Reducing CO2 emissions is a key goal of the strategy for a low-carbon economy and for the choice of greenhouse gas emission mitigation path. An effective forecasting method can represent a useful ...tool for managing renewable energies in microgrids and mitigating carbon dioxide emission. In this study is evaluated the trend of CO2 emission in Iran, Canada and Italy and compared the CO2 emission from consumption of energy sources: Coal - Natural Gas - Petroleum and other refined hydrocarbons – Renewable Energies. Furthermore, a proposed intelligent method has been provided for CO2 emission forecasting based on Generalized Regression Neural Network and Grey Wolf Optimization. Furthermore, the proposed method has been used for renewable energies generation (Wind power and Solar power) forecasting in the microgrid of Favignana island (Italy). The obtained results confirm the higher accuracy of the proposed method in long-term CO2 emission forecasting and short-term renewable energies generation as compared with other several methods.
Air pollution monitoring is constantly increasing, giving more and more attention to its consequences on human health. Since Nitrogen dioxide (NO
2
) and sulfur dioxide (SO
2
) are the major ...pollutants, various models have been developed on predicting their potential damages. Nevertheless, providing precise predictions is almost impossible. In this study, a new hybrid intelligent model based on long short-term memory (LSTM) and multi-verse optimization algorithm (MVO) has been developed to predict and analysis the air pollution obtained from Combined Cycle Power Plants. In the proposed model, long short-term memory model is a forecaster engine to predict the amount of produced NO
2
and SO
2
by the Combined Cycle Power Plant, where the MVO algorithm is used to optimize the LSTM parameters in order to achieve a lower forecasting error. In addition, in order to evaluate the proposed model performance, the model has been applied using real data from a Combined Cycle Power Plant in Kerman, Iran. The datasets include wind speed, air temperature, NO
2
, and SO
2
for five months (May–September 2019) with a time step of 3-h. In addition, the model has been tested based on two different types of input parameters: type (1) includes wind speed, air temperature, and different lagged values of the output variables (NO
2
and SO
2
); type (2) includes just lagged values of the output variables (NO
2
and SO
2
). The obtained results show that the proposed model has higher accuracy than other combined forecasting benchmark models (ENN-PSO, ENN-MVO, and LSTM-PSO) considering different network input variables.
Graphic abstract
This work shows the results of a research activity aimed at characterizing the energy habits of Italian residential users. In detail, by the energy simulation of a buildings sample, the opportunity ...to implement a demand/response program (DR) has been investigated. Italian residential utilities are poorly electrified and flexible loads are low. The presence of an automation system is an essential requirement for participating in a DR program and, in addition, it can allow important reductions in energy consumption. In this work the characteristics of three control systems have been defined, based on the services incidence on energy consumptions along with a sensitivity analysis on some energy drivers. Using the procedure established by the European Standard EN 15232, the achievable energy and economic savings have been evaluated. Finally, a financial analysis of the investments has been carried out, considering also the incentives provided by the Italian regulations. The payback time is generally not very long: depending on the control system features it varies from 7 to 10 years; moreover, the automation system installation within dwellings is a relatively simple activity, which is characterized by a limited execution times and by an initial expenditure ranging in 1000 € to 4000 €, related to the three sample systems.
Abstract
Europe is facing an energy crisis caused by the dramatic rise in gas prices. This situation is damaging the European economy and urgent measures to reduce gas consumption are crucial in the ...short term. This paper aims to analyse the potential contribution of the Power-to-Gas strategy to reduce the Italian consumption of Natural Gas (NG) in the context of the current energy crisis. To do so, the Italian energy system has been modelled by means the EnergyPLAN software. The electrolysers’ installation in the Italian energy systems has been simulated in combination with different levels of additional RES installation. The hydrogen production and the NG abatement potential have been calculated in each simulated scenario. Furthermore, the Natural Gas Abatement Cost (NGAC) has been assessed. By installing 1.5 GW of electrolysers, along with an additional 25 GW of renewables, about 140 ktonH2/year can be produced only by exploiting the RES excess. The total NG reduction due to both the RES generation and the hydrogen injection is more than 60 TWh/year. The NG abatement cost varies between 45 and 54 €/MWh. At current gas prices, it is therefore extremely cheaper to invest in a drastic reduction of natural gas than to buy the same amount of gas on the wholesale market. Therefore, the current energy crisis can be an opportunity to accelerate the energy transition process. The proposed solutions allow a substantial reduction in gas consumption with the consequent reduction in emissions and the country’s energy dependency.
The methane enrichment with hydrogen amounts can improve environmental and mechanical performances of an ICE (internal combustion engine).
The paper presents data resulting by the experimental ...campaign carried out over 42 days on a demo commercial CHP (combined heat and power) (60 kWel) fuelled with hydrogen enriched methane blends.
The tests have been carried out at partial load 55 kWel with hydrogen percentages of 0%, 5% and 8%. In order to evaluate the CHP energy consumption and environmental performance, the analysis was conducted for 336 h, using a continuous flue gas analyzer and two mass flow metres for hydrogen and methane.
The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how the use of the hydrogen enrichment in a CHP plant represents a valid alternative to the same commercial energy systems, regarding the CO and CO2 emissions avoidance.
The data analysis shows that modifying engine settings and increasing hydrogen amount significant energy effects occur. Consequently, the CHP fuelled with mixtures provides a lower thermal power, penalizing the heat recovery efficiency. The energy losses are due to unrecovered heat which is wasted like sensible heat to the stack. This alternative feeding system was developed in order to assess the energy penalty related to this carbon avoidance technique.
