Search Results (643)

The upscaling of turbines in the offshore wind industry has been unprecedented, as compared to 5–6 MW rated turbines 10 years ago. A typical 20–26 MW rated turbine in modern commercial applications (MingYang MySE 18.X-20 MW installed in 2025 and 26 MW prototype by Dongfang Electric tested in 2025) has been demonstrated. This scaling has been made possible by increasing rotor diameters (>250 m) and hub heights (>150–180 m) to achieve capacity factors of up to 55–65%, annual energy generation of more than 80 GWh/turbine, and significant decreases in levelised cost of energy (LCOE) to current values of up to 63–65 USD 2023/MWh globally averaged in 2023 (with minor variability in 2024 due to market changes and new regional areas). The paper analyses turbine upscaling over three levels of hierarchy, including turbine scale—rated capacity and physical aspect, project scale—multi-gigawatts of farms, and market scale—the global pipeline > 1500 GW level, and combines techno-economic evaluation, structural evaluation of loads, and infrastructure needs assessment. The upscaling has the advantage of reducing the number of turbines dramatically (e.g., 500 to 67 turbines in a 1 GW farm, as turbine size is increased to 15 MW) and balancing-of-plant (BoP) CAPEX (turbine-to-turbine foundations and cables) by some 20 to 30 percent per unit of capacity, and serial production learning rates of between 15 and 18% per doubling of capacity. But the problems that come with the increase in ultra-large designs are nonlinear increments in mass and load (i.e., blade-root and tower-bending moments), logistical constraints (blades > 120 m, nacelle up to 800–1000 tonnes demanding special vessels and ports), supply-chain issues (rare-earth materials, vessel shortages increase day rates by 30–50%), and technology limitations (aeroelastic compounded by numerical differences between reference 5 MW, 10 MW, and 15 MW models), it becomes evident that there is a significant increase in deflections of the tower and blades and platform surge/pitch responses with continued increases in power levels, but without a correspondingly mature infrastructure. The regional differences (mature ports of Europe vs. U.S. Jones Act restrictions vs. scale-up of vessels/manufacturing in China) lead to the necessity of optimisation depending on the context. The analysis concludes that, to the extent of mature markets with adapted logistics, continuous upscaling is an effective business strategy and can result in 5 to 12 percent further reductions in LCOE, but beyond that point, gains become marginal or even negative, as risks and costs increase. The competitiveness of the future depends on multi-scale/multi-market-based approaches—modular-based families of turbines, programmatic standardisation, vibration control innovations, and industry coordination towards supply-chain alignment and standards. Its major strength is that it transcends mere size–cost relationships and shows how nonlinear structural processes, aero-hydro-servo-elastic interactions, and bottlenecks in logistical systems are becoming more determinant of the efficiency of ultra-large turbines. The study demonstrates that upscaling turbines has LCOE benefits through the support of associated improvements in installation facility, supply-chain preparedness, and structural vibration control potential, based on the comparisons of quantitative loads, techno-economic scaling trends, and regional market differentiation. Full article

The Hybrid Smart Energy Community (HySEC) model is an integrated framework for optimizing hybrid renewable energy systems, unifying BIM, IoT, and data-driven modeling, as an innovative approach for the energy transition. A Revit—Twinmotion BIM model, enriched with topographic, CAD, and real-image data, enhances spatial accuracy and stakeholder communication, while a digital–physical architecture linking sensors, gateways, edge devices, and cloud platforms enables decentralized peer-to-peer communication and real-time monitoring. The framework is applied to a smart energy community composed of a hydropower–wind–solar PV system serving six buildings (48.8 MWh/year), supported by high-resolution hourly Open-Meteo data. A NARX neural network trained on 8760 hourly observations achieves an MSE of 2.346 at epoch 16, providing advanced predictive capability. Benchmarking against HOMER demonstrates clear advantages in grid exports (15,130 vs. 8274 kWh/year), battery cycling (445 vs. 9181 kWh/year), LCOE (€0.09 vs. €0.180/kWh), IRR (9% vs. 6%), payback (8.7 vs. 10.5 years), and CO₂ emissions (−9.4 vs. 101 tons). These results confirm HySEC as a conceptually flexible solution that strengthens energy autonomy, supports heritage site rehabilitation, and promotes sustainable rural development. Full article

