Chapter 32
Techno-Economic Analysis of a Hybrid
Solar-Hydrogen-Biomass System
for Off-Grid Power Supply
Naoto Takatsu and Hooman Farzaneh
Abstract Renewable energy sources are considered as the key solution to tackle the
energy-related problems—including global energy supply and environmental challenges facing our society. However, the need for utilizing the renewable energies
is increasing, but their dependency on weather conditions makes them unable to
provide continuous power supply to the load, because of the uncertainty and intermittent nature. Renewable energy sources, like wind, solar, hydro and biomass can
be integrated to form a hybrid system which is more reliable and environmentally
friendly. This paper aims at introducing a novel Hybrid Renewable Energy System
(HRES) based on the integration of renewable power generation and hydrogen generation from supercritical water gasification of wet biomass feedstock. The TechnoEconomic Analysis of the proposed HRES is carried out in order to support the
annual electricity demand of a selected household area, in a subject district around
the Shinchi station which is located in Shinchi-machi, Fukushima prefecture.
Keywords Hybrid renewable energy system · Simulation · Supercritical water
gasification · Fuel cell
32.1 Introduction
Renewable energy sources play a pivotal role to achieve sustainable energy system
development. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, Japan has reduced its dependence on nuclear energy, which accounted for more than 30% of Japan’s energy
mix, drastically below 2% due to the loss of public trust on nuclear power. While
Japan is one of the world’s leading energy consumers, energy self-sufficiency rate
in this country is remarkably low, and its level of dependence on imports of fossil
fuels from abroad is high which causes the energy security challenges for Japan.
N. Takatsu (B) · H. Farzaneh
Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
e-mail: farzaneh.hooman.961@m.kyushu-u.ac.jp
H. Farzaneh
Inter/Transdisciplinary Energy Research, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_32
483
Techno-Economic Analysis of a Hybrid
Solar-Hydrogen-Biomass System
for Off-Grid Power Supply
Naoto Takatsu and Hooman Farzaneh
Abstract Renewable energy sources are considered as the key solution to tackle the
energy-related problems—including global energy supply and environmental challenges facing our society. However, the need for utilizing the renewable energies
is increasing, but their dependency on weather conditions makes them unable to
provide continuous power supply to the load, because of the uncertainty and intermittent nature. Renewable energy sources, like wind, solar, hydro and biomass can
be integrated to form a hybrid system which is more reliable and environmentally
friendly. This paper aims at introducing a novel Hybrid Renewable Energy System
(HRES) based on the integration of renewable power generation and hydrogen generation from supercritical water gasification of wet biomass feedstock. The TechnoEconomic Analysis of the proposed HRES is carried out in order to support the
annual electricity demand of a selected household area, in a subject district around
the Shinchi station which is located in Shinchi-machi, Fukushima prefecture.
Keywords Hybrid renewable energy system · Simulation · Supercritical water
gasification · Fuel cell
32.1 Introduction
Renewable energy sources play a pivotal role to achieve sustainable energy system
development. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, Japan has reduced its dependence on nuclear energy, which accounted for more than 30% of Japan’s energy
mix, drastically below 2% due to the loss of public trust on nuclear power. While
Japan is one of the world’s leading energy consumers, energy self-sufficiency rate
in this country is remarkably low, and its level of dependence on imports of fossil
fuels from abroad is high which causes the energy security challenges for Japan.
N. Takatsu (B) · H. Farzaneh
Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
e-mail: farzaneh.hooman.961@m.kyushu-u.ac.jp
H. Farzaneh
Inter/Transdisciplinary Energy Research, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_32
483