Energy return on investment (EROI) of mini-hydro and solar PV systems designed for a mini-grid

RENEWABLE ENERGY

卷:99

Article

Kittner, Noah^1,2  Gheewala, Shabbir H.^3,4,5  Kammen, Daniel M.^1,2,6 

[1] Univ Calif Berkeley, Energy & Resources Grp, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA

[2] Univ Calif Berkeley, Renewable & Appropriate Energy Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA

[3] King Mongkuts Univ Technol Thonburi, Joint Grad Sch Energy & Environm, 126 Prachauthit Rd, Bangkok 10140, Thailand

[4] PERDO, Ctr Excellence Energy Technol & Environm, Bangkok, Thailand

[5] Univ N Carolina, Dept Environm Sci & Engn, Gillings Sch Publ Hlth, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 USA

[6] Univ Calif Berkeley, Goldman Sch Publ Policy, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA

关键词: Energy return on energy invested;    EROI;    Solar PV;    Mini-hydropower;    Thailand;    Mini-grid;    Net energy analysis;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.renene.2016.07.023

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

With dramatic cost declines and performance improvements, both mini-hydropower and solar photovoltaics (PV) now serve as core options to meet the growing demand for electricity in underserved regions worldwide. We compare the net energy return on energy invested (EROI) of mini-hydropower and solar electricity using five existing mini-hydropower installations in northern Thailand with grid connected solar PV simulations. Both assessments use a life cycle perspective to estimate the EROI. We find that distributed mini-grids with penetrations of solar PV up to 50% of annual generation can exceed the EROI of some fossil-based traditional centralized grid systems. The analysis will help planners and engineers optimize mini-grids for energy payback and utilize local resources in their design. The results suggest higher EROI ratios for mini-hydropower plants than solar PV, though mini-hydropower plants typically yield lower EROI ratios than their large-scale hydropower counterparts. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

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