Many countries rely on coal for energy security during renewable transitions. This study conducts a technical, economic, and environmental analysis of hybridizing a supercritical coal-fired power unit with photovoltaics (PV) to create a sustainable hybrid system at a plant in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. The goal is to assess costs and optimal operating conditions for a coal–PV hybrid under varying scenarios, using a decision-support model that integrates fuel prices, CO₂ emission charges (EUA), and technical parameters. Two main scenarios are modeled. In auxiliary-only PV (112 MW system), real-time power supplies pumps and fans, cutting coal consumption without storage; LCOE decreases with annual hours (2800–7000), outperforming conventional coal across EUA prices (20–50 EUR/t). In PV surplus export, excess generation (1300 h/year) is grid-fed for revenue, amplifying LCOE reductions—hybrid superiority emerges above 34 EUR/t EUA, per equivalence thresholds. Results show coal electricity exceeds low-emission costs above 34 EUR/t CO₂, with maximum disparity at 50 EUR/Mg. The hybrid leverages existing infrastructure, mitigates solar intermittency via auxiliary supply, ensures baseload continuity, boosts flexibility, and prolongs asset life—reducing >123,000 EUA/year at 145,000 MWh PV output. This sustainable hybrid promotes energy transition, reduces fossil fuel dependence, and aligns with global sustainability goals. Full article

This paper proposes a replicable, city-oriented workflow to support the preliminary screening of photovoltaic (PV) opportunities in Bogotá, Colombia, by integrating (i) georeferenced spatial inventories (roofs/land), (ii) solar-resource modeling based on local meteorological stations and radiation models, and (iii) an optional 3D module (LiDAR/DSM) to refine shading and orientation losses when higher-resolution data are available. Rather than claiming a complete citywide quantification from exhaustive building-level inputs, the workflow is demonstrated through two institutional case studies (public schools) selected to represent contrasting urban morphologies. The results show how the approach consistently transforms spatial constraints and solar estimates into comparable technical and economic indicators for decision-making at the site level. Finally, a practical scale-up pathway is described to extend the same logic from pilots to citywide portfolios through batch processing of urban footprints and the progressive enrichment of inputs—from 2D GIS screening to targeted 3D refinement—while preserving transparency and traceability of assumptions. For the two case study sites, the workflow yielded preliminary PV capacities of 72.6 and 95.0 kWp, with year-1 generation of 90.2 and 115.0 MWh, respectively. The IRR values achieved were between 18.9 and 19.5%, the simple payback period was approximately five years, and the LCOE was between 0.051 and 0.053 USD/kWh. It should be noted that the generation was reported as a central estimate with ±25% tolerance to reflect interannual solar resource variability. Full article

Urban energy infrastructure in dense metropolitan regions must decarbonize essential public services while avoiding additional land take and excessive costs. This study presents a techno-economic and sustainability assessment of a grid-connected hybrid wind–solar street-lighting microgrid, created by retrofitting an existing nine-node off-grid installation at Odaiba Beach, Tokyo Bay, into an embedded distributed generation asset. The design departs from complementary sizing by independently scaling PV and wind so that each source can satisfy worst-case winter lighting demand, enabling both a reduction in battery autonomy from five to two days and the deliberate use of seasonal surpluses for grid export. Steady-state load-flow analysis in ETAP indicates annual generation of 1803.73 kWh from PV and 1192.54 kWh from wind, corresponding to approximately 1.84 MWh/year of net clean energy export after supplying 1009.15 kWh/year of lighting demand and incurring 149.09 kWh/year of distribution losses, with voltages compliant with industry standards. Sensitivity analysis under conservative solar and wind scenarios shows that the system remains export-positive in all cases, thereby supporting sustainable urban development by decarbonizing street-lighting, improving land-use efficiency through infrastructure co-location, and providing a replicable framework for similar coastal cities. Full article

