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Feasibility Analysis of Solar Tracking Technologies Connected to Renewable Energy Systems

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Engineering to Adapt (TELAC 2023)

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Abstract

The environmental benefits of photovoltaic (PV) panels have attracted attention worldwide although they still lack the necessary levels of performance and financial viability. To meet these standards, PV tracking technologies are utilized to maximize the efficiency of PV systems. The principal goal of this research work is to perform a techno-economic feasibility analysis and optimal sizing of renewable energy systems integrated into solar tracking technologies for a rural residential user in South Africa. The vertical axis (VC), dual-axis tracker (DA), horizontal axis with monthly (HM), and continuous (HC) adjustments are the tracking options implemented to determine a profitable energy system. The preferred optimal cases based on these scenarios are introduced, and then sensitivity analysis is carried out to estimate the effect of variation of technical, economic, and climatic parameters. The VC-based system offers a financially desirable alternative having net present cost (NPC), levelized energy cost (LCOE), and CO2 emissions of $13.7k, $0.258/kWh, and 2.81.1 kg/year, respectively. Sensitivity analysis indicates that an increase in SOCmin would raise NPC and CO2 emissions. The DA and VC trackers, respectively, show the greatest and lowest increases in NPC due to diesel prices increase. In VC and HM-based cases, PV generation and the renewable fraction are more sensitive to albedo (ground reflectance) variation. Comparing the current optimal results with the previous research in this location demonstrates that NPC and LCOE can be reduced by implementing a proper controlling strategy by $58k and $0.005/kWh, respectively, to meet the same electrical load.

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Abbreviations

DA:

Dual-axis tracker

DG:

Diesel generator

F1:

Fuel curve slope (L/h/ output kW or m3/h/output kW

Fo:

Generator fuel curve intercept co-efficient (L/h/rated kW or m3/h/rated kW)

fpv:

PV derating factor (%)

FT:

Fixed tilt

GS:

Incident radiation at standard test conditions (1 kW/m2)

GT:

Solar radiation incident in the current hour (kW/m2)

HKT:

Hydrokinetic turbine

HM:

Horizontal axis

HV:

Vertical axis

LCOE:

Levelized cost of energy($/kWh)

Lmax:

Absorption width in maximum power

NPC:

Net present cost

O&M:

Operation and maintenance cost

PDG:

Generator output power (kW)

PDG:

Rated generator power (kW)

Pmax:

Maximum available power

PV:

Solar photovoltaic

Q:

Energy available in the storage at the first timestep (kWh)

Q1:

Available energy remained at the first timestep (kWh)

Wpv:

Peak power output of PV array (kW)

YDG:

Rated capacity of the generator (kW)

ηDG:

Generator efficiency (%)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Turbulence and Energy Laboratory, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave, Windsor, ON, Canada

    Reza Babaei, David S.-K. Ting & Rupp Carriveau

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  1. Reza Babaei
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  2. David S.-K. Ting
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Correspondence to Reza Babaei .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada

    David S-K. Ting

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tennessee Technology University, Cookeville, TX, USA

    Ahmad Vasel-Be-Hagh

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Babaei, R., Ting, D.SK., Carriveau, R. (2023). Feasibility Analysis of Solar Tracking Technologies Connected to Renewable Energy Systems. In: Ting, D.SK., Vasel-Be-Hagh, A. (eds) Engineering to Adapt. TELAC 2023. Springer Proceedings in Energy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47237-4_7

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