DESIGNING AND ASSESSING THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF A SMALL HYBRID NEGAWATT POWER PLANT

Abstract

The world is witnessing an increasing trend in energy consumption due to several reasons of which the most important ones are the increase in population size, technology developments, and country social and economic development. Such increasing trends lead to more rapid resources depletion and more harmful gaseous emissions and greenhouse gases being emitted to the atmosphere from the combustion of various energy resources especially fossil fuels.

Several research studies have been conducted to understand this increasing energy trend, specifically from office and residential buildings, and its negative consequences on the economy and heath. These studies seek to find solutions for better energy sustainability measures and resource allocations management through modifying the user’s energy consumption trends without affecting the personal comfort, in addition to further developments of renewable energy resources.

This Thesis aims at studying different building energy conservation measures and provides economic feasibility. In addition, it will examine the deployment of renewable energy resources, namely PV cells, to aid in the transition to clean energy. The Thesis work will make use of the Negawatt concept which is based on assessing the feasibility of establishing more efficient technologies to lower energy consumption rather than expanding the power supply to meet increased demand.

The feasibility study of a small Hybrid Negawatt power plant for a recently constructed office building at the American University of Beirut (AUB) is assessed. Various conservation measures are assessed mainly focusing on reducing energy consumption during unoccupancy periods, in addition to addressing alternative technologies, such as more efficient lighting and upgrading the double-glazed windows. A rooftop PV canopy design system is proposed, while maintaining the unique roof terrace and its wonderful sea view. The feasibility study carried out compares the cost of implementing these measures and alternative technologies to the cost of expanding the supplied thermal power from conventional fossil fuels. The results show that the hybrid Negawatt solution is more economically feasible, especially where certain mitigation measures require only managerial and behavioral adjustments at no additional costs.