In this work the feasibility of fully autonomous hydrogen homes designed for complete off-grid operation is presented. A detailed mathematical modeling and optimization model is developed to evaluate the technical performance and economic feasibility of hydrogen fuel cell-powered residential systems with no grid connection or fallback. The system integrates primary and standby Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells, multi-day hydrogen storage, advanced power conditioning, and comprehensive controls to achieve reliable year-round power supply. The analysis encompasses a complete 20-year lifecycle cost assessment. The results demonstrate that fully autonomous hydrogen homes achieve 99.85% system availability with 13.1 h of potential downtime annually, providing reliable energy independence. The levelized cost of electricity over the 20-year system lifetime is calculated at 0.4543 US$/kWh at baseline hydrogen prices of 6 US$/${\mathrm{kg}}_{{\mathrm{H}}_2}$, substantially higher than grid-connected alternatives. The analysis identifies critical sensitivity to hydrogen pricing and demonstrates that at hydrogen costs below 3 US$/${\mathrm{kg}}_{{\mathrm{H}}_2}$ (achievable with mature green hydrogen production), competitive payback periods of 12–15 years are possible in high-cost electricity regions. This study concludes that hydrogen-based autonomous homes represent a viable long-term solution for residential energy independence, particularly in remote or off-grid locations where grid connection is impractical or in regions with high electricity tariffs and developing green hydrogen production capacity. Full article

There are numerous operating parameters that affect the thermodynamic and thermoeconomic performance of gas turbine cycles, and many studies based on energy, exergy, and economic analyses have been conducted in the literature by considering these parameters. However, the order of importance and contribution ratios of key operating parameters such as ambient temperature, compressor pressure ratio, combustion efficiency, regenerator effectiveness, and compressor and turbine isentropic efficiencies with respect to thermal efficiency, exergy efficiency, and the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) have not been sufficiently investigated using statistical methods. Accordingly, a thermodynamic model of a gas turbine cycle improved with intercooling, reheating, and regeneration processes was developed in the study, and thermal efficiency, exergy efficiency, and LCOE values were calculated under different parameter levels. Taguchi analysis was carried out by using the L27 orthogonal array, in which six operating parameters were evaluated at three levels, and optimum parameter levels were determined for each performance indicator. Next, the contribution ratios of the parameters to the objective functions were calculated using the ANOVA method. The results showed that turbine isentropic efficiency was the most influential parameter in terms of thermal and exergy efficiencies, while compressor pressure ratio played the dominant role in terms of LCOE. Additionally, to simultaneously achieve the goals of maximizing thermal and exergy efficiencies and minimizing the LCOE value, the grey relational analysis (GRA) method was applied as a multi-objective optimization approach, and the optimum operating conditions were determined based on a single performance indicator. According to the GRA results, under the optimum conditions, the thermal efficiency was calculated as 0.5533, its exergy efficiency was 0.5772, and the LCOE value was 0.01751 USD/kWh. Full article

Global data center electricity demand is projected to double to 945 TWh by 2030, yet no optimization framework jointly sizes renewable generation, battery storage, hydrogen export infrastructure, and flexible computing loads within a single industrial hub. This paper develops a two-layer techno-economic workflow for an integrated renewable–hydrogen–data center hub in Yanbu Industrial City, Saudi Arabia. HOMER Pro provides baseline capacity sizing and dispatch across four scenarios; a Pyomo-based mixed-integer linear program, calibrated to within 2% of the baseline, then extends the system to include a 60 MW data center (30 MW critical, 30 MW flexible), multi-sink hydrogen allocation (domestic, ammonia, methanol), and low-grade waste heat recovery. Battery storage emerges as the dominant cost–carbon lever: its removal raises the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) from 0.052 to 0.181 USD/kWh (+250%) and increases CO₂ emissions from 1.83 to 2763 kt/yr, a factor of 1510. The Integrated Hub reduces annualized costs by 8.2% (36.9 M USD/yr) and emissions by 28% relative to a separate-build counterfactual, driven by shared PV–battery infrastructure and hydrogen export revenues of 58.5 M USD/yr. Export demand raises the electrolyzer capacity factor from 8.65% to 24.3%, cutting the levelized cost of hydrogen from 10.5 to 6.8 USD/kg. Waste heat recovery reduces the levelized cost of heat by 17%, and co-location lowers the levelized cost of compute by 23% (from 0.055 to 0.042 USD/GPU/hr). These results provide quantitative design principles for industrial hub planners considering data center co-location in high-solar regions with hydrogen export ambitions. Full article

