IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v77y2004i4p383-405.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimization of solar systems using artificial neural-networks and genetic algorithms

Author

Listed:
  • Kalogirou, Soteris A.

Abstract

The objective of this work is to use artificial intelligence methods, like artificial neural-networks and genetic algorithms, to optimize a solar-energy system in order to maximize its economic benefits. The system is modeled using a TRNSYS computer program and the climatic conditions of Cyprus, included in a typical meteorological year (TMY) file. An artificial neural-network is trained using the results of a small number of TRNSYS simulations, to learn the correlation of collector area and storage-tank size on the auxiliary energy required by the system from which the life-cycle savings can be estimated. Subsequently, a genetic algorithm is employed to estimate the optimum size of these two parameters, for maximizing life-cycle savings: thus the design time is reduced substantially. As an example, the optimization of an industrial process heat-system employing flat-plate collectors is presented. The optimum solutions obtained from the present methodology give increased life-cycle savings of 4.9 and 3.1% when subsidized and non-subsidized fuel prices are used respectively, as compared to solutions obtained by the traditional trial-and-error method. The present method greatly reduces the time required by design engineers to find the optimum solution and in many cases reaches a solution that could not be easily obtained from simple modeling programs or by trial-and-error, which in most cases depends on the intuition of the engineer.

Suggested Citation

  • Kalogirou, Soteris A., 2004. "Optimization of solar systems using artificial neural-networks and genetic algorithms," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 77(4), pages 383-405, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:77:y:2004:i:4:p:383-405
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306-2619(03)00153-3
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Petrakis, M. & Kambezidis, H.D. & Lykoudis, S. & Adamopoulos, A.D. & Kassomenos, P. & Michaelides, I.M. & Kalogirou, S.A. & Roditis, G. & Chrysis, I. & Hadjigianni, A., 1998. "Generation of a “typical meteorological year” for Nicosia, Cyprus," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 381-388.
    2. Kalogirou, Soteris, 1996. "Economic analysis of solar energy systems using spreadsheets," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 1303-1307.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Florides, G.A & Kalogirou, S.A & Tassou, S.A & Wrobel, L.C, 2000. "Modeling of the modern houses of Cyprus and energy consumption analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 25(10), pages 915-937.
    2. Kalogirou, Soteris, 2003. "The potential of solar industrial process heat applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 76(4), pages 337-361, December.
    3. Florides, G. A. & Tassou, S. A. & Kalogirou, S. A. & Wrobel, L. C., 2002. "Measures used to lower building energy consumption and their cost effectiveness," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 73(3-4), pages 299-328, November.
    4. García, Ignacio & Torres, José Luis, 2018. "Temporal downscaling of test reference years: Effects on the long-term evaluation of photovoltaic systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 392-405.
    5. Islam, Md. Parvez & Morimoto, Tetsuo, 2018. "Advances in low to medium temperature non-concentrating solar thermal technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2066-2093.
    6. Kalogirou, S.A. & Pashiardis, S. & Pashiardi, A., 2017. "Statistical analysis and inter-comparison of the global solar radiation at two sites in Cyprus," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 1102-1123.
    7. Polo, Jesús & Alonso-Abella, Miguel & Martín-Chivelet, Nuria & Alonso-Montesinos, Joaquín & López, Gabriel & Marzo, Aitor & Nofuentes, Gustavo & Vela-Barrionuevo, Nieves, 2020. "Typical Meteorological Year methodologies applied to solar spectral irradiance for PV applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    8. Pramod Rajput & Maria Malvoni & Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & O. S. Sastry & Arunkumar Jayakumar, 2020. "Operational Performance and Degradation Influenced Life Cycle Environmental–Economic Metrics of mc-Si, a-Si and HIT Photovoltaic Arrays in Hot Semi-arid Climates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-20, February.
    9. Ayop, Razman & Isa, Normazlina Mat & Tan, Chee Wei, 2018. "Components sizing of photovoltaic stand-alone system based on loss of power supply probability," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 2731-2743.
    10. Panayi, Panayiotis, 2004. "Prioritising energy investments in new dwellings constructed in Cyprus," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 789-819.
    11. Zang, Haixiang & Xu, Qingshan & Bian, Haihong, 2012. "Generation of typical solar radiation data for different climates of China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 236-248.
    12. Kalogirou, Soteris A. & Florides, George & Tassou, Savvas, 2002. "Energy analysis of buildings employing thermal mass in Cyprus," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 353-368.
    13. Araya, R. & Bustos, F. & Contreras, J. & Fuentes, A., 2017. "Life-cycle savings for a flat-plate solar water collector plant in Chile," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 365-377.
    14. Kalogirou, Soteris A., 2001. "Use of TRNSYS for modelling and simulation of a hybrid pv–thermal solar system for Cyprus," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 247-260.
    15. Gang Ren & Xudong Zhao & Changhong Zhan & Hong Jin & Aishen Zhou, 2017. "Investigation of the Energy Performance of a Novel Modular Solar Building Envelope," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-17, June.
    16. Yang, H.X. & Lu, L. & Burnett, J., 2003. "Weather data and probability analysis of hybrid photovoltaic–wind power generation systems in Hong Kong," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 28(11), pages 1813-1824.
    17. Pusat, Saban & Ekmekçi, İsmail & Akkoyunlu, Mustafa Tahir, 2015. "Generation of typical meteorological year for different climates of Turkey," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 144-151.
    18. Skeiker, Kamal & Ghani, Bashar Abdul, 2009. "A software tool for the creation of a typical meteorological year," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 544-554.
    19. Zhang, H.L. & Baeyens, J. & Degrève, J. & Cacères, G., 2013. "Concentrated solar power plants: Review and design methodology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 466-481.
    20. Kalogirou, Soteris A., 2003. "Generation of typical meteorological year (TMY-2) for Nicosia, Cyprus," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 28(15), pages 2317-2334.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:77:y:2004:i:4:p:383-405. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.