Energy performance of concentrator and flat plate photovoltaics in the mediterranean area
A comparative analysis of the energy production of a High Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) and a flat plate amorphous photovoltaic (PV) plants, installed in the same place in the southern Italy, is presented. This analysis aims at providing reliable production values of CPV based on a long term monitoring with reference to this specific geographic zone. The daily normalized power production in different weather conditions is presented and the correlation between energy production and daily solar irradiance is discussed. Further, a statistical analysis on the normalized energy production is developed for both plants, referring to the measured historical data. Finally, economic aspects and the evaluation of levelized cost of energy for CPV based on in-field data are reported. On the basis of these considerations, the feasibility of CPV systems in southern Europe are discussed.
High Concentrator PhotoVoltaics efficiencies: Present status and forecast
Photovoltaic devices are in a mature technological stage with a long and wide field experience; but if this source of energy wants to compete against other renewable energy sources or even to get into the traditional energy generation system, it is necessary a novel scientific progress in the behavior of these photovoltaic systems. In this challenge is where High Concentrator Photovoltaic technology can have a main role, as it has proved, in the last researches published, to have the potential to achieve high levels of energy conversion performance. In this paper, it is described a brief summary of the CPV state of the art, as well as it is forecast some efficiencies values up to 2015, where a CPV module could reach 40% of efficiency, while the global CPV system could achieve approximately a 32%.
Techno-economic analysis of chemical looping combustion with humid air turbine power cycle
Abstract Power generation from fossil fuel-fired power plant is the largest single source of CO2 emission. CO2 emission contributes to climate change. On the other hand, renewable energy is hindered by complex constraints in dealing with large scale application and high price. Power generation from fossil fuels with CO2 capture is therefore necessary to meet the increasing energy demand, and reduce the emission of CO2. This paper presents a process simulation and economic analysis of the chemical looping combustion (CLC) integrated with humid air turbine (HAT) cycle for natural gas-fired power plant with CO2 capture. The study shows that the CLC–HAT including CO2 capture has a thermal efficiency of 57% at oxidizing temperature of 1200 °C and reducer inlet temperature of 530 °C. The economic evaluation shows that the 50 MWth plant with a projected lifetime of 30 years will have a payback period of 7 years and 6 years for conventional HAT and CLC–HAT cycles respectively. The analysis indicates that CLC–HAT process has a high potential to be commercialised.