This study presents a performance and techno-economic evaluation of a 24 kWp grid-connected rooftop photovoltaic system in Yeşilova, Burdur, Türkiye, based on measured operational data from 2024. Beyond conventional software comparisons, this research establishes a validated benchmarking protocol for medium-scale rooftop PV systems by quantifying the divergence between measured data and predictive modeling under fluctuating seasonal conditions. Measured results were compared with energy yield predictions from PVsyst and HelioScope. Key performance indicators, including final yield, performance ratio (PR), and capacity factor, were evaluated alongside main loss components. The system produced an annual energy output of 33,977.5 kWh, corresponding to an average PR of 75.7% and a capacity factor of 16.99%. Simulation results show deviations from measured values, with PVsyst moderately overestimating and HelioScope underestimating the annual yield. Thermal effects were identified as the dominant contributor to performance losses, particularly during elevated summer temperatures. A techno-economic assessment indicates a payback period of 8.4 years, a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of 0.0485 US$/kWh, and an internal rate of return (IRR) of 15.58%. These findings underline the importance of validating simulation-based assessments with site-specific measurements to improve the reliability of photovoltaic system performance and investment evaluations. Full article

This study compares the performance of two wind farm sites located in Northern Europe: an onshore site and an offshore area in the eastern Baltic Sea region. This study investigates the optimisation of wind farm performance within a fixed project area by maximising annual energy production (AEP) and increasing energy density. Three wake-loss scenarios (≤10%, ≤15%, and ≤20%) were examined to assess the sensitivity of layout optimisation to aerodynamic interaction constraints. Several layout configurations were analysed to reduce wake losses and enhance overall energy output. Wind conditions were assessed using NORA3 reanalysis data, and wake interactions were modelled using the Jensen wake model to estimate AEP. Both wind farms were further compared across key criteria, including cost, power generation efficiency, installation and maintenance requirements, and site availability. Offshore wind farms achieve 1.5–1.7 times higher energy density under similar spatial conditions. However, offshore levelised cost of energy (LCOE) remains roughly 25% higher due to higher capital and infrastructure costs, while onshore LCOE demonstrates better economic performance, driven by lower CAPEX and O&M expenses. The findings highlight the trade-offs between cost efficiency and wake-driven energy performance for onshore and offshore wind development in the eastern Baltic Sea region. Full article

Italy’s abundant solar resources and its strategic Mediterranean location offer strong opportunities to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon energy system. This study presents a comparative techno-economic assessment of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants with 8 h of thermal energy storage (TES) and a 1 MW photovoltaic (PV) plant to evaluate their roles in exploiting Italy’s solar potential. The analysis covers four representative locations (Montalto, Val Basento, Ferrara, and Priolo) and examines solar availability, seasonal performance, capacity factor, electricity generation, land use, and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). Both technologies show marked seasonal variability, with lower winter performance and summer peaks. Southern sites outperform the northern ones, with Priolo achieving the highest generation and Ferrara the lowest. CSP benefits from dispatchable operation enabled by TES, providing nearly constant rated output and summer capacity factors up to 78%, with annual production exceeding 4 GWh at the best site. In contrast, PV operates non-dispatchably, with capacity factors below 31% and annual generation between 1.47 and 1.72 GWh. The North–South performance gradient is stronger for CSP due to its dependence on direct normal irradiance. PV technology offers higher land use efficiency, producing over twice the energy per unit area compared to CSP technology, while CSP technology requires larger areas but ensures greater operational flexibility. Economically, PV technology achieves a lower LCOE, whereas CSP technology entails higher costs but adds value through dispatchability and improved grid integration. Overall, combining CSP and PV systems can enhance grid stability, reduce emissions, and strengthen Italy’s energy security, highlighting the importance of coordinated planning and investment in complementary solar technologies for decarbonization and for regions with similar climatic conditions. Full article

