Energy Analysis of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (Sofc) Operated by PV System in the Residential Sector, in Highland

Master's Thesis from the year 2018 in the subject Energy Sciences, grade: P5, Edinburgh Napier University, language: English, abstract: The present report involves the study of the energy potential of a hybrid system composed of a photovoltaic farm, hydrogen and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), which is implemented in Highland, Scotland. The system is intended to supply the demand for electricity and heat (hot water) in a residential, that represents an annual consumption of 3880 [kWh] and 986.4 [kWh], respectively. The first step consists of the solar farm evaluation, which is configured by 14 PV panels (monocrystalline) that represent an annual generation of 3878 [kWh]. The prevalence of solar irradiation was in the summertime, with an average of 2.5 kWh/m2/day]. In contrast, the during the winter season there was a shortfall in the energy production, with around 85 [%] less. This last factor involves that in winter time, the PV system can provide only a 30 [%] of the monthly consumption. Compared in the summer, which had a generation excess of almost 40 [%] The simulation of the integration of the fuel cell into the PV system demonstrated an increase in the global efficiency of around 20 [%]. At the same time, involves the rise in the electricity generation in 58 [%] more than the solar farm, this allowed the hourly production of 53 [kW]. In the case of heat performance, was obtained an hourly potency of 29 [kW], which represent a 90 [%] higher than the daily hot water demand. In relation to the environmental factor, the project showed a significant improvement in the GHG emission that allowed reduced over 75 [%] the emission respect to the traditional energy sources, such as grid electricity and gas. On the other hand, the economic evaluation has predominant differences in the generation cost, mainly in the electricity that involves around 80 [%] more expensive than the traditional source. However, monetary retribution in the sale of excess energy, which impro