[en] The increasing share of renewables forces combustion-driven power generation machines to operate with high adaptability. Small-scale heat and power units, like micro gas turbines (mGT), could show potential for Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES) due to their operational and fuel flexibility. However, their economic viability in a variable energy environment remains uncertain. The levelized cost of exergy (LCOX) in HRES with combined heat and power (CHP) units, should be calculated under uncertainties to support decision-making. This paper applies design optimization to a photovoltaic/battery/heat pump system with two prime movers to investigate the required economic relevance of small-scale CHP units in HRES. The considered prime movers are internal combustion engines (ICE) and mGTs, including advanced mGT configurations such as humidified cycles (mGT-wet, mHAT). Test cases include a hospital, office and hotel in Brussels with distinct demand profiles. Uncertainty quantification on optimized system capacities is performed using Polynomial Chaos Expansions (PCE), ensuring computational efficiency. The hospital shows that adding an mGT improves LCOX (227 €/MWh compared to 244 €/MWh of non-PM HRES), while in the hotel case, non-PM systems are more cost-effective due to low electricity demand. Dry mGTs and ICEs enhance flexibility in HRES for suitable applications, but their economic viability depends strongly on energy prices and demand. Humidified mGTs improve self-sufficiency but with higher fuel cost, making their cost-effectiveness questionable if excess electricity is not sold to the grid.
Disciplines :
Energy
Author, co-author :
GAITANIS, Angelos Evripidis ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté Polytechnique > Service de Thermique et Combustion
Coppitters, Diederik ; UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain > Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering (iMMC)
DE PAEPE, Ward ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté Polytechnique > Service de Thermique et Combustion
Contino, Francesco ; UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain > Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering (iMMC)
Language :
English
Title :
Techno-economic and uncertainty-aware optimization of hybrid renewable systems with small-scale prime movers for commercial buildings
HE - 101083536 - Fit4Micro - Clean and efficient microCHCP by micro turbine based hybrid systems
Funders :
European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency Horizon Europe Horizon Europe Research Executive Agency Horizon 2020 Framework Programme European Commission F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique European Union
Funding number :
861079; 101083536; CR 40016260
Funding text :
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support received from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 861079 (NextMGT — Next Generation of Micro Gas Turbines for High Efficiency, Low Emissions, and Fuel Flexibility). This paper reflects only the authors’ view and the Research Executive Agency, and the European Commission are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Co-funded by the European Union under PN: 101083536 (“Fit4Micro-Clean and efficient micro CHCP by micro turbine based hybrid systems”). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. D.C. acknowledges the support of the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique — FNRS [CR 40016260].
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