The feasibility of hybrid solar-biomass power plants in India

Abstract

We assess the feasibility of hybrid solar-biomass power plants for use in India in various applications including tri-generation, electricity generation and process heat. To cover this breadth of scenarios we analyse, with the help of simulation models, case studies with peak thermal capacities ranging from 2-10 MW. Evaluations are made against technical, financial and environmental criteria. Suitable solar multiples, based on the trade-offs among the various criteria, range from 1-2.5. Compared to conventional energy sources, levelised energy costs are high -but competitive in comparison to other renewables such as photovoltaic and wind. Long payback periods for hybrid plants mean that they cannot compete directly with biomass-only systems. However, a 1.2-3.2 times increase in feedstock price will result in hybrid systems becoming cost competitive. Furthermore, in comparison to biomass-only, hybrid operation saves up to 29% biomass and land with an 8.3-24.8 $/GJ/a and 1.8-5.2 ¢/kWh increase in cost per exergy loss and levelised energy cost. Hybrid plants will become an increasingly attractive option as the cost of solar thermal falls and feedstock, fossil fuel and land prices continue to rise. In the foreseeable future, solar will continue to rely on subsidies and it is recommended to subsidise preferentially tri-generation plants.Keywords: solar thermal; tri-generation; linear Fresnel reflector (LFR); energy policy; exergy. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 4 1. Introduction India receives a high level of Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI), 4-7 kWh/m 2 per day. Thus, there is a vast potential for decentralised solar energy applications using Concentrating Solar thermal Power (CSP). However, CSP technologies are currently expensive and the uptake in India has been slow. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission was established in 2010 and outlined support for solar energy applications to encourage market penetration of gridconnected and decentralized off-grid applications, to provide energy services in India [1, 2]. One CSP technology of particular interest is the Linear Fresnel Reflector (LFR), due to its comparatively simple and inexpensive design. The LFR uses multiple rows of low profile mirrors to focus solar radiation onto a fixed target pipe to generate steam directly. Such Direct Steam Generation (DSG) is an alternative to the more commonly employed Heat Transfer Fluids (HTFs) -synthetic oil and molten salt -and has the potential to increase CSP plant efficiency and reduce costs [3]. However, thermal energy is difficult to store in DSG syste...

Hybrid concentrated solar power (CSP)–biomass plants in a semiarid region: A strategy for CSP deployment in Brazil

“…Hence, to the authors' knowledge, assessment of annual electricity potential and ideal areas to install CSP hybridised with biomass have only been done for Australia (Peterseim et al, 2014a(Peterseim et al, , 2014b(Peterseim et al, , 2014c(Peterseim et al, , 2014d and India (CSTEP, 2015;Nixon et al, 2012). Literature gaps are related to the lack of assessments focusing on local scale based on site specific data, by considering actual land uses and real availability of biomass.…”

Technological assessment of different solar-biomass systems for hybrid power generation in Europe

“…Nixon et.al [7] assessed the feasibility of hybrid solar-biomass power plants in India for various applications including tri-generation, electricity generation and process heat. The study was performed on specific plant scenario of peak thermal capacities from 2 to 10 MW by simulation models and case studies to evaluate technical, financial and environmental conditions.…”

“…However, a 1.2 -3.2 times increase in feedstock price will result in hybrid systems becoming cost competitive. Furthermore, in comparison to biomass only, hybrid operation saves up to 29% biomass and land with an 8.3-24.8 $/GJ/a & 1.8-5.2 ¢/kWh increase in cost per exergy loss and levelized energy cost respectively [7,13,19].…”

“…Although biomass power plants can operate continuously, they can have high initial cost, uncertain feedstock supply chain security, require the cost for infrastructure for bulk biomass storage and vehicles for transportation [10,12]. Hybrid solar-biomass plants will become an increasingly attractive option as the cost of fossil fuel and land rise at the same time as the cost of solar thermal technology continues to fall [7]. There is one CSP-biomass hybrid power plant currently in operation in Spain, this study also intends to explore the potential viability of such power plants in other European climates [19].…”

“…Concentrating solar power (CSP) and solar PV are used increasingly for electric power generation due to their downward trend in installed costs [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. However, standalone solar energy plants have intermittent energy output due to day/night cycles, reduced irradiation periods during winter, cloudy days and transient clouds [11,15].…”