Integrated energy, exergy, and environment (3E) analysis, and life cycle assessment of renewable sourced multigeneration system for optimized performance and environmental impact assessment

Abstract

Energy has become a vital entity in this modern era of industrialization. Despite being produced at larger scales there is a danger of crisis due to depleting fossil fuels and rising population ultimately resulting in higher energy demands. To cater for this issue, sustainable measures have become inevitable these days. In addition to the upcoming scarcity, another big issue threatening the current and upcoming generations is the environmental degradation due to carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions which are gradually affecting ozone levels thus posing serious threats to natural habitats and biodiversity. Sustainable energy solutions such as renewable energy sources can prove to be vital in mitigating resource depletion and environmental degradation impacts. Multigeneration systems can prove to be cutting-edge technology to produce sustainable energy and help achieve a green future. This research presents a novel clean energy based multigeneration system for sustainable energy and clean hydrogen production. Along with these, the system also produces cooling power, heating capacity, fresh and hot water as useful by-products. Thermodynamic and life cycle assessments have been conducted. The system is capable of producing 34.912 MW electric power, 0.04201 kg/s clean hydrogen, and reasonable amounts of other by products. The system showed 32.98 %, 85.11 %, and 63.66 %, of thermal, energy, and exergy efficiencies, respectively. Life cycle assessment highlighted various potential hotspots of the system associated with carbon emissions.