Article
Energy & Fuels
Cristina Prieto, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: The new PCM concept can lower the levelized costs of storage, but further cost reductions are possible through enhancements in thermal conductivity, encapsulation of PCM, or material modification for better thermal properties. While the baseline shell and tube PCM system offers cost savings, a 1.8% reduction in LCOE may not justify the risk of further development. Instead, the shell and tube system should serve as a starting point for more appropriate technologies. The variants studied could potentially result in cost reductions in CPQ as high as 80% and in LCOE as high as 10%, representing a unique and valuable avenue for reducing CSP plant costs.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
In Woo Son, Yongju Jeong, Seongmin Son, Jung Hwan Park, Jeong Ik Lee
Summary: A solar-nuclear hybrid system combining CSP and nuclear power can improve power supply efficiency and reduce operating costs, suitable for remote microgrids. The hybrid system has a higher capacity factor than a standalone CSP system, but optimization is needed to meet seasonal variations in demand.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Luisa F. Cabeza, Emiliano Borri, Cristina Prieto
Summary: This paper assesses the research trends and topics in the field of concentrating solar power (CSP) through bibliometric analysis. The results show that the latest approaches for corrosion migration in CSP plants include selective coatings and the use of nanoparticles. The techniques used to evaluate corrosion results are mainly scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical testing, but new dynamic techniques are emerging.
Article
Thermodynamics
Jesus Ballestrin, Jesus Polo, Nuria Martin-Chivelet, Javier Barbero, Elena Carra, Joaquin Alonso-Montesinos, Aitor Marzo
Summary: The soiling process of photovoltaic devices and heliostats is an important factor affecting the efficiency of commercial PV and CSP plants. A heuristic approach based on an electrical model is proposed to predict the average efficiency of PV modules through time series analysis, reducing the impact of soiling on system performance.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Tarun Kumar Aseri, Chandan Sharma, Tara C. Kandpal
Summary: This study evaluated the techno-economics and CO2 emission reduction potential of wet-cooled and dry-cooled concentrating solar power plants in two potential locations in India. It was found that dry cooling can save a significant amount of water but result in higher capital cost and electricity price, while dry-cooled solar power towers can achieve higher electricity output and lower electricity price.
Article
Thermodynamics
Ling-gang Kong, Xin-long Chen, Jing-hu Gong, Duo-jin Fan, Bao-li Wang, Shuo Li
Summary: This study addresses the intermittency and instability issues of photovoltaic (PV) power generation by incorporating thermal energy storage (TES) in a hybrid solar power system. The PV and concentrating solar power (CSP) are optimized using a hybrid butterfly algorithm to meet power generation demands and minimize operation costs. The results show that the hybrid power system with optimal TES capacity achieves higher power production and lower operation costs, and the peak-valley price offers superior economic benefits.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Cristina Prieto, Francisco Javier Pino, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: This study evaluates the technoeconomic potential of a CSP plant with high temperature concrete as TES system compared to the standard commercial molten salts system, and finds that the molten salt system performs better than the high temperature concrete configuration in general conditions.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yanghao Yu, Ershun Du, Zhichao Chen, Yibo Su, Xianfeng Zhang, Hongbin Yang, Peng Wang, Ning Zhang
Summary: Due to the uneven distribution of renewable resources and electricity load centers in China, renewable energy usually needs to be delivered a long distance from the generation base to the load center. Concentrating solar power (CSP) plays an important role in a cost-effective portfolio for a 100% renewable energy base, and it can be a better alternative to the combination of photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
L. G. Redelinghuys, M. C. Tshamala, T. M. Hans
Summary: Investigation of an adiabatic pre-cooling mechanical draft system for concentrating solar power plants in arid regions. The system combines the advantages of dry and adiabatic cooling. The study aims to demonstrate the system's advantages in terms of water consumption and cooling performance compared to conventional dry and wet cooling.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Saman Amiri Dogahe, Ebrahim Jahanshahi Javaran, Morteza Abdolzadeh
Summary: The study conducted energy and economic analyses of three small-scale solar power plants in various parts of Iran, including PV, CPV, CPV/T, and ORC technologies. Results indicated that CPV, CPV/T, and ORC plants are most suitable in regions with high solar energy levels, generating up to 200% of electricity as compared to PV plants. Economic analysis showed that CPV, CPV/T, and ORC plants are profitable in regions with high solar energy levels and low land costs.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
In Woo Son, Yong Hoon Jeong, Young Jae Choi, Jeong Ik Lee
Summary: This study explores a solar-nuclear hybrid system that combines Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) with Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) to address the intermittency issue of CSP. By integrating MMR with a supercritical CO2 power cycle and a small long-life reactor core, the system achieves flexibility in transport and long-term stable power generation.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Pai Liu, Franz Trieb
Summary: The paper compares the cost of thermal storage power plants (TSPP) with various conventional power plants, showing that TSPP require less fuel and offer greater flexibility. TSPP have lower electricity costs compared to conventional power plants and serve as an effective hedge against rising fossil fuel market prices and CO2 cost additions.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ting Yang, Pan Zhang, Jian Zhang, Hao Ji, Wei Li
Summary: This paper proposes a novel coordination control method for an integrated solar combined cycle thermoelectric coupling system. The system's dynamic performance and robustness are improved by introducing an inertial power compensation scheme to address the mismatch in energy response speed. Furthermore, the control precision of the controller is enhanced through the use of an intelligent optimization algorithm.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Chunhui Liang, Chao Ding, Xiaoyang Zuo, Jinfa Li, Qing Guo
Summary: In this paper, a wind-solar combined power generation system is proposed to address the absorption problem of new energy generation. The proposed capacity optimization allocation method enhances the absorption capacity of the system and improves its economic efficiency.
ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Sara Pascual, Pilar Lisbona, Luis M. Romeo
Summary: Thermal energy storage (TES) is an effective solution to enhance the dispatchability of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. The use of novel TES materials can reduce costs and improve the thermal performance of associated power blocks. This review provides an overview of CSP technologies, TES technologies, and TES-CSP configurations in currently operational facilities, as well as the research and development projects conducted in Europe and North America over the past decade. The review presents data on project details, including TES-CSP configurations, technologies applied, storage capacity, power block information, and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), as well as project location, research period, project leader, and budget information.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Kyle Bradbury, Lincoln Pratson, Dalia Patino-Echeverri
Article
Thermodynamics
Xianxun Wang, Edgar Virguez, Jordan Kern, Lihua Chen, Yadong Mei, Dalia Patino-Echeverri, Hao Wang
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew J. Kondash, Dalia Patino-Echeverri, Avner Vengosh
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2019)
Article
Economics
Mian Yang, Yining Yuan, Fuxia Yang, Dalia Patino-Echeverri
Summary: The study explores the impact of environmental regulations on pollution-intensive industries, finding that stricter regulations can negatively affect individual firm-level productivity but also influence entry and exit probabilities, resulting in significant resource reallocation. These two effects lead to a non-linear relationship between the stringency of environmental regulations and aggregate industry productivity, with the most optimal level of regulation falling somewhere between too high and too low.
ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shitong Fang, Houfan Du, Tao Yan, Keyu Chen, Zhiyuan Li, Xiaoqing Ma, Zhihui Lai, Shengxi Zhou
Summary: This paper proposes a new type of nonlinear VIV energy harvester (ANVEH) that compensates for the decrease in peak energy output at low wind speeds by introducing an auxiliary structure. Theoretical and experimental results show that ANVEH performs better than traditional nonlinear VIV energy harvesters under various system parameter variations.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wei Jiang, Shuo Zhang, Teng Wang, Yufei Zhang, Aimin Sha, Jingjing Xiao, Dongdong Yuan
Summary: A standardized method was developed to evaluate the availability of solar energy resources in road areas, which combined the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Geographic Information System (GIS). By analyzing critical factors and using a multi-indicator evaluation method, the method accurately evaluated the utilization of solar energy resources and guided the optimal location selection for road photovoltaic (PV) projects. The results provided guidance for the application of road PV projects and site selection for route corridors worldwide, promoting the integration of transportation and energy.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Chang Liu, Jacob A. Wrubel, Elliot Padgett, Guido Bender
Summary: The study investigates the effects of coating defects on the performance of the anode porous transport layer (PTL) in water electrolyzers. The results show that an increasing fraction of uncoated regions on the PTL leads to decreased cell performance, with continuous uncoated regions having a more severe impact compared to multiple thin uncoated strips.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marcos Tostado-Veliz, Xiaolong Jin, Rohit Bhakar, Francisco Jurado
Summary: In this paper, a coordinated charging price mechanism for clusters of parking lots is proposed. The research shows that enabling vehicle-to-grid characteristics can bring significant economic benefits for users and the cluster coordinator, and vehicle-to-grid impacts noticeably on the risk-averse character of the uncertainty-aware strategies. The developed pricing mechanism can reduce the cost for users, avoiding to directly translate the energy cost to charging points.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Duan Kang
Summary: Building an energy superpower is a key strategy for China and a long-term goal for other countries. This study proposes an evaluation system and index for measuring energy superpower, and finds that China has significantly improved its ranking over the past 21 years, surpassing other countries.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Fucheng Deng, Yifei Wang, Xiaosen Li, Gang Li, Yi Wang, Bin Huang
Summary: This study investigated the synergistic blockage mechanism of sand and hydrate in gravel filling layer and the evolution of permeability in the layer. Experimental models and modified permeability models were established to analyze the effects of sand particles and hydrate formation on permeability. The study provided valuable insights for the safe and efficient exploitation of hydrate reservoirs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hao Wang, Xiwen Chen, Natan Vital, Edward Duffy, Abolfazl Razi
