Search Results (42)

This study identifies the optimal location for an offshore energy island to supply sustainable power to desalination plants along the Red Sea coast. As demand for clean energy in water production grows, integrating renewables into desalination systems becomes increasingly essential. A decision-making framework was developed to assess site feasibility based on renewable energy potential (solar, wind, and wave), marine traffic, site suitability, planned developments, and proximity to desalination facilities. Data was sourced from platforms such as Windguru and RETScreen, and spatial analysis was conducted using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). Results indicate that the central Red Sea region offers the most favorable conditions, combining high renewable resource availability with existing infrastructure. The estimated regional desalination energy demand of 2.1 million kW can be met using available renewable sources. Integrating these sources is expected to reduce local CO₂ emissions by up to 43.17% and global desalination-related emissions by 9.5%. Spatial constraints for offshore installations were also identified, with land-based solar energy proposed as a complementary solution. The study underscores the need for further research into wave energy potential in the Red Sea, due to limited real-time data and the absence of a dedicated wave energy atlas. Full article

The growing global demand for sustainable energy solutions has spurred interest in hybrid renewable energy systems, particularly those combining photovoltaic (PV) solar and wind power. This study records the technical and financial feasibility of establishing hybrid solar photovoltaic and wind power stations in Iraq, Al-Rutbah and Al-Nasiriya, with a total power of 60 MW for each, focusing on optimizing energy output and cost-efficiency. The analysis evaluates key technical factors, such as resource availability, system design, and integration challenges, alongside financial considerations, including capital costs, operational expenses, and return on investment (ROI). Using the RETScreen program, the research explores potential locations and configurations for maximizing energy production and minimizing costs, and the evaluation is performed through the calculation Internal Rate of Return (IRR) on equity (%), the Simple Payback (year), the Net Present Value (NPV), and the Annual Life Cycle Savings (ALCSs). The results show that both PV and wind technologies demonstrate significant energy export potential, with PV plants exporting slightly more electricity than their wind counterparts. Al Nasiriya Wind had the highest output, indicating favorable wind conditions or better system performance at that site. The results show that the analysis of the proposed hybrid system has a standardizing effect on emissions, reducing variability and environmental impact regardless of location. The results demonstrate that solar PV is significantly more financially favorable in terms of capital recovery time at both sites, and that financial incentives, especially grants, are essential to improve project attractiveness, particularly for wind power. The analysis underscores the superior financial viability of solar PV projects in both regions. It highlights the critical role of financial support, particularly capital grants, in turning renewable energy investments into economically attractive opportunities. Full article

People, communities, and economies in small island developing states are extremely vulnerable to climate change, disasters, and other crises. Renewable energy can play an important part in building the resilience of these communities. Three case studies were conducted in Fiji (i.e., a grid-connected secondary school with roof-top solar PV and biogas, an off-grid community with solar home systems, and a farm that uses solar PV for irrigation) to demonstrate how renewable energy initiatives build community resilience. This study used the community resilience framework, RETScreen tool, information gathered from key informants’ interviews, and secondary data sources to conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses. It found that seven community assets, i.e., human, social, cultural, financial, natural, built, and political assets, are enhanced, leading to an increase in absorptive, adaptive, and transformative capacities for these communities. Furthermore, current research shows that human capital is one of the key instruments in the adoption of new innovative technologies. The results from this study can be used by decisionmakers to promote and implement similar technologies in communities, which not only provide clean electricity and clean cooking energy for climate change mitigation but also build community resilience. Full article

The importance of mitigating energy intensity in the building sector is widely recognized by most stakeholders, and different strategies are proposed for minimizing fossil fuel dependency. This paper presents a complex study assessing the possibility of integrating an air-source heat pump (ASHP) into the retrofitting process of a typical Romanian residential building. Mathematical simulations were conducted to estimate the energy reduction potential of a complex renewable-energy-based HVAC system. The results showed that a more than 50% increase in energy efficiency could be obtained by using the right insulation materials, and the building’s fossil fuel dependency could be curbed by 75% by integrating the proposed renewable energy systems. Full article

