a days, many people use solar photovoltaic systems since they generate efficient and clean energy. Polycrystalline and monocrystalline silicon modules are currently the most widely used products in the solar industry. Aside from possessing a flawless lattice structure, a high level of material purity, a low grain boundary energy, a weak internal resistance, and a high level of efficiency, monocrystalline silicon cells also have a uniform colour and a lack of spots, which contribute to its good aesthetic appeal. By placing the solar panels at the precise angle and direction specified by the motion of the sun, the system's efficiency can be increased. The solar tracking system for this research project uses LDR sensors that are connected to a microcontroller to track the sun's horizontal and vertical axes, while DHT11 and rain sensors are used to track the weather. This study offers a method for repositioning a solar array so that it faces the sun at all times. Since solar modules effectively convert sunlight into electricity, they are helpful solutions to the problem of power generation in remote areas. A microprocessor is used in the construction of such a system to operate a motor and sensor.</span>

Optimum combination of diesel and concentrating solar in remote area power generation using supercritical CO2 turbines

Electrification of remote communities is a great challenge worldwide. Their reliance on economically and environmentally unfavourable diesel generators makes these communities attractive target markets for renewables. Concentrating solar thermal (CST) plants operating on supercritical CO2 (s-CO2) Brayton power cycles have been proposed for their high efficiency, compactness, compatibility with natural air-cooling, and capability of being built at a small size without significant efficiency penalties. Thermal energy storage (TES) technology can mitigate intermittency problems. This study aims to identify the optimal configuration of hybrid CST and diesel generation (DG) for different types of remote locations based on annual simulations involving key system design features including solar multiple, TES size, and CST size. One novelty in this study is the inclusion of actual weather information and load demand profiles for selected potential locations. Another is that a realistic economic model for s-CO2 power blocks for small to medium sizes, based on accurate cost data, is presented. More importantly, a realistic representation of the s-CO2 turbine, which includes isentropic efficiencies varying at off-design conditions, is used. This facilitates a study into the effects that the inclusion of realistic off-design turbine information has on the thermodynamic and techno-economic performances of the system. This is done by comparing the simulation results with results obtained using a conventional method that uses a constant turbine efficiency. This paper presents the optimal system configurations offering the lowest levelised cost of energy (LCOE) obtained using three-variable exhaustive search optimisation. The results show that the system is an economically favourable option and provides substantial environmental benefits.

Rainwater-driven microbial fuel cells for power generation in remote areas.

The possibility of using rainwater as a sustainable anolyte in an air-cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC) is investigated in this study. The results indicate that the proposed MFC can work within a wide temperature range (from 0 to 30°C) and under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. However, the rainwater season has a distinct impact. Under anaerobic conditions, the summer rainwater achieves a promised open circuit potential (OCP) of 553 ± 2 mV without addition of nutrients at the ambient temperature, while addition of nutrients leads to an increase in the cell voltage to 763 ± 3 and 588 ± 2 mV at 30°C and ambient temperature, respectively. The maximum OCP for the winter rainwater (492 ± 1.5 mV) is obtained when the reactor is exposed to the air (aerobic conditions) at ambient temperature. Furthermore, the winter rainwater MFC generates a maximum power output of 7 ± 0.1 mWm−2 at a corresponding current density value of 44 ± 0.7 mAm−2 at 30°C. While, at the ambient temperature, the maximum output power is obtained with the summer rainwater (7.2 ± 0.1 mWm−2 at 26 ± 0.5 mAm−2). Moreover, investigation of the bacterial diversity indicates that Lactobacillus spp. is the dominant electroactive genus in the summer rainwater, while in the winter rainwater, Staphylococcus spp. is the main electroactive bacteria. The cyclic voltammetry analysis confirms that the electrons are delivered directly from the bacterial biofilm to the anode surface and without mediators. Overall, this study opens a new avenue for using a novel sustainable type of MFC derived from rainwater.

