Modelling and environmental assessment of a stand-alone micro-grid system in a mountain hut using renewables

Mori, Mitja (avtor), Gutiérrez, Manuel (avtor), Sekavčnik, Mihael (avtor), Drobnič, Boštjan (avtor)

Mountain huts are stand-alone micro-grid systems that are not connected to a power grid. However, they impact the environment by generating electricity and through day-to-day operations. The installed generator needs to be flexible to cover fluctuations in the energy demand. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources presents a challenge when it comes to balancing electricity generation and consumption. This paper presents an integration-and-optimization process for renewable energy sources in a mountain hut’s electricity generation system combined with a lifecycle assessment. A custom computational model was developed, validated with experimental data and integrated into a TRNSYS model. Five different electricity generation topologies were modelled to find the best configuration that matches the dynamics and meets the cumulative electricity demand. A lifecycle assessment methodology was used to evaluate the environmental impacts of all the topologies for one typical operating year. The carbon footprint could be reduced by 34% in the case of the actually implemented system upgrade, and by up to 47% in the case of 100% renewable electricity generation. An investment cost analysis shows that improving the battery charging strategy has a minor effect on the payback time, but it can significantly reduce the environmental impacts.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: mountain huts, micro-grid, renewable energy sources, computational modelling, experiments, lifecycle assessment, investment costs, payback time
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FS - Fakulteta za strojništvo
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2022
• Št. strani: 21 str.
• Številčenje: Vol. 15, iss. 1, art. 202
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-136776
• UDK: 502.174.3:728.61:620.92
• ISSN pri članku: 1996-1073
• DOI: 10.3390/en15010202
• COBISS.SI-ID: 91685379
• Datum objave v RUL: 20.05.2022

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Energies
• Skrajšan naslov: Energies
• Založnik: Molecular Diversity Preservation International
• ISSN: 1996-1073
• COBISS.SI-ID: 518046745

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.
• Začetek licenciranja: 01.01.2022

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: planinske koče, mikro omrežje, obnovljivi viri energije, numerično modeliranje, eksperimenti, študija življenjskih ciklov, investicijski stroški, doba vračanja

Projekti

• Financer: EC - European Commission
• Program financ.: LIFE
• Številka projekta: LIFE15 CCA/ES/000058
• Akronim: Sustainhuts

• Financer: ARRS - Agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P2-0401
• Naslov: Energetsko strojništvo