Title: Techno-economic and environmental appraisal of a hybrid distributed generation system for a hospital building

Authors: Kambiz Rezapour; Reza Effatnejad; Farnaz Amin Salehi; Alireza Abdollahshirazi; Mohsen Ghorbani

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Moazen Blvd., Karaj, Alborz, Iran ' Department of Electrical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Moazen Blvd., Karaj, Alborz, Iran ' Department of Environmental Engineering, Mehralborz University (MAU), P.O. Box 1413913141, North Kargar Ave., Tehran, Iran ' Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Research Branch (SRBIAU), Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran ' Department of Electrical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Moazen Blvd., Karaj, Alborz, Iran

Abstract: In this paper, the techno-economic, energy efficiency, and environmental parameters of three different types of distributed generation systems, including high-temperature fuel cells, micro-turbines and photovoltaic (PV) systems were performed for a hospital building in Tehran, Iran using the eQUEST energy simulation tool and HOMER international optimisation model. The demand of electricity and natural gas of the hospital was calculated by the eQUEST software. Based on that, economic parameters, energy efficiency and environmental issues for three distributed generation systems have been evaluated by the HOMER international optimisation model and results are proposed for decision making. The results show that emissions produced by the fuel cell system including F and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) are far less than other distributed generation systems. Therefore, the high-temperature fuel cell is more sustainable and affordable from economic and environmental aspects.

Keywords: distributed generation; renewable energy; hybrid system; building energy efficiency; eQUEST; HOMER.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2020.110213

International Journal of Global Warming, 2020 Vol.22 No.1, pp.72 - 90

Received: 30 Apr 2019
Accepted: 29 Mar 2020
Published online: 09 Oct 2020 *

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