Floating photovoltaic parks represent a significant innovation in the field of renewable energy, offering a sustainable alternative for electricity production in the context of the global transition to low-carbon sources. This study investigates the technical feasibility, energy performance, and environmental implications of a 20 MWp floating photovoltaic plant integrated with a 40 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in the Port of Constanța, a major logistics hub in the Black Sea region. A comprehensive modeling approach was developed, combining solar resource assessment, PV system simulation (PVsyst-like modelling), energy storage operation, hydrodynamic loading evaluation, and environmental impact screening. Results indicate an annual energy yield between 22.0 and 26.0 GWh, corresponding to a specific yield ranging between 1100 and 1300 kWh/kWp, depending on climatic variability and thermal performance assumptions. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate system performance under conservative, moderate, and optimistic solar yield scenarios specific to the Port of Constanța, within the realistic regional range of 1100–1300 kWh/kWp. The BESS enables peak-shaving and load-shifting, improving grid integration and reducing diesel generator usage in port operations. Hydrodynamic analysis indicates that three-point taut mooring systems can withstand local wave loads with acceptable safety factors under extreme storm scenarios. Environmentally, the system shows moderate impacts on underwater light availability and water temperature, which can be mitigated through careful siting and monitoring. Economically, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is estimated at 0.046–0.052 €/kWh, competitive with terrestrial PV and aligned with European port decarbonization targets. The study demonstrates that FPV-BESS hybrid systems can play a central role in sustainable port transformation and offers a replicable framework for similar coastal infrastructures worldwide. Full article

Forests play a vital role in influencing wind flow by modifying turbulence intensity and vertical wind shear. Because wind turbines are susceptible to these conditions, accurately characterising wind flow in forested environments is vital to ensuring structural reliability and realistic energy-yield assessments. In Latvia, where approximately 51.3% of the territory is covered by forests; the likelihood of wind turbine deployment in such areas is considerable. However, wind behaviour within and above forests is complex and strongly influenced by canopy effects, which in turn affect wake dynamics, structural fatigue, and power production. Advancing research in this field is therefore crucial for improving the accuracy of wind resource assessment and supporting evidence-based engineering solutions that enable the sustainable development of wind energy. Wind conditions were evaluated using NORA3 reanalysis data. Wake effects were simulated with the Jensen wake model to estimate annual energy production (AEP), which then informed levelised cost of energy (LCOE) calculations at various hub heights. The results indicate clear seasonal variability and show that increasing hub height leads to higher AEP and lower LCOE, owing to higher wind speeds and reduced turbulence. For forest heights of 0–25 m, the AEP loss increases from 7.8% (hub height = 199 m) to 22.9% (hub height = 114 m). Higher hub heights are also less sensitive to canopy-induced variability, reducing the impact of forest-related turbulence on energy production. Full article

The accelerated decarbonization agenda of the European Union, supported by the European Green Deal, the Fit for 55 package, and REPowerEU, increases pressure on member states to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and expand renewable generation. Poland, whose power sector remains strongly coal-dependent, faces one of the most challenging and capital-intensive transition pathways in the EU. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the costs and economic viability of Poland’s energy transition, focusing on the feasibility of replacing coal-based electricity generation with renewable technologies. The analysis applies three financial evaluation methods: net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). These tools are used to estimate investment costs of selected renewable technologies, assess the potential for coal substitution in the energy mix, and determine the profitability of renewable projects under selected scenarios. The results show that onshore wind power demonstrates the most favorable investment parameters, including the lowest LCOE and the shortest payback period, while photovoltaics exhibit lower profitability in the analyzed conditions. Nuclear energy may serve as a complementary stable source to variable renewables. The findings provide evidence-based insights supporting national energy planning and the design of future policy instruments. Full article

The cascade utilization of spectral beam splitting represents an effective method for enhancing the efficiency of solar energy utilization. However, most research has been conducted under stable conditions, and the impacts across different climatic zones have not been taken into account. Therefore, this paper investigates an innovative distributed energy system utilizing full-spectrum solar cascade in three different climate zones. A full-spectrum solar model is established in MATLAB 2023, and the corresponding photovoltaic model files are invoked in the TRNSYS 18. After operation, the performance of full-spectrum frequency division solar energy is obtained. The equivalent carbon emissions (ECE), self-sufficiency ratio ($SS$), self-consumption ratio ($SC$) and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) are adopted as indicators to assess the environmental, energy and economic benefits of each system. The results show that the net present value (NPV) in Chengdu is the highest (186,674.19 USD), while that in Beijing is the lowest (171,458.75 USD), and that in Guangzhou is in the middle (180,650.23 USD). After optimization, Beijing achieves the lowest LCOE and the highest $SS$, Guangzhou achieves the highest $SC$ and the lowest ECE, Chengdu achieves a balanced configuration where moderate on-site generation meets nearly half of the total demand. Full article