Energy and exergy assessment of a combined supercritical Brayton cycle-orc hybrid system using solar radiation and coconut shell biomass as energy source

The present investigation presents a novel hybrid solar-biomass system for electric power generation in remote areas. The proposed system integrates a Supercritical Brayton Cycle (SBC) to an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) as a bottoming cycle, driven by a Concentrated Solar Tower (CST) system and biomass furnace (coconut shell). The thermal energy generation potential of the biomass was determined from the fiber content, lignin, density, calorific value, and ash content, and the level of pollutant emissions at different combustion rates. Energy and exergy analyses were carried out considering three scenarios: hybrid solar-biomass SBC-ORC, SBC-ORC/solar, and SBC-ORC/biomass. The results revealed that coconut shells feature a low content of inorganic matter with a calorific value of 25.29 MJ/kg, and the best combustion efficiency (CO2/CO) was given at a speed of 0.0895 °C·min−1 (43.16%). The hybrid solar-biomass SBC-ORC system showed an exergetic efficiency of 26.60%, an increase of 17.28% with respect to the SBC-ORC/solar system in its base condition. The turbine inlet temperature was the variable with the greatest influence on the exergetic efficiency of the SBC-ORC/solar system, which reached a maximum of 23.8% at 700 °C. In conclusion, the integration of coconut shell biomass as an alternative and supplementary thermal source is a promising solution for the intermittence of solar-driven systems. This study demonstrated that the novel hybrid system ensures stability, good combustion efficiency, and enhanced performance compare to the standalone solar operation.

Standalone hybrid power system using homer software optimal case sizing of ferraguig (North West of Algeria)

Rural areas suffer from high costs of grid extensions obliging institutions to provide for other remedies for consumers, like using generators (GE) diesel often considered as economic and reliable solutions, but at the detriment of some order environment pollution and users convenience. Furthermore, the continuous decline in GEs prices based on a renewable energy (RE) and the increasing reliability of these systems have lead to a greater use of renewable energy sources for power generation in remote areas. A property which limits the use of renewable energy is related to the variability of resources. Fluctuations in load according to annual or daily periods are not necessarily correlated to the resources. In remote areas, the preferred option is the coupling between multiple sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels, this coupling is called hybrid power system. Algeria’s geographic location presents several advantages for the development and use of renewable energy, namely, solar energy and wind energy. In addition, Algeria has huge deposits of natural gas, 98% electricity comes from gas. Therefore, currently, the production of electricity from renewable energies primarily depends on their competitiveness with economic gas. Studied technological feasibility and economic viability of the hybrid system (PV/fuel) electrification project in a school located in Ferraguig succeed to reduce high costs, energy dependence, fuel supply problem, complicated/expensive maintenance, low lifetime, impossibility of 24 hours electricity production and waste oil management issues, by using renewable energy. HOMER model is used here to size a proposed system and determine an optimum configuration.

Stand-alone hybrid energy systems for remote area power generation

Energy accessibility especially electrical energy is considered as one of the most appealing factors to achieve energy sustainability. The purpose of this study is to investigate energy sustainability using renewable energies for two high potential cities in the south-east of Iran until the year 2030. In this regard, Homer software is used to evaluate economic and technical analyses of PV-wind-diesel hybrid system for the two cities by the data gathering which was collected from Iran’s meteorological organization. Therefore, the average of solar radiation per month for Zabol and Zahak were about 9 and 9.1 (h/d). Also, mean wind speeds are calculated 5.35 m/s and 4.7 m/s for Zabol and Zahak respectively which proposed that these cities have high potential in order to electrical production by a hybrid system. Furthermore, the amount of electricity production by PV array for Zabol and Zahak were 1700 (kWh/yr) and 1669 (kWh/yr) respectively, and the amount of electricity production by wind turbine were 9036 (kWh/yr) and 7263(kWh/yr) for Zabol and Zahak respectively. Consequently, it is of elaborated that the investments on solar and wind energy sectors for both cities would be economically justified.

Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for Electrification: A Review

Renewable energy systems are becoming widespread in the future due to adverse environmental friendly and abundant in nature. Solar and wind energy resources are alternative to each other which will have the actual potential to satisfy the energy demand. But wind energy system may not be technically viable at all sites because of low wind speeds and being more unpredictable than solar energy. Due to this reason a combined utilization of these renewable energy sources are therefore becoming increasingly attractive and are being widely used as alternative of oil-produced energy and this is called “Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems. These hybrid energy systems are becoming popular in remote area power generation applications due to advancements in renewable energy technologies and substantial rise in prices of fossil fuel. This paper presents an extensive review on hybrid renewable energy systems configurations, mathematical modeling and control strategies of the system. This Paper also highlights the optimization techniques which have the potential to increase the economic attractiveness of the system.

