Techno-Economic Analysis of a Concentrated Solar Polygeneration Plant in Jordan

A polygeneration concentrated solar plant is designed and analyzed to investigate its techno-economic performance, and to investigate the different components that can be effectively combined in zero or positive energy districts, both in built and rural environments. The design was based on the results of an energy audit performed on the site which showed the prevalence of the summer cooling demand. The design is characterized by using Parabolic Trough Collectors as solar collecting technology installed on the roof of a building. The installation constraints, such as the size and the orientation of the available space, have driven the design of the plants and the selection of the possible storage and conversion technologies. The design includes a steam circuit that feeds a steam turbine manufactured at a very small scale, solar driven absorption chiller, direct heating system and water distillation unit. Conclusions are drawn and documented about the potential impact of solar polygeneration in the Mediterranean solar belt and the future development of the involved technologies. Results showed that the polygeneration plant has a Utilization Factor of 0.66, while, the economics of such technology needs improvement as indicated by the Benefit-Cost-Ratio (BCR) of 0.62 due to the high cost of the small-scale components of this technology. (C) 2018 Jordan Journal of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. All rights reserved