Quantitative indicators are essential tools in the sustainability assessment process of power generation from different fuel-based pathways. A comprehensive assessment must combine all the sensitive sustainability factors related to natural resource use, environmental impacts, and economic issues. This paper is intended to establish measurable indicators for the sustainability of gas-fired power generation pathways. Thirty-nine pathways were structured based on the full life cycle assessment, including gas extraction, power generation technology, and the cooling systems unit operations. The developed sustainability indicators include water demand, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, land use, and the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). Cogeneration pathways are the most sustainable technology compared to the other gas-fired power generation technologies. Dry cooling on the power plant combined with cogeneration technology outperforms the different pathways towards greater sustainability. The cooling system, combustion of natural gas, conversion efficiency, and pipeline transportation are the sensitive factors for water demand, GHG emissions, LCOE, and land use indicators, respectively. A multi-objective sustainability scenario was conducted to cover a demand with an installed capacity range of 250 MW - 5000 MW. The constraints were adjusted with the minimum possible LCOE and the lowest potential quantitative impacts on natural resources and GHG emissions. When importing natural gas from a different jurisdiction in the sustainability scenario and based on the average values, 97% of the land area was saved. GHG emissions were mitigated by 15%, which increased the average LCOE by 15%.
This research work aims to design theoretically through computer programming a solar concentrating dish using flat mirrors as reflectors to be fixed in pieces on a steel framed dish. The simulation program determines design dimensions, economical factors and thermal performance, relating them to each other and to be controlled through specific preliminary inputs. A model of concentrating dish having 1 m diameter was constructed and tested to achieve design optimisation of such types of systems. A prototype of 8 m diameter was also constructed and tested to verify the reliability of the program and workability of the system to be used for steam generation.
This paper is intended to evaluate the economic viability of producing solar photovoltaic modules in Sudan. The simple payback period and the net present value were used as economic indicators to study comparatively different annual production capacities. Initial and operating costs were developed and analyzed for the product lifecycle. The number of working shifts in the base case is doubled to achieve a production rate of 20 MW/year and double shift with double quantity of machines is executed to reach a production capacity of 40 MW/year. The total initial cost for annual production of both 10 MW and 20 MW is USD 418,400.00 and for 40 MW is USD 776,800.00. The range of production cost for solar PV modules in Sudan was found to be 434.29 USD/kW- 445.87 USD/kW. Raw materials cost dominated by solar cells has the most significant contribution to the production cost. Although of the higher initial cost for the annual production capacity of 40 MW, but it is still outperforming in the payback period and at the same selling price of 450.00 USD/kW, the payback period is 1.1 years for 40 MW, 1.48 years for 20 MW, and 5.03 years for 10 MW.
Water demand coefficients and energy projections were set for Alberta province in Canada. A data-intensive model is structured to combine the gathered data to cover primary fuels and electricity generation pathways in Alberta. Profiles of historical and forecasted water demand for the energy sector in Alberta were developed in terms of total amounts of water consumption and water withdrawals to cover the time horizon from 2009 to 2030. The results were verified and showed that total water consumption for primary fuels in Alberta during 2009 was 358 million m3 with an average annual growth rate of 9%. The total water consumption for electricity generation in Alberta was 171 million m3 in 2009 and grows at an average rate of 4% per year. Sensitivity analysis shows that improvement by 1% in water consumption coefficient or reduction in expected production of ethanol from wheat will save annually for Alberta on average about 4.3 million m3 of water. The same sensitivity factor of 1% was applied to electricity generation pathways and 1.5 million m3 of water per year could be saved in consumption through a pathway of the natural gas combined cycle with cooling towers.
The main objective of this paper is to study the sustainability of power generation from an abandoned oil and gas well in the province of Alberta, Canada. Economic and environmental indicators were used for the sustainability assessment. A conceptual design for a pilot plant was developed, and the main parameters were determined. An abandoned oil and gas well represents the thermal power source through circulating water into an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) unit to generate electricity. The thermal power is extracted through a double-pipe heat exchanger configuration installed in an abandoned well and having the benefit of the already erected casing pipe. The ORC unit is with a maximum electric power capacity of 110 kW at water flow rate 22.1 l/s, and water outlet temperature 122°C. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for geothermal power generation from an abandoned well was developed at different values of water outlet temperature in the range 77°C- 122°C and the corresponding LCOE range was 0.10 $/kWh- 0.54 $/kWh. Based on the same water outlet temperature range, a shift of power generation from natural gas to an abandoned well in Alberta would mitigate a range of 8600- 14800 tonnes of CO2 annually. Reservoirs in Alberta with high temperatures more than 150°C are recommended for installation of sustainable geothermal power generation system with large-scale power capacity in megawatts. The efficient high-temperature reservoir would lead to a more feasible, sustainable, and cost-effective system output.
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