•Experimental tests on CHP engine fuelled with hydrogen enriched natural gas mixtures.•Investigate energy and environmental performance of CHP system.•Issues relating to energy production using engine common components.•Results assessment both in stoichiometric conditions and lean combustion.
Nowadays, renewable energies are important sources for supplying electric power demand and a key entity of future energy markets. Therefore, wind power producers (WPPs) in most of the power systems ...in the world have a key role. On the other hand, the wind speed uncertainty makes WPPs deferent power generators, which in turn causes adequate bidding strategies, that leads to market rules, and the functional abilities of the turbines to penetrate the market. In this paper, a new bidding strategy has been proposed based on optimal scenario making for WPPs in a competitive power market. As known, the WPP generation is uncertain, and different scenarios must be created for wind power production. Therefore, a prediction intervals method has been improved in making scenarios and increase the accuracy of the presence of WPPs in the balancing market. Besides, a new optimization algorithm has been proposed called the grasshopper optimization algorithm to simulate the optimal bidding problem of WPPs. A set of numerical examples, as well as a case-study based on real-world data, allows illustrating and discussing the properties of the proposed method.
•Renewable hydrogen production for natural gas enrichment as a good transition solution toward hydrogen economy.•Theoretical energy analysis carried out on CHP fueled by hydromethane ...blends.•Environmental analysis on different hybrid system configuration.•Individuation of best methodology for specific emissions assessment related this unconventional CHP power plant.
Every technological innovation aimed at improving energy efficiency needs a sustainable development approach contributing to the decoupling process between environmental pollution and economic growth.
The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate how the use of the hydrogen enrichment in a CHP plant represents a valid alternative to the same commercial energy systems, regarding to CO2 emissions avoidance.
The paper presents an energy-environmental analysis related to the use of renewable hydrogen (produced by a PV array) for eco fuels production. Analysis of different hybrid systems configurations, based on a demo CHP (internal combustion engine) fueled with hydrogen enriched methane blends, installed at the Sapienza University Sports Centre, were carried out.
A theoretical energy analysis of these hybrid systems, with an integrated CHP plant, was developed in order to evaluate the energy penalty related to this carbon avoidance technique. Finally, an environmental comparison between conventional CHP system, hybrid system and hybrid system with separated electrical generation was performed.
The results show that using blends with 20% of H2 content and tuning engine parameters, it is possible to minimize the hybrid system energy efficiency loss and to obtain the best carbon avoidance performances (about 32% respect to conventional CHP).
The deployment of distributed energy systems must take place paying attention to the self-consumption of renewable generation. Innovative sector coupling strategies can play that role linking local ...electricity and gas grids. The present work aims to evaluate the energy and economic feasibility of the Power-to-Methane strategy application in urban energy districts. A residential cluster was considered as a case study. Two PV configurations have been applied to evaluate the Substitute Natural Gas (SNG) production under different renewable excess conditions. Thereafter, the Power-to-Methane strategy was implemented by varying the system’s size. Some significant configurations have been compared to each other in terms of energy and economics. Beyond a certain threshold limit, an increase in the photovoltaic size slightly enhances the effectively self-consumed energy. The Power-to-Methane strategy can exploit all the renewable excess once the system is properly sized, almost doubling the potential energy consumption reduction compared to the PV system alone. The SNG production cost is between 100 and 200 EUR/MWh in most configurations, which is competitive with the high natural gas prices on the European market. Therefore, decentralised SNG production can reduce the households’ annual expenditures and it can mitigate the energy poverty conditions over the current energy crisis period.
Due to the Energy Performance of Building Directive 2010/31/UE (EPBD) recast, new and existing buildings have the aim to achieve the Zero Energy Buildings (ZEBs) requirements, in order to reduce the ...carbon emission and the energy building demand. Therefore, the building process cost is increasing, related to the applications of performant construction and efficiencies energy systems. In literature, several studies highlight the importance of innovative approaches in order to reduce the cost of the ZEB targets achievement, during the early stage design process. In this framework, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a useful process that integrated building design since the first design stage, providing high-performance energy solutions and obtaining a single model reducing time and cost during the building design. In fact, in Italy, the regulatory obligations are progressively defined: with the Ministerial Decree 560 of 1 December 2017 (Baratono Decree), the time scale with which the obligation to use BIM will come into force has been established. The obligation started from 1 January 2019 for public tenders for an amount equal to or greater than 100 million euros, then there will be a gradual entry up to 2025 for public works contracts worth less than one million. The research proposes a new workflow that allows to performing energy analysis through the BIM and Building Energy Modeling (BEM) optimization interoperability, allowing to support the zero-energy building during the early stage design.
•Guidelines to improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings were developed.•The proposed methodology should be based on an interdisciplinary approach.•Criteria for interventions integration in ...the landscape were identified.•Appropriate adjustments for historical buildings should be provided and regulated.
The AiCARR Guidelines “Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings” (February 2014) provide information to evaluate and improve the energy performance of historic buildings, fully respecting their significance and expression; where applicable these Guidelines will include the most recent legislation on the subject existing in Italy. These guidelines are intended for both design engineers and superintendencies. They provide the design engineers with a tool for the energy audit of the historic building and offer a framework for the design of possible energy upgrades, which are conceptually similar to that provided for non-protected buildings, but appropriately tailored to the needs and peculiarities of the cultural heritage. On the other hand, these Guidelines provide the institutions responsible for protecting the building, the possibility to objectively decide on the level of energy efficiency achieved as a result of the rehabilitation in accordance with the conservation criteria.
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