IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v15y2021i1p202-d713452.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Modelling and Environmental Assessment of a Stand-Alone Micro-Grid System in a Mountain Hut Using Renewables

Author

Listed:
  • Mitja Mori

    (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Manuel Gutiérrez

    (Fundación para el Desarrollo de las Nuevas Tecnologías del Hidrógeno en Aragón, Parque Tecnológico Walqa Ctra. N-330a, km. 566, 22197 Huesca, Spain)

  • Mihael Sekavčnik

    (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Boštjan Drobnič

    (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Abstract

Mountain huts are stand-alone micro-grid systems that are not connected to a power grid. However, they impact the environment by generating electricity and through day-to-day operations. The installed generator needs to be flexible to cover fluctuations in the energy demand. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources presents a challenge when it comes to balancing electricity generation and consumption. This paper presents an integration-and-optimization process for renewable energy sources in a mountain hut’s electricity generation system combined with a lifecycle assessment. A custom computational model was developed, validated with experimental data and integrated into a TRNSYS model. Five different electricity generation topologies were modelled to find the best configuration that matches the dynamics and meets the cumulative electricity demand. A lifecycle assessment methodology was used to evaluate the environmental impacts of all the topologies for one typical operating year. The carbon footprint could be reduced by 34% in the case of the actually implemented system upgrade, and by up to 47% in the case of 100% renewable electricity generation. An investment cost analysis shows that improving the battery charging strategy has a minor effect on the payback time, but it can significantly reduce the environmental impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Mitja Mori & Manuel Gutiérrez & Mihael Sekavčnik & Boštjan Drobnič, 2021. "Modelling and Environmental Assessment of a Stand-Alone Micro-Grid System in a Mountain Hut Using Renewables," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-21, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2021:i:1:p:202-:d:713452
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/1/202/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/1/202/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zerrin Günkaya & Alp Özdemir & Aysun Özkan & Müfide Banar, 2016. "Environmental Performance of Electricity Generation Based on Resources: A Life Cycle Assessment Case Study in Turkey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Smith, Cameron & Burrows, John & Scheier, Eric & Young, Amberli & Smith, Jessica & Young, Tiffany & Gheewala, Shabbir H., 2015. "Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of a Thai Island's diesel/PV/wind hybrid microgrid," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 85-100.
    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. Mónica Camas-Náfate & Alberto Coronado-Mendoza & Carlos Vargas-Salgado & Jesús Águila-León & David Alfonso-Solar, 2024. "Optimizing Lithium-Ion Battery Modeling: A Comparative Analysis of PSO and GWO Algorithms," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-22, February.

    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. Alizadeh, Sadegh & Avami, Akram, 2021. "Development of a framework for the sustainability evaluation of renewable and fossil fuel power plants using integrated LCA-emergy analysis: A case study in Iran," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1548-1564.
    2. Aberilla, Jhud Mikhail & Gallego-Schmid, Alejandro & Stamford, Laurence & Azapagic, Adisa, 2020. "Design and environmental sustainability assessment of small-scale off-grid energy systems for remote rural communities," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    3. Wang, Richard & Lam, Chor-Man & Hsu, Shu-Chien & Chen, Jieh-Haur, 2019. "Life cycle assessment and energy payback time of a standalone hybrid renewable energy commercial microgrid: A case study of Town Island in Hong Kong," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C), pages 760-775.
    4. Vasileios Ntouros & Ioannis Kousis & Dimitra Papadaki & Anna Laura Pisello & Margarita Niki Assimakopoulos, 2021. "Life Cycle Assessment on Different Synthetic Routes of ZIF-8 Nanomaterials," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-22, August.
    5. Kainthola, Jyoti & Kalamdhad, Ajay S. & Goud, Vaibhav V., 2020. "Optimization of process parameters for accelerated methane yield from anaerobic co-digestion of rice straw and food waste," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 1352-1359.
    6. Rafique, M. Mujahid & Rehman, S. & Alhems, Luai M., 2018. "Developing zero energy and sustainable villages – A case study for communities of the future," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 565-574.
    7. Richard Wallsgrove & Jisuk Woo & Jae-Hyup Lee & Lorraine Akiba, 2021. "The Emerging Potential of Microgrids in the Transition to 100% Renewable Energy Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-28, March.
    8. Heydari, Ali & Askarzadeh, Alireza, 2016. "Optimization of a biomass-based photovoltaic power plant for an off-grid application subject to loss of power supply probability concept," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 601-611.
    9. Jordi Cravioto & Hideaki Ohgaki & Hang Seng Che & ChiaKwang Tan & Satoru Kobayashi & Hla Toe & Bun Long & Eth Oudaya & Nasrudin Abd Rahim & Hooman Farzeneh, 2020. "The Effects of Rural Electrification on Quality of Life: A Southeast Asian Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-28, May.
    10. Jacquetta Lee, 2021. "Environmental Hotspot Assessment for a PV Mini-Grid Design: A Case Study for Malawi," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-19, July.
    11. Vega-Coloma, Mabel & Zaror, Claudio A., 2018. "Environmental impact profile of electricity generation in Chile: A baseline study over two decades," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 154-167.
    12. Mehmet Kadri Akyüz & Önder Altuntaş & Mehmet Ziya Söğüt, 2017. "Economic and Environmental Optimization of an Airport Terminal Building’s Wall and Roof Insulation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-18, October.
    13. Kockel, Christina & Nolting, Lars & Goldbeck, Rafael & Wulf, Christina & De Doncker, Rik W. & Praktiknjo, Aaron, 2022. "A scalable life cycle assessment of alternating and direct current microgrids in office buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 305(C).
    14. Mérida García, A. & Gallagher, J. & McNabola, A. & Camacho Poyato, E. & Montesinos Barrios, P. & Rodríguez Díaz, J.A., 2019. "Comparing the environmental and economic impacts of on- or off-grid solar photovoltaics with traditional energy sources for rural irrigation systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 895-904.
    15. Bayrakci Ozdingis, Asiye Gul & Kocar, Gunnur, 2018. "Current and future aspects of bioethanol production and utilization in Turkey," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 2196-2203.
    16. Papageorgiou, Asterios & Ashok, Archana & Hashemi Farzad, Tabassom & Sundberg, Cecilia, 2020. "Climate change impact of integrating a solar microgrid system into the Swedish electricity grid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    17. Busola D. Akintayo & Oluwafemi E. Ige & Olubayo M. Babatunde & Oludolapo A. Olanrewaju, 2023. "Evaluation and Prioritization of Power-Generating Systems Using a Life Cycle Assessment and a Multicriteria Decision-Making Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-18, September.
    18. Zhao, Bo & Chen, Jian & Zhang, Leiqi & Zhang, Xuesong & Qin, Ruwen & Lin, Xiangning, 2018. "Three representative island microgrids in the East China Sea: Key technologies and experiences," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 262-274.
    19. Thomas Sachs & Anna Gründler & Milos Rusic & Gilbert Fridgen, 2019. "Framing Microgrid Design from a Business and Information Systems Engineering Perspective," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 61(6), pages 729-744, December.
    20. Aberilla, Jhud Mikhail & Gallego-Schmid, Alejandro & Azapagic, Adisa, 2019. "Environmental sustainability of small-scale biomass power technologies for agricultural communities in developing countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 493-506.

    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:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2021:i:1:p:202-:d:713452. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.