• Energy Research

This paper explores the energy management of a natural gas-based thermal power plant, with a focus on improving its efficiency, sustainability, and economic feasibility. The study uses the Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited (APSCL) in Bangladesh as a case study. To evaluate the efficiency of the APSCL, both energy and exergy perspectives are considered, and sustainability is assessed through exergetic parameters. The plant’s economic feasibility is analyzed based on its fuel costs and operational losses. The results of the study indicate that the energy and exergy efficiencies of the APSCL vary from 32.97% to 33.21% and from 32.63% to 32.87%, respectively, for steam turbines and from 39.77% to 56.98% and from 39.36% to 56.40%, respectively, for combined cycle power plants (CCPP) during 2016–2021. The slightly lower efficiency in exergy calculations accounts for the system loss incurred over time, which is often omitted in efficiency calculations using energy parameters. To measure the sustainability of the APSCL, eight key indicators are used: the depletion number, exergy sustainable index, cumulative exergy loss, relative irreversibility, lack of production, the wasted exergy ratio, environmental effect factor, and improvement potential. The results indicate that APSCL still has opportunities for improvement in terms of sustainability, with 50% of the fuel being depleted in the plant, contributing to a sustainable index of 2.00 and cumulative exergy loss varying between 48.59 and 21.17. Regarding financial costs and losses, APSCL has experienced an increasing trend in the price of electricity generated. However, by implementing intelligent maintenance practices and upgrading equipment in a timely manner, it is possible to minimize costs and increase exergy output, reducing the per-unit fuel requirement for electricity production and the global carbon footprint significantly.

Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have received significant attention in recent times due to various advantageous features, such as high energy efficiency, zero emissions, and extended driving range. However, FCEVs have some drawbacks, including high production costs; limited hydrogen refueling infrastructure; and the complexity of converters, controllers, and method execution. To address these challenges, smart energy management involving appropriate converters, controllers, intelligent algorithms, and optimizations is essential for enhancing the effectiveness of FCEVs towards sustainable transportation. Therefore, this paper presents emerging energy management strategies for FCEVs to improve energy efficiency, system reliability, and overall performance. In this context, a comprehensive analytical assessment is conducted to examine several factors, including research trends, types of publications, citation analysis, keyword occurrences, collaborations, influential authors, and the countries conducting research in this area. Moreover, emerging energy management schemes are investigated, with a focus on intelligent algorithms, optimization techniques, and control strategies, highlighting contributions, key findings, issues, and research gaps. Furthermore, the state-of-the-art research domains of FCEVs are thoroughly discussed in order to explore various research domains, relevant outcomes, and existing challenges. Additionally, this paper addresses open issues and challenges and offers valuable future research opportunities for advancing FCEVs, emphasizing the importance of suitable algorithms, controllers, and optimization techniques to enhance their performance. The outcomes and key findings of this review will be helpful for researchers and automotive engineers in developing advanced methods, control schemes, and optimization strategies for FCEVs towards greener transportation.