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Clean Energy Management: Emerging Technologies and Mathematical Modeling

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 19466

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Dr. Mohammad Reza Safaei

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Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5725, USA
Interests: computational fluid dynamics; fluid mechanics; numerical simulation; CFD simulation; numerical modeling; numerical analysis; modeling and simulation; engineering, applied and computational mathematics’ aerodynamics; engineering thermodynamics
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Dr. Reza Maihami

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Department of Management & Marketing, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA
Interests: operations research; supply chain management; inventory management; revenue management; game theory; machine learning
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Dr. Mohammad Hossein Doranehgard

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Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
Interests: two-phase flow; biofuels; fossil fuels; nanofluid; optimization
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Dr. Mahyar Silakhori

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Guest Editor

Centre for Energy Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Interests: renewable energy; thermal energy storage; phase change material; solar energy; chemical storage; chemical looping process; hybrid solar systems; carbon capture and storage; mineral processing
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Clean energy, often referred to as renewable energy, is generated from clean natural resources and production processes that do not damage the environment. The rapid depletion of conventional energy sources, such as oil, gas, and coal, and their adverse impact on environmental conditions are forcing practitioners worldwide to look for renewable energy sources such as wave, hydropower, solar, wind, and geothermal.

As renewable energy sources continue to grow, a crucial goal will be to maximize productivity and clean energy utilization. Therefore, new technologies and policies are needed to manage exploration, production, distribution, and renewable energy consumption. These emerging initiatives will also help to improve environmental conditions.

Energy systems, including clean energy, are complicated and multi-dimensional systems that show nonlinear characteristics. Hence, modeling and controlling energy systems brings up various challenges for researchers. In this matter, a useful and powerful tool is mathematical modeling. This technique can study and analyze different aspects of clean energy systems such as system control, optimization, system design, supply chain design, cost minimization, distribution management, policy design, and socio-economic planning.

This Special Issue aims to collect new technologies and mathematical models pertaining to the technologies, policies, and solutions that manage clean energy. The following subjects will be considered in this Special Issue:

Generation and integration of clean energy sources such as hydrogen, wind, solar, and bioresource;
Novel clean energy technologies such as plasma process, clean fuel production, and liquid fuel;
Applying fluid dynamic modeling of wind turbines, blades, hydrogen, and ammonia turbines for clean energy;
New technologies and solutions for clean energy storage systems;
Clean energy Life Cycle Assessment (LCA);
Sustainable supply chain planning;
Social and economic impacts of clean energy technologies.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome.

I/We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Mohammad Reza Safaei
Dr. Reza Maihami
Dr. Mohammad Hossein Doranehgard
Dr. Mahyar Silakhori
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4685 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigation on Solar Water Heater Integrated with Thermal Battery Using Phase Change Material and Porous Media

by Mohammad Sajad Naghavi Sanjani, Mahyar Silakhori, Bee Chin Ang, Hendrik Simon Cornelis Metselaar, Sayed Mohammad Mousavi Gazafroudi and Younes Noorollahi

Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6439; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086439 - 10 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1224

Abstract

Evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector as a passive solar water heating system is a simple, reliable, and cost-effective way to capture the sun’s thermal energy to supply hot water to homes. In the proposed system, the manifold is reshaped to a tank and filled with phase change materials (PCM) and porous media, which the PCM acts as a latent heat thermal energy storage medium. In order to increase the heat flux from the heat pipe to the PCM and overcome the low thermal conductivity of the PCM, porous media is used. The porous media is connected to the heat pipe condenser to collect the heat and distribute it uniformly throughout the PCM filling the pores. This design of the manifold acts as a heat storage tank or thermal battery. Another pipe in the tank transfers heat from the PCM to the water. Experiments were conducted in 2 modes: charging/discharging and periodic draw-off. The results demonstrated that this thermal battery design could provide homes with the hot water they require on sunny days, while it needs an auxiliary heater or larger solar collector to provide enough hot water on rainy/cloudy days. Considering the solar radiation fluctuation, the efficiency of the thermal battery is 50% ± 9.3%. The thermal battery can warm up the cold water higher than the operating temperature on a sunny day (more than 120 L per day at 38 °C). Using porous media provides better heat distribution in the PCM. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clean Energy Management: Emerging Technologies and Mathematical Modeling)

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15 pages, 1420 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bacterial Diseases of Bioenergy Woody Plants in Ukraine

by Anatolyj Goychuk, Ivanna Kulbanska, Maryna Shvets, Lidiia Pasichnyk, Volodymyr Patyka, Antonina Kalinichenko and Larysa Degtyareva

