| 1. |
- Quitoras, M. R., et al.
(författare)
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Exploring electricity generation alternatives for Canadian Arctic communities using a multi-objective genetic algorithm approach
- 2020
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Ingår i: Energy Conversion and Management. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0196-8904 .- 1879-2227. ; 210
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Indigenous peoples in the Northern communities of Canada are experiencing some of the worst catastrophic effects of climate change, given the Arctic region is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. Paradoxically, this increasing temperature can be attributed to fossil fuel-based power generation on which the North is almost totally reliant. At the moment, diesel is the primary source of electricity for majority of Arctic communities. In addition to greenhouse gas and other airborne pollutants, this situation exposes risk of oil spills during fuel transport and storage. Moreover, shipping fuel is expensive and ice roads are harder to maintain as temperatures rise. As a result, Northern governments are burdened by rising fuel prices and increased supply volatility. In an effort to reduce diesel dependence, the multi-objective microgrid optimization model was built in this work to handle the complex trade-offs of designing energy system for an Arctic environment and other remote communities. The tool uses a genetic algorithm to simultaneously minimize levelised cost of energy and fuel consumption of the microgrid system through dynamic simulations. Component submodel simulation results were validated against an industry and academic accepted energy modeling tool. Compared to previous energy modeling platforms, proposed method is novel in considering Pareto front trade-offs between conflicting design objectives to better support practitioners and policy makers. The functionality of the method was demonstrated with a case study on Sachs Harbour, in the Northernmost region of the Northwest Territories. The algorithm selected a fully hybrid wind-solar-battery-diesel system as the most suited technically, economically and environmentally for the community. The robustness of the results was assessed by performing system failure analysis of the model results. Overall, the modeling framework can help decision makers in identifying trade-offs in energy policy to transition the Canadian Arctic and other remote communities towards more sustainable and clean sources of energy.
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| 2. |
- Quitoras, M. R., et al.
(författare)
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Remote community integrated energy system optimization including building enclosure improvements and quantitative energy trilemma metrics
- 2020
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Ingår i: Applied Energy. - Oxford : Elsevier Ltd. - 0306-2619 .- 1872-9118. ; 276
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Design strategies for sustainable energy systems in remote communities require holistic approaches, as policy, technological development and complex energy systems operation are inherently intertwined. The present work takes a multi-domain perspective in which various energy solution philosophies co-exist. In particular, a multi-objective energy system model has been developed to determine the optimal configuration of integrated electrical and thermal energy systems for Sachs Harbour, the Northernmost community in the Northwest Territories of Canada. From the four scenarios implemented in the model, the Pareto front curves show that the fuel consumption can vary from 0 to 700,000 L/yr while the cost of energy is in the range of 0.5–2.7 CND $/kWh. Further, a comparative dynamic simulation has been carried out to analyze the impacts of using electric baseboard heaters versus air-source heat pumps. The results indicate that load fluctuations caused by the variations of the heat pumps’ coefficients of performance negatively impact the operation of the energy system. These demand fluctuations result in a larger battery storage requirement, along with an increase in overall energy system costs. Building enclosure improvements alone were found to reduce space heating loads by up to 40%. Finally, nine solutions of interest from the Pareto front were quantified and tested in the energy trilemma index model. From the multiple viable configurations, the proposed solution was estimated to have a weighted average trilemma score of 73.3. Overall, the use of such innovative modeling approaches in real-world applications can support policy makers to make informed decisions in balancing trade-offs from various energy solution viewpoints.
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| 3. |
- Quitoras, M. R., et al.
(författare)
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Towards robust investment decisions and policies in integrated energy systems planning : Evaluating trade-offs and risk hedging strategies for remote communities
- 2021
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Ingår i: Energy Conversion and Management. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0196-8904 .- 1879-2227. ; 229
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Policy and investment decisions in developing clean energy strategies for remote communities are subject to multiple uncertainties that impact overall strategy outcomes, including those related to environmental emissions and energy costs. In this context, robust modeling approaches are required that can clarify potential outcomes while subject to such uncertainties. This work introduces a novel modeling framework that enables enhanced decision making in energy systems planning for remote communities, which for the first time takes into account context-specific decision-maker attitudes towards multiple inter-related uncertainties and various energy solution philosophies. In particular, multiple energy system configurations are evaluated by simultaneously minimizing the levelised cost of energy and fuel consumption, with a test case for a specific community in the Northwest Territories, Canada. The concept of model robustness and validity together with the stochastic nature of uncertain parameters are combined in a multi-objective optimization framework that elucidates the full spectrum of energy solutions available in such a remote Arctic context. Introducing known uncertainties in renewable energy characteristics was found to reduce overall energy yields from the renewable energy technologies. Specifically, the deterministic renewable energy penetration of 69% from a specific energy system configuration reduced to a mean of 51% after the inclusion of uncertainties via probabilistic simulation. Conversely, diesel fuel consumption increased to 750,000 L/yr (mean) from its initial deterministic value of 447,470 L/yr. Holistic energy solutions which include both supply and demand-side considerations are also analyzed. Specifically, a reduced community domestic heating load of 40% was achieved via retrofit of high performance building fabric enclosures evaluated in conjunction with renewable energy supply options. Ultimately, insights and real-world applications have been synthesized to provide coherent recommendations on strategies to address energy security, energy affordability and environmental sustainability, along with meaningful propositions towards Indigenous community-led energy projects in a range of contexts.
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