Advanced Energy Technologies
Abbas Ahmadi; Mahsa Zaman; Siab Mamipour
Abstract
Clean solar energy is one of the best sources of energy. Solar power plants can generate electricity in Iran due to their large number of sunny days. This paper presents a short-term forecasting approach based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) for selected solar power plants in Iran and ranks the ...
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Clean solar energy is one of the best sources of energy. Solar power plants can generate electricity in Iran due to their large number of sunny days. This paper presents a short-term forecasting approach based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) for selected solar power plants in Iran and ranks the input variables of the neural network according to their importance. Two solar power plants in Hamadan province (Amirkabir and Khalij-Fars) were selected for the project. The output of solar power plants is dependent on weather conditions. Solar radiation on the horizontal plane, air temperature, air pressure, day length, number of sunny hours, cloudiness, and airborne dust particles are considered input variables in this study to predict solar power plant output. Forecasting model selection is based on considering zero and nonzero quantities of target variables. The results show that solar production forecasting based on meteorological parameters in the Khalij-Fars is more accurate than Amirkabir. The global solar radiation, air temperature, number of sunny hours, day length, airborne dust particles, cloudiness, air pressure, and dummy variables[1] are the order of the most important inputs to solar power generation. Results show simultaneous influences of radiation and temperature on solar power plant production.
[1]. The first half of the year is counted as one, and the second half is counted as zero.
Renewable Energy Economics, Policies and Planning
Aychar Khajavi Pour; Mohammad Reza Shahraki; Faranak Hosseinzadeh Saljooghi
Abstract
Photovoltaic energy is a good alternative to fossil fuels due to the abundance of solar energy. In this research, the criteria for locating photovoltaic solar power plants were identified using previous studies and experts’ views and by using the Delphi method based on five socioeconomic, topographic, ...
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Photovoltaic energy is a good alternative to fossil fuels due to the abundance of solar energy. In this research, the criteria for locating photovoltaic solar power plants were identified using previous studies and experts’ views and by using the Delphi method based on five socioeconomic, topographic, power generation and distribution issues, climatological, and environmental criteria. Then, by using the GIS software, the layers of sub-criteria were classified for locating photovoltaic solar power plants. Upon identifying the proposed decision-maker units for location finding, their efficiency was calculated using the full fuzzy data envelopment analysis method in three steps. The information extracted from the layers of the sub-criteria of GIS was coded using the MATLAB software in the first step of the full fuzzy data envelopment analysis model and the decision-making units were classified into three classes of efficient, weak, and inefficient. In the second step, the values of output shortages and input surplus were determined. Finally, in the third step, efficient decision-making units were ranked using Anderson-Pearson Super Efficiency Method in full fuzzy data envelopment analysis. In order to validate the proposed method, a case study was carried out. The results of calculations showed that the north, central, and southeast areas of Sistan and Baluchestan province were among the favorable areas for photovoltaic solar power plant construction. Therefore, approximately 66 % of the province’s area has appropriate efficiency matching the sub-criteria considered to construct a photovoltaic solar power plant.
Environmental Impacts and Sustainability
Hasan Hekmatnia; Ahmad Fatahi Ardakani; Armin Mashayekhan; Morteza Akbari
Abstract
As a key economic element, energy plays an important role in the development of societies. Economic growth and its urgent need for energy highlight the need for optimal energy use. Wind energy is an energy source that has become an increasingly common source of electricity. In this study, socio-economic ...
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As a key economic element, energy plays an important role in the development of societies. Economic growth and its urgent need for energy highlight the need for optimal energy use. Wind energy is an energy source that has become an increasingly common source of electricity. In this study, socio-economic impacts of the cost of electricity generated by wind power plants were assessed with Iran as the focus of this study. The environmental impacts of wind energy were also considered by reviewing and analyzing research papers. Studies showed that although the use of wind energy in Iran began in Manjil in northern Iran, no significant progress has been made in this field despite all the efforts over the past years. The results indicated that the initial cost of launching wind turbines was the most important factor in the failure of this technology. The costs of purchasing turbines, construction of roads, provision of electrical infrastructure, project management, installation of turbines, insurance premiums, grid connections, and power lines were shown to affect costs of energy production. Furthermore, operation and maintenance costs, the choice of installation location, increasing production capacity, expansion of the energy market, and policies in the country can play an essential role in determining the cost of wind energy production. Given that power generation using wind turbines are economical, it is recommended that turbines be installed in suitable windy locations. In addition, considering that one of the crises facing the world and especially Iran is environmental pollution, utilizing energies such as wind energy for generating electricity is advised due to their lower pollutant emissions and lower economic and social costs.