This paper explores the development of positive energy communities using Eordaia, Greece, as a case study. The approach combines building and district-level energy analysis to achieve nearly zero energy performance through retrofitting, district-level storage systems, and renewable energy technologies. A parametric analysis utilizing RETSCREEN Expert and EnergyPlan software determines the optimal mix of technologies based on technical and financial parameters, with Eordaia, a region in energy transition and part of the RESPONSE Horizon project, illustrating the practical benefits. It includes a neighborhood of 105 mixed-use properties and two municipal buildings where a range of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures are applied. Insulation, photovoltaic systems, LED lighting, predictive thermostats, and windows coated with nanotechnology are some of the key interventions considered. The findings show considerable reductions in CO₂ emissions and energy use, with payback periods ranging from 8.7 to 9.6 years. This study underscores the value of district-level strategies over individual building retrofits, highlighting cost savings and improved energy performance. These findings offer valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers aiming to transform urban areas into sustainable, positive energy districts, supporting the EU’s 2050 net-zero emissions goals. Full article

The maritime industry is addressing environmental issues, and “cold ironing” offers a promising solution. This method involves supplying ships at port with energy, reducing fossil fuel dependence and emissions, and aiding in global climate change efforts. It is especially important for islands like Lesvos, which suffer from high energy costs and environmental issues due to imported fossil fuel reliance. However, research gaps exist in using renewable energy sources (RES) for cold ironing, mainly due to insufficient data on power needs and lack of monitoring for precise calculations and the very limited applications for the case of non-interconnected islands. This study uses real data from the port of Lesvos to evaluate power requirements for cold ironing and assesses the viability of a wind power park for an electrified port with the novelty and uniqueness of developing the application on a non-interconnected island. It also examines potential CO₂ emission reductions. Data from Marine Traffic S.A. were used, considering factors like ship arrivals, hoteling duration, and engine types. This study also includes a simulation using RETScreen software for a 20 MW wind park intended for port operations. The findings show that the monthly energy demand at Mytilene port is around 6118 MWh, with an average power demand of 8.2 MW. The simulated wind park could supply about 72,080 MWh yearly, with a significant surplus (14,956 MWh annually) exportable to the grid. However, demand fluctuations mean the port might need an extra 924 MWh from the main grid. This underscores the need for additional strategies like energy storage and demand–response practices to fully transition to 100% RES-powered operations. Full article

In developing countries like Ghana, the conversion of waste into energy is gaining greater interest among policy makers and researchers. The present study investigates the feasibility of producing electricity and/or fuels from a hybrid waste-to-energy pilot plant located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The plant integrates three technologies: anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis and solar PV. The plant has the potential to produce both energy and fuels such as green hydrogen, refuse derived fuels, bio-compressed natural gas and compost. Thus, this study compares the financial feasibility of three scenarios—generating electricity and fuels, generating electricity alone and generating fuels alone—by modelling their energy output and financial performance using RETSCREEN expert 6.0.7.55 and Microsoft Excel 2019 softwares. The results indicate that the multiple products of electricity and fuels provide higher investment interest with a Net Present Value in excess of EUR 13 million and a payback period of 12 years compared to the electricity-only model. Also, converting electricity into fuels alone also provides substantial benefits which can be explored. However, the Levelized Cost of Energy, ranging from 0.3 to 0.68 EUR/kWh, is far above the average residential End User tariff. Overall, this study provides an important methodology for assessing the potential products of future projects. Full article

Solar energy is a source of energy that can meet a significant part of the demand for heat and electricity. However, its acquisition is associated with high variability both during the year and on individual days. The construction of installations due to changes in tariff systems, investment costs and subsidy programs raises doubts as to their profitability. The aim of this study was to assess the profitability of photovoltaic investments for households, considering public financial support. This study used RetScreen Expert software 8.1.2.13 to perform the entire analysis and performance cost, risk and sensitivity simulations. Climate data were imported from ground monitoring stations or from NASA global satellite or analytical data. The conducted research showed the profitability of investments in photovoltaics, even without state support. Differences between regions were insignificant. However, the support system has changed, extending the period of return on investment. Full article

