IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v120y2020ics1364032119308494.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Techno-economic assessment and environmental impact of concentrating solar power plants in Iran

Author

Listed:
  • Hirbodi, Kamran
  • Enjavi-Arsanjani, Mahboubeh
  • Yaghoubi, Mahmood

Abstract

This study aims to assess the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of parabolic trough and solar tower power plants under the climatic conditions of south-central regions of Iran with an average direct normal irradiation of about 6 kWh/m2/day. The effects of power plant capacity, cooling system, solar multiple, and hours of thermal energy storage on the techno-economic performance of the power plants are examined. In addition, the environmental metrics including reduction of CO2 emissions, fossil fuel saving, and energy payback time are evaluated. Four power plant capacities of 20, 50, 100, and 200 MWe along with two cooling options, including dry and wet are investigated. Besides, the solar multiple and capacity of thermal energy storage are varied from 1.0 to 4.0 with a step of 0.1, and from 0 to 18 h with a step of 1 h, respectively. The ground weather data from the meteorological organization of Iran are used as input data in the System Advisor Model software. Based on the results, the optimal configurations for the studied power plants concerning the techno-economic parameters are determined. It is revealed that the dry-cooled solar tower power plant with a capacity of 100 MWe, 14 h storage system, and solar multiple of 3.0 is the most efficient configuration under the studied climatic conditions. For this concentrating solar power plant, the levelized cost of electricity and solar-to-electricity efficiency are 11.3 ¢/kWhe and 14.7%, respectively. Furthermore, the energy payback time is about 15 months, annual CO2 emissions reduction is 399 kilotons, and annual fossil fuel saving is 190 million cubic meters of natural gas.

Suggested Citation

  • Hirbodi, Kamran & Enjavi-Arsanjani, Mahboubeh & Yaghoubi, Mahmood, 2020. "Techno-economic assessment and environmental impact of concentrating solar power plants in Iran," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:120:y:2020:i:c:s1364032119308494
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2019.109642
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032119308494
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109642?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Izquierdo, Salvador & Montañés, Carlos & Dopazo, César & Fueyo, Norberto, 2010. "Analysis of CSP plants for the definition of energy policies: The influence on electricity cost of solar multiples, capacity factors and energy storage," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 6215-6221, October.
    2. Ari, Izzet & Aydinalp Koksal, Merih, 2011. "Carbon dioxide emission from the Turkish electricity sector and its mitigation options," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 6120-6135, October.
    3. Solangi, K.H. & Islam, M.R. & Saidur, R. & Rahim, N.A. & Fayaz, H., 2011. "A review on global solar energy policy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 2149-2163, May.
    4. Viebahn, Peter & Lechon, Yolanda & Trieb, Franz, 2011. "The potential role of concentrated solar power (CSP) in Africa and Europe--A dynamic assessment of technology development, cost development and life cycle inventories until 2050," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(8), pages 4420-4430, August.
    5. Soni, M.S. & Gakkhar, Nikhil, 2014. "Techno-economic parametric assessment of solar power in India: A survey," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 326-334.
    6. Li, Huanan & Mu, Hailin & Zhang, Ming & Gui, Shusen, 2012. "Analysis of regional difference on impact factors of China’s energy – Related CO2 emissions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 319-326.
    7. Kannan, Nadarajah & Vakeesan, Divagar, 2016. "Solar energy for future world: - A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1092-1105.
    8. Pelay, Ugo & Luo, Lingai & Fan, Yilin & Stitou, Driss & Rood, Mark, 2017. "Thermal energy storage systems for concentrated solar power plants," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 82-100.
    9. Benoit, H. & Spreafico, L. & Gauthier, D. & Flamant, G., 2016. "Review of heat transfer fluids in tube-receivers used in concentrating solar thermal systems: Properties and heat transfer coefficients," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 298-315.
    10. Pavlović, Tomislav M. & Radonjić, Ivana S. & Milosavljević, Dragana D. & Pantić, Lana S., 2012. "A review of concentrating solar power plants in the world and their potential use in Serbia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 3891-3902.
