A Thorough Economic Evaluation by Implementing Solar/Wind Energies for Hydrogen Production: A Case Study

Abstract

A technical–economic assessment was carried out in this study to determine the possibilities for wind and solar power generation in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The results showed that most of the province has a solar irradiance of over 400 W/m2, and also showed that wind and solar power generated in the province can be up to twice as cheap as the official price of renewable power in Afghanistan. The most suitable site for solar and hydrogen production was found to be Laškar Gāh, where solar and hydrogen can be produced at a cost of 0.066 $/kWh and 2.1496 $/kg-H2, respectively. In terms of wind power production and hydrogen production from wind, the most suitable site was Sangīn, where wind power and hydrogen could be produced at costs of 0.057 $/kWh and 1.4527 $/kg-H2, respectively. Despite the high potential of wind and solar energy in the Helmand province, the most suitable place in this region to produce hydrogen from wind/solar energy was evaluated from technical, economic, and environmental perspectives with the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) method. The Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) method was used for weighting criteria and the Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) method was used to prioritize locations. The results show that Sangīn is the most suitable place for the construction of a wind hydrogen power plant and Laškar Gāh is the most suitable place for the construction of a solar hydrogen power plant.

Unlocking renewable energy potential: A case study of solar and wind site selection in the Kasserine region, central‐western Tunisia

“…20 Therefore, collecting and analyzing data on a potential site is crucial to determine its energy generation capacity. 20,26,28 However, this is not a straightforward task in light of the various and often overlapping criteria illustrated in Table 1. In this context, the integration of GIS along with MCDM approaches has emerged as a valuable tool in handling decision-making complexities, including solar and wind site selection.…”

“…In addition, solar and wind potential vary significantly from one region to another according to weather patterns and seasonal variations 20 . Therefore, collecting and analyzing data on a potential site is crucial to determine its energy generation capacity 20,26,28 . However, this is not a straightforward task in light of the various and often overlapping criteria illustrated in Table 1.…”

Alternative work arrangements: Individual, organizational and environmental outcomes

“…Diesel also has the potential for high cumulative energy consumption [ 60 ]. Moreover, the greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels, resulting in carbon dioxide, have the most significant environmental impact of all those negatively affecting the earth [ 61 ]. The high carbon footprints that emerge significantly hamper future efforts to achieve low carbon levels [ 62 ].…”

Evaluation of Regional Elevation and Blade Density Effects on the Efficiency of a 1-kW Wind Turbine for Operation in Low-Wind Counties in Iran

“…After the oil crisis and the spike in fossil fuel prices in the 1970s, the next big shock to the global energy market was undoubtedly the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Efforts to accelerate the shift towards renewable energy have never been more serious [1]. Thus, the possibility of the prominence of renewable energies, especially wind energy, and the phasing out of fossil fuels has been greatly strengthened [2].…”