Thermodynamic and Cost Analysis of a Solar Dish Power Plant in Spain Hybridized with a Micro-Gas Turbine

• Main Authors: Judit García-Ferrero, Irene Heras, María Jesús Santos, Rosa Pilar Merchán, Alejandro Medina, Antonio González, Antonio Calvo Hernández
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: concentrated solar power; parabolic dish; distributed energy production; Brayton cycles; thermo-economic analysis
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/19/5178

Small-scale hybrid parabolic dish concentrated solar power systems are a promising option to obtain distributed electricity. During the day, solar energy is used to produce electricity, and the absence of sunlight can be overwhelmed with fuel combustion. This study presents a thermo-economic survey for a hybridized power plant in different regions of Spain, considering the local climatic conditions. The developed model considers the instant solar irradiance and ambient temperature dynamically, providing an estimation of the power output, the associated fuel consumption, and the most relevant pollutant emissions linked to combustion. Hybrid and combustion-only operating modes at selected geographical locations in Spain (with different latitudes, mean solar irradiances, and meteorological conditions) are analyzed. The levelized cost of electricity indicator is estimated as a function of investment, interest rate, maintenance, and fuel consumption actual costs in Spain. Values of about 124 /MWhe are feasible. Fuel consumption and emissions in hybrid operation can be reduced above 30% with respect to those of the same turbine working in a pure combustion mode. This model shows the potential of hybrid solar dishes to become cost-competitive against non-renewable technologies from the point of view of costs and reduction in gas emission levels in regions with high solar radiation and low water resources.