ATC Determination with Heuristic techniques and Comparison with Sensitivity based Methods and GAMS

Transmission system works like express highways to evacuate the power generation in remote areas to the load centres. The assessment of the capability of the network to carry power is essential not only from the security point of view but also from commercial use reserving transactions in a competitive electricity market. The main contribution of the paper is i) An evaluation of ATC with heuristic techniques viz. Genetic Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Firefly Algorithm, ii) The comparison with Generalized Algebraic Modeling System software (GAMS), iii) Comparison of the results obtained with sensitivity based methods Viz. AC/DC PTDFs based approach. The results have been determined for intact and line contingency cases taking simultaneous as well as single transaction cases. The results have been obtained for IEEE 24 bus RTS.

Hydraulic Design of a 3 kW-Class Pump-turbine Model and Performance Investigation by CFD

Small hydro is a valuable source of energy for remote area power generation. Pump-turbines are one of the most efficient ways to make and utilize the hydro energy. The purpose of the study is to design a pump-turbine model and conduct CFD analysis for performance prediction. The pump-turbine system is to be installed using an existing Francis turbine experiment model facility, so the overall casing and draft tube dimensions of the pump-turbine are the same as the existing Francis turbine. Only the dimensions of the stay vanes, guide vanes and impeller are different. Several impeller designs were investigated to match the design requirements of the model test facility. The performance and internal flow characteristics of the initial and final designs are compared and the best design is suggested for manufacturing for testing in the model test facility. The CFD results show relatively good results in both modes achieving more than 80% in hydraulic efficiency.

Computerized Solar Radiation Tracker in Home Appliances using Mathematical Morphological Operator

Objective: The proposed topic is implemented for the development of an automatic computerized solar radiation tracker and using power in home appliances. Other resource of energy are short term, thus solar energy is an emerging new source fuel, that can be applied to any source and it is been widely used. Methods: The aim of this research work is to monitor feasible approachto maximize the efficiency of solar array systems. Proposed in this report is a system that controls the movement of a solar array so that it is constantly aligned towards the direction of the sun and that there is a constant power supply without any hindrance. This is achieved by applying the measurements using Mathematical Morphological Operators. Existing tracking systems focus on directing the sun rays towards the solar panel and it lands up in manual operation. To overcome this problem a computerized system is proposed to enhance the proposed model to have a vital role in tracking the solar system used to get the energy. To find the region or the path in the solar panel morphological operator is applied to have a calculated process. Thus this proposed system helps to locate and redirect the deviated and lost energy rays. Findings: Solar Energy is a vital resource nowadays to operate any kind of appliances. In countries like India solar energy is a big boon as the summer is long and this paves for more solar power. In this abstract development of an automatic computerized solar radiation tracker and using power in home appliances is discussed. Other resource of energy are short term, thus solar energy is an emerging new source fuel, that can be applied to any source and it is been widely used. Solar panels or modules are devices that convert sunlight into electricity and offer a practical solution to the problem of power generation in remote areas. The Proposed Computerized solar tracker designed and constructed offers a reliable and affordable method of aligning a solar module with the sun in order to maximize its energy output. Automatic Sun Tracking System is a combination of both hardware and software (hybrid) hardware prototype, which automatically provides best alignment of solar panels according to the sunrays position, to get maximum output. Application: Thus this system can be implemented to enhance the working technology of the methods available for a better usage of the solar power. Keywords: Measurements, Morphological Operator, Solar Panels, Stepper Motor, Tracker

Sizing of Optimal Case of Standalone Hybrid Power System Using Homer Software

In rural areas, the high cost of grid extension requires institutions to consider other alternatives, such use of generators (GE) diesel is often considered as an economic and reliable solution, but generates environment pollution and it is convenient for the user. High Costs of operation; Energy dependence; fuel supply problem (removal of fuel suppliers); complicated and expensive maintenance; Low lifetime (about 5 years and sometimes less); Impossibility of 24 hours electricity production ( or need for several GE; Sound Births and waste oil management issues). Furthermore, the continuous decline in the prices of generators based on renewable energy and the increasing reliability of these systems lead to a greater use of renewable energy sources for power generation in remote areas. A property which limits the use of renewable energy is related to the variability of resources. Fluctuations in load according to annual or daily periods are not necessarily correlated to the resources. In remote areas, the preferred option is the coupling between multiple sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels, this coupling is called hybrid power system. Algeria’s geographic location presents several advantages for the development and use of renewable energy, namely, solar energy and wind energy. In addition, Algeria has huge deposits of natural gas, 98% electricity comes from gas. Therefore, currently, the production of electricity from renewable energies primarily depends on their competitiveness with economic gas.The objective of this work is to study the technological feasibility and economic viability of the hybrid system (PV/fuel)electrification project in a school located in Tarat (Algeria) and to reduce traditional power emissions by using renewable energy. The HOMER model is used in this study to size the proposed system and determine the optimum configuration.