Summary: This study proposes a HVAC energy optimization model based on deep reinforcement learning algorithm. It achieves 37% energy savings and ensures thermal comfort for open office buildings. The model has a low complexity, uses a few controllable factors, and has a short training time with good generalizability.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Moyue Cong, Yongzhuo Gao, Weidong Wang, Long He, Xiwang Mao, Yi Long, Wei Dong
Summary: This study introduces a multi-strategy ultra-wideband energy harvesting device that achieves high power output without the need for external power input. By utilizing asymmetry, stagger array, magnetic coupling, and nonlinearity strategies, the device maintains a stable output voltage and high power density output at non-resonant frequencies. Temperature and humidity monitoring are performed using Bluetooth sensors to adaptively assess the device.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Tianshu Dong, Xiudong Duan, Yuanyuan Huang, Danji Huang, Yingdong Luo, Ziyu Liu, Xiaomeng Ai, Jiakun Fang, Chaolong Song
Summary: Electrochemical water splitting is crucial for hydrogen production, and improving the hydrogen separation rate from the electrode is essential for enhancing water electrolyzer performance. However, issues such as air bubble adhesion to the electrode plate hinder the process. Therefore, a methodology to investigate the two-phase flow within the electrolyzer is in high demand. This study proposes using a microfluidic system as a simulator for the electrolyzer and optimizing the two-phase flow by manipulating the micro-structure of the flow.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shuo Han, Yifan Yuan, Mengjiao He, Ziwen Zhao, Beibei Xu, Diyi Chen, Jakub Jurasz
Summary: Giving full play to the flexibility of hydropower and integrating more variable renewable energy is of great significance for accelerating the transformation of China's power energy system. This study proposes a novel day-ahead scheduling model that considers the flexibility limited by irregular vibration zones (VZs) and the probability of flexibility shortage in a hydropower-variable renewable energy hybrid generation system. The model is applied to a real hydropower station and effectively improves the flexibility supply capacity of hydropower, especially during heavy load demand in flood season.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zhen Wang, Kangqi Fan, Shizhong Zhao, Shuxin Wu, Xuan Zhang, Kangjia Zhai, Zhiqi Li, Hua He
Summary: This study developed a high-performance rotary energy harvester (AI-REH) inspired by archery, which efficiently accumulates and releases ultralow-frequency vibration energy. By utilizing a magnetic coupling strategy and an accumulator spring, the AI-REH achieves significantly accelerated rotor speeds and enhanced electric outputs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yi Yang, Qianyi Xing, Kang Wang, Caihong Li, Jianzhou Wang, Xiaojia Huang
Summary: In this study, a novel hybrid Quantile Regression (QR) model is proposed for Probabilistic Load Forecasting (PLF). The model integrates causal dilated convolution, residual connection, and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) for multi-scale feature extraction. In addition, a Combined Probabilistic Load Forecasting System (CPLFS) is proposed to overcome the inherent flaws of relying on a single model. Simulation results show that the hybrid QR outperforms traditional models and CPLFS exceeds the best benchmarks in terms of prediction accuracy and stability.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wen-Jiang Zou, Young-Bae Kim, Seunghun Jung
Summary: This paper proposes a dynamic prediction model for capacity fade in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The model accurately predicts changes in electrolyte volume and capacity fade, enhancing the competitiveness of VRFBs in energy storage applications.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yuechao Ma, Shengtie Wang, Guangchen Liu, Guizhen Tian, Jianwei Zhang, Ruiming Liu
Summary: This paper focuses on the balance of state of charge (SOC) among multiple battery energy storage units (MBESUs) and bus voltage balance in an islanded bipolar DC microgrid. A SOC automatic balancing strategy is proposed considering the energy flow relationship and utilizing the adaptive virtual resistance algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy in achieving SOC balancing and decreasing bus voltage unbalance.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Raad Z. Homod, Basil Sh. Munahi, Hayder Ibrahim Mohammed, Musatafa Abbas Abbood Albadr, Aissa Abderrahmane, Jasim M. Mahdi, Mohamed Bechir Ben Hamida, Bilal Naji Alhasnawi, A. S. Albahri, Hussein Togun, Umar F. Alqsair, Zaher Mundher Yaseen
Summary: In this study, the control problem of the multiple-boiler system (MBS) is formulated as a dynamic Markov decision process and a deep clustering reinforcement learning approach is applied to obtain the optimal control policy. The proposed strategy, based on bang-bang action, shows superior response and achieves more than 32% energy saving compared to conventional fixed parameter controllers under dynamic indoor/outdoor actual conditions.