The main reason for this research is to support the Korean government building retrofitting program initiated to evaluate energy usage trends, propose energy-saving technologies, and focus on reducing the energy demand in residential buildings through energy efficiency improvement. This is achieved by assessing the energy saved after introducing a simple retrofitting measure to an existing residential building. The energy savings in the building were realized after collecting relevant data from the house occupants, analyzing electricity bills, and introducing energy conservation measures (ECMS), leading to an improvement in the energy performance of the building. The building envelope saved 2098 kWh and 6307 kWh of energy via the heating and cooling equipment with an initial incremental cost of USD 500, fuel cost savings of USD 306, and a simple payback of 1.6 years. The analysis takes the occupants 2.6 years to recoup the initial cost of USD 2400 invested with an electricity savings of 2144 kWh. Also, 3.3 tons of CO₂ emissions per year were reduced, equivalent to 3.3 people reducing energy use by 20%. Finally, the actual and simulated data are almost the same for the consumption period, with only a slight difference in October and December, given 0.92 as the Pearson Correlation coefficients. Full article

Climate change is one of the most essential phenomena studied by several researchers in the last few decades. The main reason this phenomenon occurs is greenhouse gases (GHG), chiefly CO2 emissions. About 30% of the created GHG emissions are achieved by electricity generation. This article investigates the role of renewable energy projects in Jordan, specifically wind and solar energy, in mitigating climate change and water consumption reduction using RETScreen software. It was found that the cumulative water consumption reduction from 2017 to 2021 due to the use of wind and solar projects is equal to 6.9491 × 109 gallons. Finally, the results show that the future dependence on renewable energy projects in Jordan to meet the growth in demand by the year 2030 reduces the expected increment in the climate temperature by 1.047 °C by that year. Full article

The current global context, marked by crises such as climate change, the pandemic, and the depletion of fossil fuel resources, underscores the urgent need to minimize waste. Cogeneration technology, which enables simultaneous production of electricity and thermal energy from electricity generation waste, offers a promising solution to enhance energy efficiency. Its widespread adoption, particularly in the European Union, where several cogeneration systems are in place, demonstrates its growing popularity. Italy alone has 1865 high-efficiency cogeneration units, contributing significantly to total cogeneration energy generation. Micro-cogeneration, specifically, has attracted attention for its potential to reduce energy waste and environmental impact. This study focuses on assessing the technical and financial feasibility of a micro-cogeneration plant using natural gas-fuelled internal combustion engines, considering different scenarios of plant operating strategies in order to optimize energy production, minimize waste, and mitigate environmental footprints associated with conventional methods. Additionally, it provides valuable guidance for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and decision-makers invested in sustainable energy solutions. By advancing micro-cogeneration technology, this study aims to promote a more sustainable and environmentally conscious approach to energy production. The methodology applied is based on the development of a numerical model via RETScreen Expert 8 and it was calibrated with one-year energy bills. The study was performed by focusing on the analysis of the annual energy savings, greenhouse gas emission savings, tonnes of oil equivalents savings, and financial parameters such as Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Profitability Index (PI) and Payback time (PBT). The results show, using a micro-cogeneration system in a big complex of buildings, that the financial parameters can continually increase with the plant’s capacity with the electrical load following, but with a loss of the recovered heat from the cogenerator because it may reach values that are not necessary for the users. When the thermal load variation is much more significant than the electrical load variation, it will be useful to design the plant to follow the thermal load variation which allows the full utilization of the thermal and energy production from the plant without any waste energy and choosing a system capacity that can optimize the energy, emissions and financial aspects. Full article

This paper presents a feasibility analysis of the technical, environmental, and economic sustainability of an existing mini-grid technology system in Nigeria. The study investigates the cost and other operational parameters of the Gbamu-Gbamu solar–battery–diesel hybrid mini-grid, specifically the 85 kWp solar PV installation in the Ijebu East Local Government area of Ogun state. Situated within the Owo forest in South-West Nigeria, the mini-grid aims to reduce the effects of global warming and promote sustainable technological development in rural communities by increasing energy access through renewable sources. To assess the system’s viability, this research utilized RETScreen Expert software to validate the techno-economic and environmental sustainability of the installed mini-grid solar–PV–battery–diesel system in the region. Climatic data for the study were obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The results demonstrate that the system is economically feasible and environmentally viable, as indicated by the positive net present value (NPV) and an average monthly irradiance of 4.78 kW/h/m². Furthermore, the system achieved a 92.9% reduction in GHG emissions, provided a reasonable payback period of four years, and enabled a yearly electricity export of 203 MWh. These findings highlight the system’s potential to enhance energy access and mitigate climate change. Full article