    11. Coelho, Bruno & Varga, Szabolcs & Oliveira, Armando & Mendes, Adélio, 2014. "Optimization of an atmospheric air volumetric central receiver system: Impact of solar multiple, storage capacity and control strategy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 392-401.
    12. Janjai, S. & Laksanaboonsong, J. & Seesaard, T., 2011. "Potential application of concentrating solar power systems for the generation of electricity in Thailand," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4960-4967.
    13. Purohit, Ishan & Purohit, Pallav, 2010. "Techno-economic evaluation of concentrating solar power generation in India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 3015-3029, June.
    14. Liu, Ming & Steven Tay, N.H. & Bell, Stuart & Belusko, Martin & Jacob, Rhys & Will, Geoffrey & Saman, Wasim & Bruno, Frank, 2016. "Review on concentrating solar power plants and new developments in high temperature thermal energy storage technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1411-1432.
    15. Bijarniya, Jay Prakash & Sudhakar, K. & Baredar, Prashant, 2016. "Concentrated solar power technology in India: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 593-603.
    16. Zhang, H.L. & Baeyens, J. & Degrève, J. & Cacères, G., 2013. "Concentrated solar power plants: Review and design methodology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 466-481.
    17. Turney, Damon & Fthenakis, Vasilis, 2011. "Environmental impacts from the installation and operation of large-scale solar power plants," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(6), pages 3261-3270, August.
    18. González-Roubaud, Edouard & Pérez-Osorio, David & Prieto, Cristina, 2017. "Review of commercial thermal energy storage in concentrated solar power plants: Steam vs. molten salts," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 133-148.
    19. Alva, Guruprasad & Liu, Lingkun & Huang, Xiang & Fang, Guiyin, 2017. "Thermal energy storage materials and systems for solar energy applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P1), pages 693-706.
    20. John J. Burkhardt & Garvin Heath & Elliot Cohen, 2012. "Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Trough and Tower Concentrating Solar Power Electricity Generation," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 16(s1), pages 93-109, April.
    21. Lamnatou, Chr. & Chemisana, D., 2017. "Concentrating solar systems: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental issues," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 916-932.
    22. Malagueta, Diego & Szklo, Alexandre & Soria, Rafael & Dutra, Ricardo & Schaeffer, Roberto & Moreira Cesar Borba, Bruno Soares, 2014. "Potential and impacts of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) integration in the Brazilian electric power system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 223-235.
    23. De Luca, Fabrizio & Ferraro, Vittorio & Marinelli, Valerio, 2015. "On the performance of CSP oil-cooled plants, with and without heat storage in tanks of molten salts," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 230-239.
    24. Najafi, G. & Ghobadian, B. & Mamat, R. & Yusaf, T. & Azmi, W.H., 2015. "Solar energy in Iran: Current state and outlook," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 931-942.
    25. Desideri, U. & Zepparelli, F. & Morettini, V. & Garroni, E., 2013. "Comparative analysis of concentrating solar power and photovoltaic technologies: Technical and environmental evaluations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 765-784.
    26. Ghorbani, Afshin & Rahimpour, Hamid Reza & Ghasemi, Younes & Zoughi, Somayeh & Rahimpour, Mohammad Reza, 2014. "A Review of Carbon Capture and Sequestration in Iran: Microalgal Biofixation Potential in Iran," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 73-100.
    27. Vignarooban, K. & Xu, Xinhai & Arvay, A. & Hsu, K. & Kannan, A.M., 2015. "Heat transfer fluids for concentrating solar power systems – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 383-396.
    28. Tian, Y. & Zhao, C.Y., 2013. "A review of solar collectors and thermal energy storage in solar thermal applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 538-553.
    29. Herrmann, Ulf & Kelly, Bruce & Price, Henry, 2004. "Two-tank molten salt storage for parabolic trough solar power plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 883-893.
