Thermoeconomic Evaluation and Sustainability Insights of Hybrid Solar–Biomass Powered Organic Rankine Cycle Systems: A Comprehensive Review

Jahan Zeb Alvi, Zhengjun Guan, Muhammad Imran

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Hybrid solar–biomass organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems represent a promising avenue for sustainable energy production by combining abundant but intermittent solar energy with the reliable biomass energy. This study conducts a detailed thermodynamic and economic assessment of these hybrid systems, focusing on their potential to enhance energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The study also evaluates the performance of various working fluids,identifying optimal configurations for different operating conditions. A key finding is that the hybrid system, with an optimized solar–biomass ratio, achieves up to a 21 to 31% improvement inefficiency and a 33% reduction in levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) compared to solar-only systems.Additionally, the study examines case studies of real-world applications, offering insights into the scalability and cost-effectiveness of these systems in regions with high solar irradiation and biomass availability. These results underline the need for continued technological innovation and policy support to promote widespread adoption of hybrid ORC systems, particularly in the context of global decarbonization efforts.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages30
JournalBiomass
Volume4
Issue number4
Early online date22 Oct 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2024

Bibliographical note

Copyright © 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Data Access Statement

No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.

Keywords

  • biomass energy
  • carbon emission reduction
  • energy efficiency
  • hybrid energy systems
  • life cycle analysis
  • organic Rankine cycle (ORC)
  • renewable energy integration
  • solar energy
  • sustainability assessment
  • thermoeconomic analysis

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