Multi-Regional Design and Analysis of Biomass-Driven Combined Cooling, Heating and Power Systems for Rural Communities

The challenges during the aftermath of natural disasters in remote locations, such as unreliable power supply from the grid during crucial times, coupled with ever-increasing energy needs, demand new and innovative solutions to limited energy production. Local, on-site power generation, such as combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) systems, may safeguard against grid fluctuations, outages, and provide additional security through grid independence. CCHP systems can provide more reliable and resilient energy supply to buildings and communities while also providing energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable solutions compared to centralized power systems. Biomass-driven CCHP systems have been recognized as a potential technology to bring increased efficiency of fuel utilization and environmentally sustainable solutions. Biomass as an energy source is created through agricultural and forestry by-products and may thus be efficiently and conveniently transported to remote rural communities. This paper presents a design and implementation analysis of biomass (primarily wood pellets)-driven CCHP systems for a rural community across the United States. The U.S. Department of Energy Climate Regions map was used to determine areas of interest. For this study, all three climates moist, dry, and marine as well as all major climate zones (2–6) were included. To effectively compare small towns across the U.S., the selection process was based on certain criteria: A population of approximately 1,500 people, the existence of a rural hospital, two kinds of schools (E.g., an elementary and a high school), and small businesses. The following places meet those conditions and are located in differentiating climate zones: (2A) Keystone Heights, FL, (3A) Ackerman, MS, (3B) Quincy, CA, (3C) Mariposa, CA, (4A) Hardinsburg, KY, (4C) Coupeville, WA, (5A) Alma, NE, (5B) Lovelock, NV, (6A) Colebrook, NH, (6B) Choteau, MT. Each location was investigated based on the merits of on-site CCHP systems and potential grid independence. The viability of wood pellets (WP) as a suitable fuel source is explored by comparing it to a conventional natural gas-driven and grid-connected system. To measure viability, three performance parameters — operational cost (OC), primary energy consumption (PEC), and carbon dioxide emission (CDE) — are considered in the analysis. The results demonstrate that in many climate regions wood pellet-fueled CCHP systems create significant economic and environmental advantages over traditional systems. Additionally, on-site energy production and the potential for grid independence, especially in the aftermath of natural disasters provide critical services and added upsides of traditional systems. The main factors in increasing the viability of CCHP systems are the appropriate sizing and operational strategies of the system and the purchase price of biomass with respect to the price of traditional fuels.