    30. Dowling, Alexander W. & Zheng, Tian & Zavala, Victor M., 2017. "Economic assessment of concentrated solar power technologies: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 1019-1032.
    31. Asdrubali, Francesco & Baldinelli, Giorgio & D’Alessandro, Francesco & Scrucca, Flavio, 2015. "Life cycle assessment of electricity production from renewable energies: Review and results harmonization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1113-1122.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nawaz Edoo & Robert T. F. Ah King, 2021. "Techno-Economic Analysis of Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Plus Battery Power Plant," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-22, December.
    2. Rahim Zahedi & Alireza Zahedi & Abolfazl Ahmadi, 2022. "Strategic Study for Renewable Energy Policy, Optimizations and Sustainability in Iran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-29, February.
    3. Tarun Kumar Aseri & Chandan Sharma & Tara C. Kandpal, 2022. "Condenser cooling technologies for concentrating solar power plants: a review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 4511-4565, April.
    4. Keyif, Enes & Hornung, Michael & Zhu, Wanshan, 2020. "Optimal configurations and operations of concentrating solar power plants under new market trends," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    5. Seyed Reza Mirnezami & Amin Mohseni Cheraghlou, 2022. "Wind Power in Iran: Technical, Policy, and Financial Aspects for Better Energy Resource Management," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, April.
    6. Gutiérrez, R.E. & Guerra, K. & Haro, P., 2022. "Exploring the techno-economic feasibility of new bioeconomy concepts: Solar-assisted thermochemical biorefineries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    7. Gutiérrez-Alvarez, R. & Guerra, K. & Haro, P., 2023. "Market profitability of CSP-biomass hybrid power plants: Towards a firm supply of renewable energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    8. Assadi, Mohammad Reza & Ataebi, Melikasadat & Ataebi, Elmira sadat & Hasani, Aliakbar, 2022. "Prioritization of renewable energy resources based on sustainable management approach using simultaneous evaluation of criteria and alternatives: A case study on Iran's electricity industry," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 820-832.
    9. Ali, Babkir & Hedayati-Dezfooli, M. & Gamil, Ahmed, 2023. "Sustainability assessment of alternative energy power generation pathways through the development of impact indicators for water, land, GHG emissions, and cost," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    10. Ephraim Bonah Agyekum & Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo & Festus Victor Bekun & Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Manoj Kumar Panjwani, 2021. "Effect of Two Different Heat Transfer Fluids on the Performance of Solar Tower CSP by Comparing Recompression Supercritical CO 2 and Rankine Power Cycles, China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, June.
    11. Feng, Chenjia & Shao, Chengcheng & Wang, Xifan, 2021. "CSP clustering in unit commitment for power system production cost modeling," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 1217-1228.
    12. Ajbar, Wassila & Parrales, A. & Huicochea, A. & Hernández, J.A., 2022. "Different ways to improve parabolic trough solar collectors’ performance over the last four decades and their applications: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    13. Gutiérrez, R.E. & Haro, P. & Gómez-Barea, A., 2021. "Techno-economic and operational assessment of concentrated solar power plants with a dual supporting system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 302(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Islam, Md Tasbirul & Huda, Nazmul & Abdullah, A.B. & Saidur, R., 2018. "A comprehensive review of state-of-the-art concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies: Current status and research trends," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 987-1018.
    2. Delise, T. & Tizzoni, A.C. & Menale, C. & Telling, M.T.F. & Bubbico, R. & Crescenzi, T. & Corsaro, N. & Sau, S. & Licoccia, S., 2020. "Technical and economic analysis of a CSP plant presenting a low freezing ternary mixture as storage and transfer fluid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    3. Khamlich, Imane & Zeng, Kuo & Flamant, Gilles & Baeyens, Jan & Zou, Chongzhe & Li, Jun & Yang, Xinyi & He, Xiao & Liu, Qingchuan & Yang, Haiping & Yang, Qing & Chen, Hanping, 2021. "Technical and economic assessment of thermal energy storage in concentrated solar power plants within a spot electricity market," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    4. Opolot, Michael & Zhao, Chunrong & Liu, Ming & Mancin, Simone & Bruno, Frank & Hooman, Kamel, 2022. "A review of high temperature (≥ 500 °C) latent heat thermal energy storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    5. Jia, Teng & Dai, Yanjun & Wang, Ruzhu, 2018. "Refining energy sources in winemaking industry by using solar energy as alternatives for fossil fuels: A review and perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 278-296.
