Goran Gašparović

New Energy Planning Software for Analysis of Island Energy Systems and Microgrid Operations - H2RES Software as a Tool to 100% Renewable Energy System

Abstract H2RES energy planning software was created for optimization of microgrid components sizing. Requirements taken into the account during optimization are: local loads, the level of microgrid autonomy from the utility grid, technical characteristics and cost of components, lifetime of equipment, available area and space, impact on the environment. The optimization resides on the past meteorological data for the specific location (wind speed and solar insulation). Procedures for selecting, dimensioning and placing of renewable energy systems (RES) for location-specific microgrids in urban environments are assessed with weather forecasting. The problem of storage systems is the increase in cost of distributed RES, making them, in market terms, less economically viable. This storage characteristic is even more highlighted in microgrids that need sophisticated and costly power electronics and communication systems to manage power flows from various sources to different controllable and uncontrollable loads. It is essential for further deployment of microgrids to ensure its optimal planning and sizing in order to avoid unnecessary costs on one side and on the other to ensure acceptable level of energy supply autonomy.

Campus and Community Micro Grids Integration of Building Integrated Photovoltaic Renewable Energy Sources - Case Study of Split 3 Area, Croatia - Part A

Micro grids interconnect loads and distributed energy resources as a single con-trollable entity. New installations of renewable energy sources in urban areas, such as building integrated photovoltaic, provide opportunities to increase ener-gy independence and diversify energy sources in the energy system. This paper explores the integration of renewable energy sources into two case study commu-nities in an urban agglomeration to provide optimal conditions to meet a share of the electrical loads. Energy planning case studies for decentralized generation of renewable energy are conducted in highways 2 renewable systems energy plan-ning software for hourly energy balances. The results indicate that building inte-grated photovoltaic and photovoltaic in the case study communities can cover about 17% of the recorded electrical demand of both areas. On a yearly basis, there will be a 0.025 GWh surplus of photovoltaic production with a maximum value of 1.25 MWh in one hour of operation unless grid storage is used. This amounts to a total investment cost of 13.36 million EUR. The results are useful for proposing future directions for the various case study communities targeting sustainable development.

Integration of Desalination and Renewables, a Demonstration of the Desalination Module in the H2RES Model: Case Study for Jordan

Water scarcity and the dependence on fossil fuels as a primary source of energy are crucial problems for a number of arid countries. The integration of energy and water systems presents a possible solution for both issues. The flexibility of a desalination system can increase the possibility for the penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources and thus provide both fresh water and the potential for the local production of clean energy. Jordan is the fourth most water deprived country in the world and is also highly dependent on energy import. Almost all of its primary energy comes from imported fossil fuels, mostly from natural gas. It is a country rich in wind and solar energy but unfortunately, almost no utilization of that potential. The integration of desalination systems and renewable energy sources is a possible solution both for Jordan’s water and energy supply. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the desalination module in the H2RES model using Jordan as a case study. H2RES is a flexible energy modelling tool used for the balancing of energy supply and demand on an hourly basis. It is capable of demonstrating the benefits of water and energy integration for the purpose of increasing the penetration of intermittent renewables and the reduction of CO2 emissions. For this purpose, four scenarios have been created. The first one is a business as usual scenario with no desalination, a desalination scenario and two desalination scenarios that utilize the produced brine as energy storage in pump hydro plants. The results will show that the utilization of desalination, especially in the case where desalination is combined with pump storage, can help increase the penetration of renewable energy sources into the electrical grid and thus help decrease the dependence on energy import and reduce the CO2 emissions of the energy system.