Optimal management of compressed air energy storage in a hybrid wind-pneumatic-diesel system for remote area's power generation

Electricity in Canadian remote areas is, historically, produced using Diesel generators. Its total production cost is very high not only due to inherent cost of fuel but also due to transportation and maintenance costs. Moreover, the use of fossil fuels is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Hybrid systems that combine wind turbines and diesel generators reduce fuel consumption, operational cost and pollution. Adding a storage element to this hybrid system increases the penetration level of renewable sources, i.e. the percentage of renewable energy in the overall production, and further improves fuel savings. Among all energy storage techniques, CAES (compressed air energy storage) has several advantages to be combined with hybrid WDS (wind-diesel systems), due to its low cost, high power density and reliability. In a previous work, we have exposed and have evaluated a new technique to transform the existing Diesel engine to a HPCE (hybrid pneumatic combustion engine), able to operate as a bi-source engine (compressed air and fuel). Based on ideal cycle modeling, we provided a first estimation of the annual fuel economy obtained with this multi-hybrid system (WDS–HPCE). As a continuity to this work, we will compare, in this article, several strategies of management of the CAES. We will demonstrate that one of these strategies that uses an algorithm based on wind speed forecast, is the most efficient. We will, also, provide an evaluation of the fuel economy generated by the WDS–HPCE, as a function of the wind power penetration ratio, the air-storage capacity, and the average wind speed on site.

The Feasibility Study of Distributed Photovoltaic Power Generation System in Western Region of China

Due to the natural environment, geographic location, the technical conditions and restrictions of many factors, centralized parallel operation of power grid the west extension and popularization in our country with high difficulty and feasibility. The distributed photovoltaic power generation possesses the following advantages: less investment, flexibility and compatibility. The joint operation of DG with power grid brings tremendous variation in control and operation for modern power system, ultimately the stability of power supply is enhanced and the life quality of residents is improved in western region of China. This paper explores the operation mode of distributed photovoltaic power generation in remote areas, and introduces the concrete operation mode of the project, analyzes the adaptability of distributed photovoltaic mode. Finally, the feasibility of the application of the distributed photovoltaic power generation in the western region of China is analyzed in this paper.

An Improved Speed Sensorless Control of Self Excited Induction Generators Considering Magnetic Nonlinearity

Self excited induction generators (SEIG) are widely used for wind power generation in remote areas. The challenge is to maintain constant voltage and frequency under variable load and variable wind speeds. In this paper a reactive power control technique of the generator partially through fixed capacitor bank connected at the stator terminals and switched dc power source is proposed for constant voltage operation. The dc power source can be a battery charged from a solar module and from the generator during light loaded condition. The capacitor provides the bulk excitation current for the induction generator (IG) while the inverter adds the reactive current needed to regulate the IG output voltage under variable wind speeds and loads. The method is simple and can also be applicable for a wider speed range of operation. Different simulations and experiments are performed on a real machine to validate the proposed concept. 

Required time response of a variable valve actuator equiping a hybrid pneumatic–combustion engine

This work is a part of a research program that aims to modify a conventional internal combustion engine and turn it into a hybrid pneumatic–combustion engine. The hybrid pneumatic–combustion engine should be able to convert mechanical energy into compressed air and convert compressed air back into mechanical energy. The potential application for the concept is any use of the internal combustion engine where the load oscillates between a negative and a positive value, such as automobiles and hybrid wind diesel systems for remote area power generation. In the first application, during vehicle decelerations, an excess of power occurs, and a negative load could be applied to the engine, whereas during vehicle accelerations, a positive load is applied. In the second application, if the generated wind power is higher than consumption demand, then the load applied to the engine could be negative, and if the generated wind power is lower than consumption demand, then the load is positive. In previous work, we exposed an optimization followed by a fuel-saving evaluation of a new hybrid pneumatic–combustion engine concept that uses a variable valve actuator system. The optimization of the valve actuation was based on ideal thermodynamic cycle modeling, assuming therefore an instant response of the variable valve actuator system. In the present work, a more realistic analysis of the system is provided by taking into consideration the dynamic response of the variable valve actuator system. Variable valve actuators have been widely studied for optimizing performance and fuel consumption of the internal combustion engine, especially in spark-ignition engines. For these engines, it is possible to reduce the pumping losses and to optimize the engine filling by controlling the intake and exhaust valve opening and closing angles, as well as their lifts. However, the variation of valve actuation crank angles required in a conventional internal combustion engine is significantly smaller than the one required in the hybrid pneumatic–combustion engine. This paper describes, through simulation, how the valve time response affects the performance of the hybrid pneumatic–combustion engine and recommends a required valve time response.

