Small-Scale Hybrid Photovoltaic-Biomass Systems Feasibility Analysis for Higher Education Buildings

• Published in: Sustainability Vol. 12; no. 21; p. 9300
• Main Authors: Alfonso-Solar, David, Vargas-Salgado, Carlos, Sánchez-Díaz, Carlos, Hurtado-Pérez, Elías
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.11.2020
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Batteries; Biomass; Biomass energy production; Buildings; Carbon dioxide; Costs; Education; Efficiency; Electric power generation; Electricity; Electricity distribution; Electricity generation; Emissions; Energy industry; Energy storage; Fluidized beds; Fossil fuels; Gasification; Higher education; Industrial plant emissions; Payback periods; Photovoltaics; Power plants; Radiation; Renewable resources; Research projects; Sensitivity analysis; Simulation; Software; Urban areas; Spain
• ISSN: 2071-1050; 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su12219300

Applications of renewable electricity in cities are mostly limited to photovoltaics, and they need other renewable sources, batteries, and the grid to guarantee reliability. This paper proposes a hybrid system, combining biomass and photovoltaics, to supply electricity to educational buildings. This system is reliable and provides at least 50% of electricity based on renewable sources. Buildings with small (<500 kW) installed power based on renewables, mainly biomass, are usually expensive. Besides, in urban areas, photovoltaic capacity is limited due to roof availability. This paper analyzes different configurations, meeting these constraints to obtain an economically feasible solution based on photovoltaic-biomass modelling of small size hybrid systems. The technology used for biomass energy valorization is a fluidized bed gasification power plant, which has been modelled with real data obtained from experimental tests and previous research projects. Thereby, real costs and electric efficiency are included in the model. The techno-economic feasibility analysis using HOMER software with metered real load curves from an educational building has been modelled. The results of the model show that hybrid renewable systems are very feasible in the scenario of 50% of electricity contribution, however, higher contribution (>70%) implies high electricity costs.