The global shift toward sustainable energy underscores the urgency of reducing GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES), integrating biogas-powered Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units with Photovoltaics (PV), represent a compelling pathway by simultaneously improving energy efficiency and minimising environmental impacts. This study assesses the techno-economic feasibility of a HRES combining two biogas-powered CHP units (400 kWe total) and a 110 kW PV system in an agricultural enterprise in northern Italy. Two scenarios are analysed: one under a feed-in tariff (Scenario #1), the actual one, and another based on North market electricity prices in Italy (Scenario #2). Results show that the feed-in tariff significantly improves the economic outcomes, with Net Present Values (NPVs) exceeding €6.7 million and a PayBack Period (PBP) of around 3 years. NPV drops below €1 million without the feed-in tariff, and the PBP extends to 10-11 years. A sensitivity analysis is also carried out by varying the electricity purchase price, using €0.18/kWh as the baseline and comparing it to €0.22/kWh. In Scenario 1, the impact of this variation is marginal: the 15-year NPV, which is approximately 6,780,000 €, decreases by only 0.6%, while the PBP remains unchanged. In contrast, Scenario 2, which relies more on energy self-consumption, exhibits greater sensitivity to electricity price changes. In this case, the NPV, starting from approximately 736,000 €, increases by about 15%, and the PBP improves slightly, shortening from approximately 10-11 years to 9-10 years. The findings highlight the crucial role of policy incentives in promoting renewable energy adoption. However, this type of HRES remains economically viable even without feed-in tariff support, offering the added benefit of delivering stable and continuous electrical and thermal energy to a dedicated end-user.
Techno-Economic Analysis of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES) with Biogas-Powered Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Photovoltaic (PV) Systems / Croce, B., Rocchetti, L., Rossi, M., Caresana, F., Pelagalli, L., Comodi, G.. - In: JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONFERENCE SERIES. - ISSN 1742-6588. - 3143:(2025). (80th Conference of the Associazione Termotecnica Italiana, ATI 2025 University of Sannio in Benevento, ita 2025) [10.1088/1742-6596/3143/1/012003].
Techno-Economic Analysis of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES) with Biogas-Powered Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
Croce B.
;Rocchetti Lorenzo;Rossi Mose;Caresana F.;Pelagalli L.;Comodi G.
2025-01-01
Abstract
The global shift toward sustainable energy underscores the urgency of reducing GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES), integrating biogas-powered Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units with Photovoltaics (PV), represent a compelling pathway by simultaneously improving energy efficiency and minimising environmental impacts. This study assesses the techno-economic feasibility of a HRES combining two biogas-powered CHP units (400 kWe total) and a 110 kW PV system in an agricultural enterprise in northern Italy. Two scenarios are analysed: one under a feed-in tariff (Scenario #1), the actual one, and another based on North market electricity prices in Italy (Scenario #2). Results show that the feed-in tariff significantly improves the economic outcomes, with Net Present Values (NPVs) exceeding €6.7 million and a PayBack Period (PBP) of around 3 years. NPV drops below €1 million without the feed-in tariff, and the PBP extends to 10-11 years. A sensitivity analysis is also carried out by varying the electricity purchase price, using €0.18/kWh as the baseline and comparing it to €0.22/kWh. In Scenario 1, the impact of this variation is marginal: the 15-year NPV, which is approximately 6,780,000 €, decreases by only 0.6%, while the PBP remains unchanged. In contrast, Scenario 2, which relies more on energy self-consumption, exhibits greater sensitivity to electricity price changes. In this case, the NPV, starting from approximately 736,000 €, increases by about 15%, and the PBP improves slightly, shortening from approximately 10-11 years to 9-10 years. The findings highlight the crucial role of policy incentives in promoting renewable energy adoption. However, this type of HRES remains economically viable even without feed-in tariff support, offering the added benefit of delivering stable and continuous electrical and thermal energy to a dedicated end-user.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
