Title: Exergetic performance analysis of a solar power system (SPS) in a high plateau

Authors: Naci Genç; Suha Orçun Mert; Alper Reis

Addresses: Department of Electrics and Electronics Engineering, Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van 65080, Turkey ' Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Chemical Engineering, Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van 65080, Turkey ' Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Chemical Engineering, Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van 65080, Turkey

Abstract: In this study, a comprehensive exergy analysis was applied to a solar power system (SPS) located in the city of Van, Turkey. Van was always known as a sun city throughout history with the name of TUŞBA. It has an average of 300 sunny days a year, an altitude of 1727 m, and an average daily temperature of 9.85°C. Considering how the need for sustainable and renewable energy sources - and knowledge over them - constantly increases, this SPS was built to reveal the true solar potential of the campus area of Yuzuncu Yıl University of the city of Van, hopefully as a precursor for further large-scale SPS constructions in the region. A daily analysis considering energy production and global radiation was applied to the system in 2013 for 365 days. It was found that the yearly exergy efficiency of the system was 10% and total electrical energy production was 31,038.95 kWh, averaging 1763.5 kWh/kWp yearly.

Keywords: exergy analysis; SPS; solar power systems; solar energy; cold climates; exergetic performance; high plateau; Turkey; exergy efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2017.083014

International Journal of Exergy, 2017 Vol.22 No.2, pp.125 - 138

Received: 17 May 2016
Accepted: 13 Oct 2016

Published online: 17 Mar 2017 *

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