Substrate-Enhanced Microbial Fuel Cells for Improved Remote Power Generation from Sediment-Based Systems

A sediment microbial fuel cell (MFC) produces electricity through the bacterial oxidation of organic matter contained in the sediment. The power density is limited, however, due in part to the low organic matter content of most marine sediments. To increase power generation from these devices, particulate substrates were added to the anode compartment. Three materials were tested: two commercially available chitin products differing in particle size and biodegradability (Chitin 20 and Chitin 80) and cellulose powder. Maximum power densities using chitin in this substrate-enhanced sediment MFC (SEM) were 76 +/- 25 and 84 +/- 10 mW/m2 (normalized to cathode projected surface area) for Chitin 20 and Chitin 80, respectively, versus less than 2 mW/m2 for an unamended control. Power generation over a 10 day period averaged 64 +/- 27 mW/ m2 (Chitin 20) and 76 +/- 15 mW/m2 (Chitin 80). With cellulose, a similar maximum power was initially generated (83 +/- 3 mW/m2), but power rapidly decreased after only 20 h. Maximum power densities over the next 5 days varied substantially among replicate cellulose-fed reactors, ranging from 29 +/- 12 to 62 +/- 23 mW/m2. These results suggest a new approach to power generation in remote areas based on the use of particulate substrates. While the longevity of the SEM was relatively short in these studies, it is possible to increase operation times by controlling particle size, mass, and type of material needed to achieve desired power levels that could theoretically be sustained over periods of years or even decades.

Investigation on generated power of thermoelectric roof solar collector

The aim of this paper was to conduct lab-scale investigation of a new roof design concept termed “the thermoelectric roof solar collector (TE-RSC)” for power generation using solar energy. The TE-RSC was composed of a transparent acrylic sheet, air gap, a copper plate, thermoelectric modules and a rectangular fin heat sink. The incident solar radiation heats up the copper plate so that a temperature difference is created between the TE module that generates a direct current. This current generated was used to run a fan for cooling the TE modules. The TE-RSC surface area was 0.0525 m 2 and 10 thermoelectric cooling modules (Tianjin Lantian model TEC1-12708) were used. Investigations were done by varying solar radiation, simulated by using a halogen lamp, between 400 and 1000 W/m 2. It was found that this new roof design can generate about 1.2 W under solar radiation intensity of about 800 W/m 2 at ambient temperature varying between 30 and 35 °C. The corresponding air velocity generated by the ventilation fan was about 1.7 m/s. Therefore, the proposed TE-RSC concept seems to be an interesting new alternative for various purposes such as power generation in remote areas, roof heat gain reduction and indoor ventilation of spaces.

PV-diesel hybrid energy systems for remote area power generation — A review of current practice and future developments

The continuous decline of costs for renewable energy technology, together with the establishment of a mature alternative energy industry, has led to the increased utilisation of renewable energy sources for remote area power generation. Rural households in industrialised and less developed countries attach high value to a reliable supply of electricity even if its capacity is limited. The paper reviews the current state of the design and operation of stand-alone PV-diesel hybrid energy systems. It highlights future developments, which have the potential to increase the economic competitiveness of such systems and their acceptance by the user.

Thermodynamic analysis of combined diesel engine and absorption unit-turbocharged engine with intercooling

Large diesel engines are well suited for power generation in remote areas, their high thermal efficiency and relative insensitivity to high ambient temperatures make them suitable for use in desert and tropical climates. The exhaust gases from such installations represent a significant amount of thermal energy that can be put to beneficial use. This paper explores the utilisation of the exhaust gases from a turbocharged and intercooled engine as an energy input to a vapour absorption refrigeration machine that is used primarily to cool the engine charge air in an intercooler. The influence of the engine configuration and performance parameters on the performance of an ideal system is investigated.