IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i3p1241-d1044985.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Economic and Energetic Assessment and Comparison of Solar Heating and Cooling Systems

Author

Listed:
  • Boris Delač

    (Department of Thermodynamics and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, Vukovarska 58, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia)

  • Branimir Pavković

    (Department of Thermodynamics and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, Vukovarska 58, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia)

  • Vladimir Glažar

    (Department of Thermodynamics and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, Vukovarska 58, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia)

Abstract

Solar heating and cooling (SHC) systems are currently attracting attention, especially in times of increasing energy prices and supply crises. In times of lower energy prices, absorption SHC systems were not competitive to compression cooling supported by photovoltaic (PV) modules due to the high investment costs and total energy efficiency. This paper aims to discuss the current changes in energy supply and energy prices in terms of the feasibility of the application of a small absorption SHC system in a mild Mediterranean climate. The existing hospital complex restaurant SHC system with evacuated tube solar collectors and a small single-stage absorption chiller was used as a reference system for extended analysis. Dynamic simulation models based on solar thermal collectors, PV modules, absorption chillers and air-to-water heat pumps were developed for reliable research and system comparison. The results showed that primary energy consumption in SHC systems designed to cover base energy load strongly depends on the additional energy source, e.g., boiler or heat pump. Absorption SHC systems can be price competitive to air-to-water heat pump (AWHP) systems with PV collectors only in the case of reduced investment costs and increased electricity price. To reach acceptable economic viability of the absorption SHC system, investment price should be at least equal to or lower than a comparable AWHP system.

Suggested Citation

  • Boris Delač & Branimir Pavković & Vladimir Glažar, 2023. "Economic and Energetic Assessment and Comparison of Solar Heating and Cooling Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:3:p:1241-:d:1044985
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/3/1241/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/3/1241/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eicker, Ursula & Pietruschka, Dirk & Haag, Maximilian & Schmitt, Andreas, 2015. "Systematic design and analysis of solar thermal cooling systems in different climates," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 827-836.
    2. Calise, F. & Palombo, A. & Vanoli, L., 2010. "Maximization of primary energy savings of solar heating and cooling systems by transient simulations and computer design of experiments," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 524-540, February.
    3. Yunlong Ma & Suvash C. Saha & Wendy Miller & Lisa Guan, 2017. "Comparison of Different Solar-Assisted Air Conditioning Systems for Australian Office Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-27, September.
    4. Mateus, Tiago & Oliveira, Armando C., 2009. "Energy and economic analysis of an integrated solar absorption cooling and heating system in different building types and climates," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(6), pages 949-957, June.
    5. Hang, Yin & Qu, Ming & Zhao, Fu, 2011. "Economical and environmental assessment of an optimized solar cooling system for a medium-sized benchmark office building in Los Angeles, California," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 648-658.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kertu Lepiksaar & Vladislav Mašatin & Igor Krupenski & Anna Volkova, 2023. "Effects of Coupling Combined Heat and Power Production with District Cooling," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-16, June.

    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. Hang, Yin & Du, Lili & Qu, Ming & Peeta, Srinivas, 2013. "Multi-objective optimization of integrated solar absorption cooling and heating systems for medium-sized office buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 67-78.
    2. Reda, Francesco & Viot, Maxime & Sipilä, Kari & Helm, Martin, 2016. "Energy assessment of solar cooling thermally driven system configurations for an office building in a Nordic country," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 27-43.
    3. Bahria, Sofiane & Amirat, Madjid & Hamidat, Abderrahmen & El Ganaoui, Mohammed & El Amine Slimani, Mohamed, 2016. "Parametric study of solar heating and cooling systems in different climates of Algeria – A comparison between conventional and high-energy-performance buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 521-535.
    4. Calise, Francesco & Dentice d'Accadia, Massimo & Palombo, Adolfo & Vanoli, Laura, 2013. "Dynamic simulation of a novel high-temperature solar trigeneration system based on concentrating photovoltaic/thermal collectors," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 72-86.
    5. Fong, K.F. & Lee, C.K., 2015. "Investigation of separate or integrated provision of solar cooling and heating for use in typical low-rise residential building in subtropical Hong Kong," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 847-855.
    6. Buonomano, A. & Calise, F. & Palombo, A., 2013. "Solar heating and cooling systems by CPVT and ET solar collectors: A novel transient simulation model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 588-606.
    7. Buonomano, Annamaria & Calise, Francesco & Ferruzzi, Gabriele, 2013. "Thermoeconomic analysis of storage systems for solar heating and cooling systems: A comparison between variable-volume and fixed-volume tanks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 600-616.
    8. Calise, Francesco & Dentice d'Accadia, Massimo & Piacentino, Antonio, 2014. "A novel solar trigeneration system integrating PVT (photovoltaic/thermal collectors) and SW (seawater) desalination: Dynamic simulation and economic assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 129-148.
    9. Hirmiz, R. & Lightstone, M.F. & Cotton, J.S., 2018. "Performance enhancement of solar absorption cooling systems using thermal energy storage with phase change materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C), pages 11-29.
    10. Mourshed, Monjur, 2011. "The impact of the projected changes in temperature on heating and cooling requirements in buildings in Dhaka, Bangladesh," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(11), pages 3737-3746.
    11. Calise, Francesco & Ferruzzi, Gabriele & Vanoli, Laura, 2012. "Transient simulation of polygeneration systems based on PEM fuel cells and solar heating and cooling technologies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 18-30.
    12. Zhai, X.Q. & Qu, M. & Li, Yue. & Wang, R.Z., 2011. "A review for research and new design options of solar absorption cooling systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(9), pages 4416-4423.
    13. Khan, Mohammed Mumtaz A. & Saidur, R. & Al-Sulaiman, Fahad A., 2017. "A review for phase change materials (PCMs) in solar absorption refrigeration systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 105-137.
    14. Gupta, A. & Anand, Y. & Tyagi, S.K. & Anand, S., 2016. "Economic and thermodynamic study of different cooling options: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 164-194.
    15. Lubis, Arnas & Jeong, Jongsoo & Giannetti, Niccolo & Yamaguchi, Seiichi & Saito, Kiyoshi & Yabase, Hajime & Alhamid, Muhammad I. & Nasruddin,, 2018. "Operation performance enhancement of single-double-effect absorption chiller," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 299-311.
    16. Prieto, Alejandro & Knaack, Ulrich & Auer, Thomas & Klein, Tillmann, 2019. "COOLFACADE: State-of-the-art review and evaluation of solar cooling technologies on their potential for façade integration," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 395-414.
    17. Rosiek, Sabina & Batlles, Francisco Javier, 2013. "Renewable energy solutions for building cooling, heating and power system installed in an institutional building: Case study in southern Spain," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 147-168.
    18. Villa-Arrieta, Manuel & Sumper, Andreas, 2018. "A model for an economic evaluation of energy systems using TRNSYS," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 765-777.
    19. Nkwetta, Dan Nchelatebe & Sandercock, Jim, 2016. "A state-of-the-art review of solar air-conditioning systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1351-1366.
    20. Calise, Francesco & Dentice d'Accadia, Massimo & Libertini, Luigi & Quiriti, Edoardo & Vicidomini, Maria, 2017. "A novel tool for thermoeconomic analysis and optimization of trigeneration systems: A case study for a hospital building in Italy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 64-87.

    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:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:3:p:1241-:d:1044985. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.