This paper presents the technical and economic analysis of a solar–wind electricity generation system to meet the power requirements of a rural community (Okorobo-Ile Town in Rivers State, Nigeria) using the Renewable—energy and Energy—efficiency Technology Screening (RETScreen) software. The entire load estimation of the region was classified into high class, middle class, and lower class. Two annual electricity export rates were considered: 0.1 USD/KWh and 0.2 USD/KWh. The results from the proposed energy model comprising a 600 kW PV system and a 50 kW wind system showed that with a USD 870,000 initial cost and USD 9600 O&M cost, the annual value of the electricity generated was 902 MWh. The simple payback was 5.1 years with a net present value of USD 3,409,532 when 0.2 USD/KWh was used as the annual export rate instead of 10.8 years for simple payback and an NPV of USD 1,173,766 when 0.1 USD/KWh was used. Thus, there is a potential to install a wind–solar system with average weather conditions of 4.27 kWh/m²/d for the solar irradiance and 3.2 m/s for the wind speed at a 10 m hub height using a rate of 0.2 USD/KWh as the electricity export rate. Full article

The global transport sector of the world economy contributes about 15% of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the world today, and this must be drastically curbed. To reduce GHG emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, the University of Saskatchewan’s Office of Sustainability has directed a green energy transition for the institution in recent years, leading diverse sustainability projects and agendas due to the importance of curbing climate change and advancing sustainability. However, there is a strong need to pursue deep decarbonization within the campus, and the university transport system is a critical operational area that the Sustainability Office has considered for decarbonization to achieve the net-zero agenda of the university. The motivation for this work stems from the directive of the Sustainability Office to transform the campus vehicle fleet as an identified area for curbing GHG emissions and meet the University agenda. This study was organized in partnership with the Sustainability Office and involved an economic benefit analysis of the campus fleet (consisting of 91 ICE vehicles) to determine if it was economically or financially feasible to transition from Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs) or PVs (Petrol Vehicles) to Electric Vehicles (EVs). The analysis used RETScreen Expert (a software for analyzing renewable energy technology projects) to model diverse transition scenarios. The variables of Payback Period (PBP), cash flow projections, savings made from transitioning (fuel cost savings and energy cost savings), benefit–cost ratio, and GHG emission reduction potential were analyzed. The findings revealed that the GHG emissions from the campus fleet could be reduced by 100%, resulting in the removal of 298.1 tCO₂ from the environment. The fleet manager could save $CAD 129,049 (88.9%) in fuel costs, and the return on investment could be achieved in year 5 but could be reduced to year 2 if the vehicles were put into constant and active use, eliminating idle times. Lastly, the Sustainability Office would achieve a GHG reduction revenue of CAD 14,906. These findings show that pursuing sustainable transport transitions in the transportation transition for a university campus is financially and economically viable and should be pursued vigorously. The contribution of this work provides examples and evidence to advance policy recommendations to aid the effective and efficient transitioning of the transportation sector, specifically for communities at the scale of university campuses. Full article

In this study, we discussed the main recent studies on PV systems worldwide and specifically in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. We focused on different PV cells and their characteristics in terms of efficiency, importance, and negative impacts, and examined the classification of PV systems and their comparison. In addition, the adoption of PV technologies in GCC countries is considered, focusing on the future aspects. In addition, technical and economic evaluations were carried out for a 600-kW commercial PV solar project at one of the selected sites in the Riyadh region, and the PV energy generation performance was assessed. The monthly energy production, module orientation and tracking system, peak voltage, net power consumption, rated output power, cash flow and capacity factor were calculated. In addition, the direct, normal and diffuse solar radiation are calculated to determine the cost-effective and efficient PV system. Two simulation programs, namely system advisor model (SAM) and RETScreen, are used in this study. In addition, a comparison between annual energy production, cash flow, and electricity loads was performed to evaluate the accuracy of the simulation results. The study suggests that a low-cost PV system could be developed in the Riyadh region. Full article