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4189; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054189 - 25 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1830

Abstract

In this study, the characterization of several bacterial diseases affecting silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), white poplar (Populus alba L.), and white willow (Salix alba L.) in Ukraine were described. The typical symptoms, features of pathogenesis, and characteristics of the causative agents of the most common bacterial diseases of these tree species were shown. The following types of bacterioses were noted to be especially dangerous, namely, bacterial wetwood, fire blight, bacterial canker, and tuberculosis. Bacterial necrosis of the bark was a less dangerous disease. At the same time, all of the listed types of bacterioses were registered within the forest areas of the investigated region. The study revealed that bacterial wetwood of birch and poplar was caused by Lelliottia nimipressuralis; the bacterial canker of poplar is Pseudomonas syringae (Pseudomonas syringae f. populi and Pseudomonas cerasi); the fire poplar blight is caused by Pseudomonas cerasi (P. syringae); the common ash tuberculosis is caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. savastanoi; and the bacterial wilt of the willow is caused by Brenneria salicis. The phenomenon of the introduction of microorganisms of different functional orientations as well as the formation of conditions for their activity in the rhizosphere of plants have been studied. In the future, it will provide the development of effective methods for the rapid identification of causative agents of bacterioses and plant protection measures based on multi-functional microbiological preparations based on highly effective strains of microorganisms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clean Energy Management: Emerging Technologies and Mathematical Modeling)

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19 pages, 3908 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Criteria Decision Methods for Selecting a Wind Farm Site Using a Geographic Information System (GIS)

by Rahim Moltames, Mohammad Sajad Naghavi, Mahyar Silakhori, Younes Noorollahi, Hossein Yousefi, Mostafa Hajiaghaei-Keshteli and Behzad Azizimehr

Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 14742; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214742 - 9 Nov 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2066

Abstract

Wind energy is an economically, technically, and environmentally attractive option due to its cheapness and availability in different regions. The most important obstacle to developing renewable resources in Iran is subsidies for fossil fuels. The Iranian government has recently decided to reduce subsidies for electricity and fossil fuels, which has led to an increase in the prices of fossil fuels and electricity and makes renewable technologies more attractive to use. This study uses a multi-criteria decision method to identify wind energy potential in Khuzestan province. A GIS is used to determine the wind energy potential in this province. The technical, environmental, and economic criteria, which are a total of 14 layers of information, were examined by considering different values for each and from a Boolean point of view. The results show that, from the economic point of view, Shadegan city has the most potential and, from the technical point of view, Khorramshahr city has the highest amount of electricity production through wind energy. Furthermore, Dasht-e Azadegan city, due to its population, can supply the maximum amount of electricity it needs through wind energy. Among the three 550, 2500, and 8000 kW turbines, the 550 kW turbine has the most potential in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clean Energy Management: Emerging Technologies and Mathematical Modeling)

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17 pages, 829 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Developing an Extended Virtual Blade Model for Efficient Numerical Modeling of Wind and Tidal Farms

by Soheil Radfar, Bijan Kianoush, Meysam Majidi Nezhad and Mehdi Neshat

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13886; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113886 - 26 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1541

Abstract

Harnessing renewable and clean energy resources from winds and tides are promising technologies to alter the high level of consumption of traditional energy resources because of their great global potential. In this regard, developing farms with multiple energy converters is of great interest due to the skyrocketing demand for sustainable energy resources. However, the numerical simulation of these farms during the planning phase might pose challenges, the most significant of which is the computational cost. One of the most well-known approaches to resolve this concern is to use the virtual blade model (VBM). VBM is the implementation of the blade element model (BEM). This was done by coupling the blade element momentum theory equations to simulate rotor operation with the Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equation to simulate rotor wake and the turbulent flow field around it. The exclusion of the actual geometry of blades enables a lower computational cost. Additionally, due to simplifications in the meshing procedure, VBM is easier to set up than the models that consider the actual geometry of blades. One of the main unaddressed limitations of the VBM code is the constraint of modeling up to 10 renewable energy converters within one computational domain. This paper provides a detailed and well-documented general methodology to develop a virtual blade model for the simulation of 10-plus converters within one computational domain to remove the limitation of this widely used and robust code. The extended code is validated for both the single- and multi-converter scenarios. It is strongly believed that the technical contribution of this paper, combined with the current advancement of available computational resources and hardware, can open the gates to simulate farms with any desired number of wind or tidal energy converters, and, accordingly, secure the sustainability and feasibility of clean energies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clean Energy Management: Emerging Technologies and Mathematical Modeling)

