• Energy Research

Abstract Investigating the performance and productivity level of different energy consuming sectors in all countries is an inevitable action. This procedure will be conducted by comparing the energy input and the output of the system which is vital to ensure that the system is used properly. The proper utilization of systems will lead to more efficiency in the energy consumption section. One of the most important tasks in this type of study is the analysis of uncertainty indicators. The analysis and evaluation of uncertainty indices in energy consumption system is a tool that prioritizes the indicators in terms of importance and impact on each of the consumption targets. These consumption goals include energy, environmental, technical, economical, and social objectives. Ultimately, the output data of the uncertainty analysis will be very helpful for making the system more reliable and usable. In this study, we first introduced different sectors of the energy consumption system in Finland and examined each of these sectors in terms of physical and environmental goals. Then the uncertainty indexes in different sectors are extracted, evaluated qualitatively and quantified using the fuzzy logic method. Finally, indicators are prioritized based on the level of effectiveness and uncertainty. According to the results of this research, among 44 considered indices, the security of energy supply, carbon emission, equivalent annual cost, reliability, and political acceptability are respectively the most important indices for energy, environmental, economic, technical and social goals.

In power grids, a significant amount of the generated power in power plants is wasted in the grid between power plants and consumers. The amount depends on different factors. With regard to the vit...

Abstract The main contribution of this research is formulating the size optimization of grid-independent hybrid wind/photovoltaic/biodiesel/battery systems and proposing a hybrid algorithm on this optimization problem. There are many investigations based on hybrid wind and PV power systems but the investigation on the hybrid wind/photovoltaic/biodiesel/battery system is rarely found. Here, the optimal design of a biodiesel/wind/photovoltaic/battery energy system for a stand-alone application in Iran is studied. The objective of the optimum design problem is to minimize the life cycle cost of the wind/photovoltaic/biodiesel/battery system subject to some constraints by adjusting four decision variables, namely, number of batteries, photovoltaic area, the swept area of wind turbines, and fuel consumption of the biodiesel generator. To solve the optimization problem, initially, we investigate the performance of two popular metaheuristic algorithms, namely, harmony search and simulated annealing. Moreover, this article proposes a hybrid harmony search-simulated annealing method that combines the advantages of each one of the above-mentioned metaheuristic algorithms. Simulation results show that the proposed hybrid harmony search-simulated annealing improves the obtained solutions, in terms of quality, compared to the solutions provided by individual harmony search or individual simulated annealing algorithms. Moreover, the hybrid photovoltaic/biodiesel/battery system is the best choice to supply the electrical load.

Energy supply security and environmental issues have been among the major concerns for most governments. Recently, thanks to technological breakthroughs, utilization of renewable energy (RE) sources is frequently suggested as a solution for declining energy dependency of countries and tackling environmental concerns. Andalusia is one of the fast-growing autonomous communities of Spain in terms of economic, industry, and population. While Andalusia has a high dependency on energy imports, it is the wealthiest autonomous community of Spain from the perspective of RE resources. This research tries to evaluate Andalusia’s RE potential and its impact on the security of energy supply. First, the current energy system of Andalusia is discussed, and the feasibility of RE sources is investigated. Finally, the total level of Andalusia’s energy security is calculated and compared with other countries. The results reveal that solar, on/off-shore wind, and bio-energy (algae production) are the most promising RE sources. Therefore, to elevate Andalusia’s energy system robustness, it is highly recommended to invest in noted RE resources.

Abstract Energy has a strategic role in economic and social development of the countries. Therefore, security of energy supply is one of the main concerns of the governments. Due to the environmental effects, limitations, as well as fluctuations of the fossil fuels, utilization of replacement energies such as renewable energy sources is one of the main policies in order to overcome to the energy concerns. Among renewable energy sources, bioenergy and its related technologies is very important for researchers and policy makers. Although different bioenergy technologies have been developed, understanding the market and commercial potentials of each technology is very important. To respond, assessment of different bioenergy technologies would be the best solution, because it evaluates both technical and market acceptance of a technology. This article is to analyze diffusion and adaptation of bioenergy energy technologies based on a technology assessment method, Hype cycle diagram. The hype cycle diagram combines technologies life-cycle and adaptation of a technology. First, the main bioenergy technologies are discussed. Afterwards, the diffusion diagram of each technology is drawn based on life cycle analysis and patent registrations. Next, the adaptation of each technology is investigated. Finally, by combination of both diagrams for each technology, the situation and future of the bioenergy technologies will be discussed.

Energy is the main inputs of products and services. Energy has strategic role at the micro- and macro-economic scales in the countries. Compared with other fossil energy sources, the natural gas ha...