Optimization and economic assessment of renewable energy sources and their combinations for central Europe

Abstract

The article deals with the economic evaluation of investment and optimization of the renewable energy sources for family houses. For example, from the point of view of solar systems, the optimal solution is based on the specific application of it. The design is dependent on the location of the panels and ration between active aperture area and real daytime consumption. Common calculations according to actual standards often give overstated results, which also reflected in the value of the investments. The article shows the research of optimal parameters of the thermal solar system for preparing of domestic hot water. A combination of related standards and software TRNSYS are used to find optimal parameters. Thanks to created and verified simulation models, it is possible to design parameters so as to avoid under-dimensioning or over-dimensioning of the each system. Energy price is another factor affects the payback period of investments. This is affected by the used energy sources and their combination. For example, buildings that use electricity to heat water or heating have different energy charges than a building that uses natural gas. So, the aim is to find optimal solution of the combination of renewable energy sources. © 2018, World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society. All rights reserved.