    6. Tarun Kumar Aseri & Chandan Sharma & Tara C. Kandpal, 2022. "Condenser cooling technologies for concentrating solar power plants: a review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 4511-4565, April.
    7. Lamnatou, Chr. & Chemisana, D., 2017. "Concentrating solar systems: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental issues," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 916-932.
    8. Mostafavi Tehrani, S. Saeed & Shoraka, Yashar & Nithyanandam, Karthik & Taylor, Robert A., 2019. "Shell-and-tube or packed bed thermal energy storage systems integrated with a concentrated solar power: A techno-economic comparison of sensible and latent heat systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 887-910.
    9. Xu, Xinhai & Vignarooban, K. & Xu, Ben & Hsu, K. & Kannan, A.M., 2016. "Prospects and problems of concentrating solar power technologies for power generation in the desert regions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1106-1131.
    10. Hernández-Moro, J. & Martínez-Duart, J.M., 2013. "Analytical model for solar PV and CSP electricity costs: Present LCOE values and their future evolution," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 119-132.
    11. Maria Simona Răboacă & Gheorghe Badea & Adrian Enache & Constantin Filote & Gabriel Răsoi & Mihai Rata & Alexandru Lavric & Raluca-Andreea Felseghi, 2019. "Concentrating Solar Power Technologies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-17, March.
    12. Soria, Rafael & Lucena, André F.P. & Tomaschek, Jan & Fichter, Tobias & Haasz, Thomas & Szklo, Alexandre & Schaeffer, Roberto & Rochedo, Pedro & Fahl, Ulrich & Kern, Jürgen, 2016. "Modelling concentrated solar power (CSP) in the Brazilian energy system: A soft-linked model coupling approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(P1), pages 265-280.
    13. San Miguel, G. & Corona, B., 2018. "Economic viability of concentrated solar power under different regulatory frameworks in Spain," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 205-218.
    14. Palacios, A. & Barreneche, C. & Navarro, M.E. & Ding, Y., 2020. "Thermal energy storage technologies for concentrated solar power – A review from a materials perspective," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 1244-1265.
    15. Ogunmodimu, Olumide & Okoroigwe, Edmund C., 2018. "Concentrating solar power technologies for solar thermal grid electricity in Nigeria: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 104-119.
    16. Dan-Adrian Mocanu & Viorel Bădescu & Ciprian Bucur & Iuliana Ștefan & Elena Carcadea & Maria Simona Răboacă & Ioana Manta, 2020. "PLC Automation and Control Strategy in a Stirling Solar Power System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-19, April.
    17. Bukhary, Saria & Ahmad, Sajjad & Batista, Jacimaria, 2018. "Analyzing land and water requirements for solar deployment in the Southwestern United States," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 3288-3305.
    18. Mohammadi, Kasra & Khanmohammadi, Saber & Khorasanizadeh, Hossein & Powell, Kody, 2020. "A comprehensive review of solar only and hybrid solar driven multigeneration systems: Classifications, benefits, design and prospective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    19. Pelay, Ugo & Luo, Lingai & Fan, Yilin & Stitou, Driss & Castelain, Cathy, 2019. "Integration of a thermochemical energy storage system in a Rankine cycle driven by concentrating solar power: Energy and exergy analyses," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 498-510.
    20. Nunes, V.M.B. & Queirós, C.S. & Lourenço, M.J.V. & Santos, F.J.V. & Nieto de Castro, C.A., 2016. "Molten salts as engineering fluids – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 603-611.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:120:y:2020:i:c:s1364032119308494. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.