Optimisation and techno-economic assessment of parabolic trough collector system in Malaysia, China, and the United States

Abstract

We evaluated the economic feasibility of installing PTC plants in several sites in Malaysia, China, and the United States with high solar irradiation or solar power plants. The average values of LCOE, NPV and CF for PTC power plants installed in the United States under optimum conditions are 11.92 USD cents/kWh, 47.95 million USD and 75.40%. Meanwhile, Labuan and Coara in Malaysia are two sites that are ideal for the installation of PTC plants, while Datong in China is the most favourable location for the installation of PTC power plants among the locations evaluated. Therefore, an equation relating the DNI to the optimum LCOE can be established, which recommends installing the PTC power plant in locations with DNI higher than 5.98 kWh/m²/day to replace the coal-fired electricity plant.

Abbreviations: Avg: Average; Ch: China; Com: Commercial; CPV: Concentrated Solar Photovoltaic; CSP: Concentrated Solar Power; EES: Engineering Equations Solver; EIA: Energy Information Administration; HTF: Heat Transfer Fluid; IEA: International Energy Agency; Ind: India; IRENA: International Renewable Energy Agency; LFR: Linear Fresnel Reflector; Lit Rev: Literature Review; M salt: A Quinary Salt mixture doped with Hybrid; Graphene/TiO₂ Nanoparticles; Mal: Malaysia; PPA: Power Purchase Agreement; PTC: Parabolic Trough Collector; PV: Photovoltaic; Res: Residential; SAM: System Advisor Model; SDG: Sustainable Development Goal; SM: Solar Multiple; SPD: Solar Parabolic Dish; SPT: Solar Power Tower; STE: Solar Thermal Energy; TES: Thermal Energy Storage; UN: United Nations; US: United States

KEYWORDS:

• Optimisation
• techno-economic assessment
• parabolic trough collector
• system advisor model
• levelized cost of electricity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Xiamen University, Malaysia Campus [grant number XMUMRF/2020-C6/IENG/0030/V11000].