Photovoltaic and Concentrated Solar Power Generation and Water Desalination in Arid Desert Regions

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Alsarraf, F. (2022). Photovoltaic and Concentrated Solar Power Generation and Water Desalination in Arid Desert Regions. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

To evaluate the feasibility of solar power plants for both power generation and water desalination in arid desert locations, A Photovoltaic power plant was compared to a Concentrated Solar Power plant at different design capacities in the selected country of Kuwait. Both plants were configured in terms of the country’s satellite-based weather data values throughout the year, and their corresponding electrical and thermal power generation capabilities were simulated using the NREL System Advisor Model (SAM) and compared to the country’s power grid and RO/MSF desalination plants to explore demand satisfaction. Economic analysis was also performed for both plants and the results were compared in terms of feasibility. As a result, the PV and CSP systems respectively satisfied up to 0.93% and 2.22% of annual power demand, and up to 133.32% and 162% of RO and MSF energy demand, respectively. It was shown that the PV plants outperformed CSP in most technical performance factors such as energy production and capacity per installation area and fell short against CSP in terms of energy yield and capacity factor. PV systems also outperformed CSP in all factors of economic analysis, ranging from 84.93% to 94.25% in decreased costs when compared to Concentrated Solar Power, deeming the PV option to be favorable for installation in Kuwait and the desert region it is in. Possible issues related to both power plant options such as the effect of high ambient temperature, dust formation, land availability, intermittent operation, and equipment maintenance were discussed along with solutions and mitigations to these problems.

Details
Author

Alsarraf, Faisal

Title

Photovoltaic and Concentrated Solar Power Generation and Water Desalination in Arid Desert Regions

Physical Description

1 online resource (75 pages) : PDF

Date

2022

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

To evaluate the feasibility of solar power plants for both power generation and water desalination in arid desert locations, A Photovoltaic power plant was compared to a Concentrated Solar Power plant at different design capacities in the selected country of Kuwait. Both plants were configured in terms of the country’s satellite-based weather data values throughout the year, and their corresponding electrical and thermal power generation capabilities were simulated using the NREL System Advisor Model (SAM) and compared to the country’s power grid and RO/MSF desalination plants to explore demand satisfaction. Economic analysis was also performed for both plants and the results were compared in terms of feasibility. As a result, the PV and CSP systems respectively satisfied up to 0.93% and 2.22% of annual power demand, and up to 133.32% and 162% of RO and MSF energy demand, respectively. It was shown that the PV plants outperformed CSP in most technical performance factors such as energy production and capacity per installation area and fell short against CSP in terms of energy yield and capacity factor. PV systems also outperformed CSP in all factors of economic analysis, ranging from 84.93% to 94.25% in decreased costs when compared to Concentrated Solar Power, deeming the PV option to be favorable for installation in Kuwait and the desert region it is in. Possible issues related to both power plant options such as the effect of high ambient temperature, dust formation, land availability, intermittent operation, and equipment maintenance were discussed along with solutions and mitigations to these problems.

Genre

masters theses

Subjects--Topics

Mechanical engineering
Renewable energy sources

Degree

M.S.

Keywords

Csp
Desalination
Energy
Pv
Renewable
Solar

Subject Area

Mechanical Engineering

Advisor(s)

Sarunac, Nenad
Xu, Terry

Committee Members

Sarunac, Nenad
Keanini, Russell
Ebong, Abasifreke

Degree Note

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2022.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Alsarraf_uncc_0694N_13105

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:2716