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14 pages, 3733 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Techno-Economic Analysis of an Energy Community Based on PV and Electric Storage Systems in a Small Mountain Locality of South Italy: A Case Study

by Daniela Cirone, Roberto Bruno, Piero Bevilacqua, Stefania Perrella and Natale Arcuri

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13877; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113877 - 25 Oct 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1653

Abstract

The ecological transition at the centre of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the relevant EU policies are increasingly becoming an emerging issue in the political choices of most countries. It is an important challenge to ensure sustainable development and overcome the issue of energy supply. Italy produces 35% of its electricity consumption, a too low percentage that obligates the nation to purchase abroad to cover the overall needs. Energy communities can represent an interesting and viable option for businesses and citizens struggling with the abrupt rising of energy prices. In community energy systems, the energy demand of a group of households or public services is met by electricity collectively generated through renewable sources and this feature is particularly suggested in small towns to promote social benefits and environmental advantages. In this work, possible scenarios of an implementable energy community were investigated for the small mountain municipality of Soveria Mannelli, located in Southern Italy. A building stock made of four public edifices was used as a reference case for which heating needs were determined by dynamic simulations based on the EN ISO 52016-1 procedure. Other simulations carried out in the TRNSYS environment allowed for implementing different schemes of the energy community considering diverse building interaction modes, in which photovoltaic generators and electric batteries cooperate to supply heat pump systems to assure the maximum share of self-consumed electric energy. Indeed, this paper is targeted at the identification of the best solution in terms of technical and economic performance. Despite an evident study limitation is represented by the exclusive use of PV and electric storage systems, the results demonstrate a potential CO₂ emission reduction of over 80%. The more profitable solution for the Municipality was identified with an NPV of 11 k€ in 20 years with appreciable payback. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clean Energy Management: Emerging Technologies and Mathematical Modeling)

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0 pages, 29389 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Melting Mechanism and Natural Convection Effect in a Triplex Tube Heat Storage System with a Novel Fin Arrangement

by Farqad T. Najim, Sami Kaplan, Hayder I. Mohammed, Anmar Dulaimi, Azher M. Abed, Raed Khalid Ibrahem, Fadhil Abbas Al-Qrimli, Mustafa Z. Mahmoud, Jan Awrejcewicz and Witold Pawłowski

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10982; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710982 - 2 Sep 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2308

Abstract

In this research, a numerical analysis is accomplished aiming to investigate the effects of adding a new design fins arrangement to a vertical triplex tube latent heat storage system during the melting mechanism and evaluate the natural convection effect using Ansys Fluent software. In the triplex tube, phase change material (PCM) is included in the middle tube, while the heat transfer fluid (HTF) flows through the interior and exterior pipes. The proposed fins are triangular fins attached to the pipe inside the PCM domain in two different ways: (1) the base of the triangular fins is connected to the pipe, (2) the tip of the triangular fins is attached to the pipe and the base part is directed to the PCM domain. The height of the fins is calculated to have a volume equal to that of the uniform rectangular fins. Three different cases are considered as the final evaluation toward the best case as follows: (1) the uniform fin case (case 3), (2) the reverse triangular fin case with a constant base (case 12), (3) the reverse triangular fin case with a constant height (case 13). The numerical results show that the total melting times for cases 3 and 12 increase by 4.0 and 10.1%, respectively, compared with that for case 13. Since the PCM at the bottom of the heat storage unit melts slower due to the natural convection effect, a flat fin is added to the bottom of the heat storage unit for the best case compared with the uniform fin cases. Furthermore, the heat storage rates for cases 3 and 12 are reduced by 4.5 and 8.5%, respectively, compared with that for case 13, which is selected as the best case due to having the lowest melting time (1978s) and the highest heat storage rate (81.5 W). The general outcome of this research reveals that utilizing the tringle fins enhances the thermal performance and the phase change rate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clean Energy Management: Emerging Technologies and Mathematical Modeling)

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18 pages, 5681 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Thorough Emission-Cost Analysis of the Gradual Replacement of Carbon-Rich Fuels with Carbon-Free Energy Carriers in Modern Power Plants: The Case of Cyprus

by Pavlos Nikolaidis and Andreas Poullikkas

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10800; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710800 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1759

Abstract

Global efforts towards de-carbonization give rise to remarkable energy challenges, which include renewable energy penetration increase and intermediate energy carriers for a sustainable transition. In order to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, alternative sources are considered by commodities to satisfy their increasing electricity demand, as a consequence of a rise in population and the quantity of residential appliances in forthcoming years. The near-term trends appear to be in fuel and emission reduction techniques through the integration of carbon capture and storage and more efficient energy carriers, exploiting alternative energy sources, such as natural gas and hydrogen. Formulating both the fuel consumption and emission released, the obtained experimental results showed that the total production cost can be reduced by making use of natural gas for the transition towards 2035’s targets. Maximum profits will be achieved with hydrogen as the only fuel in modern power plants by 2050. In this way, the lowest electricity production can be achieved as well as the elimination of carbon dioxide emissions. Since the integration of renewable energy resources in the sectors of electricity, heating/cooling and transportation will continuously be increased, alternative feedstocks can serve as primary inputs and contribute to production cost profits, improved utilization factors and further environmental achievements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clean Energy Management: Emerging Technologies and Mathematical Modeling)

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16 pages, 3622 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Evaluation of the Thermoelectrical Performance of Photovoltaic-Thermal Systems with a Water-Cooled Heat Sink

by Husam Abdulrasool Hasan, Jenan S. Sherza, Jasim M. Mahdi, Hussein Togun, Azher M. Abed, Raed Khalid Ibrahim and Wahiba Yaïci

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10231; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610231 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3059

Abstract

A design for a photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) assembly with a water-cooled heat sink was planned, constructed, and experimentally evaluated in the climatic conditions of the southern region of Iraq during the summertime. The water-cooled heat sink was applied to thermally manage the PV cells, in order to boost the electrical output of the PVT system. A set of temperature sensors was installed to monitor the water intake, exit, and cell temperatures. The climatic parameters including the wind velocity, atmospheric pressure, and solar irradiation were also monitored on a daily basis. The effects of solar irradiation on the average PV temperature, electrical power, and overall electrical-thermal efficiency were investigated. The findings indicate that the PV temperature would increase from 65 to 73 °C, when the solar irradiation increases from 500 to 960 W/m², with and without cooling, respectively. Meanwhile, the output power increased from 35 to 55 W when the solar irradiation increased from 500 to 960 W/m² during the daytime. The impact of varying the mass flow rate of cooling water in the range of 4 to 16 L/min was also examined, and it was found that the cell temperature declines as the water flow increases in intensity throughout the daytime. The maximum cell temperature recorded for PV modules without cooling was in the middle of the day. The lowest cell temperature was also recorded in the middle of the day for a PVT solar system with 16 L/min of cooling water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clean Energy Management: Emerging Technologies and Mathematical Modeling)

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18 pages, 5696 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Techno-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Diesel Generators and Renewable Energy for a Remote Island in the Indian Ocean Using HOMER Pro

by T. M. I. Riayatsyah, T. A. Geumpana, I. M. Rizwanul Fattah and T. M. Indra Mahlia

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 9846; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14169846 - 9 Aug 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2813

Abstract

This study is about the electrification of the remote islands in the Indian Ocean that were severely affected by the tsunami in the 2004 earth earthquake. To supply electricity to the islands, two diesel generators with capacities of 110 kW and 60 kW were installed in 2019. The feasibility of using renewable energy to supplement or replace the units in these two generators is investigated in this work. In 2019, two diesel generators with capacities of 110 kW and 60 kW were installed in the islands to supply electricity. This work analyses whether the viability of using renewable energy can be used to supplement or replace these two generators. Among the renewable energy options proposed here are a 100 kW wind turbine, solar PV, a converter, and batteries. As a result, the study’s goal is to perform a techno-economic analysis and optimise the proposed hybrid diesel and renewable energy system for a remote island in the Indian Ocean. The Hybrid Optimisation Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) Pro software was used for all simulations and optimisation for this analysis. The calculation is based on the current diesel price of USD 0.90 per litre (without subsidy). The study found that renewable alone can contribute to 29.2% of renewable energy fractions based on the most optimised systems. The Net Present Cost (NPC) decreased from USD 1.65 million to USD 1.39 million, and the levelised Cost of Energy (CoE) decreased from 0.292 USD/kWh to 0.246 USD/kWh, respectively. The optimised system’s Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is 14% and Return on Investment (ROI) 10%, with a simple payback period of 6.7 years. This study shows that it would be technically feasible to introduce renewable energy on a remote island in Indonesia, where numerous islands have no access to electricity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clean Energy Management: Emerging Technologies and Mathematical Modeling)

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