Exploring the 3E, hydrogen, and ammonia creation potentials of a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant using an air-cooled condenser.

ABSTRACT

The need to move to more sustainable energy generation has become a major concern among world leaders due to the debilitating effect of greenhouse gases on the environment. Africa has the greatest potential to transition to more sustainable energy sources due to its enormous renewable energy resource potential, particularly solar. This study thus assessed the potential of generating power using a concentrated solar tower power plant (CSTP) at three different locations in Algeria. The study evaluated the system's technical, environmental, economic, and employment creation potential and analyzed the hydrogen and ammonia creation potential using the electricity produced by the CSTP system. Naama, Laghouat, and Ghardaia recorded annual energies of 507 GWh, 502 GWh, and 547 GWh, with capacity factors of 57.6%, 57.6%, and 62%, respectively. A real levelized cost of energy ranging between 7.72 and 8.47 cent$/kWh was obtained. A total of 8530 tons of nitrogen and 1844 tons of hydrogen will be theoretically needed to produce ammonia (fertilizer) for 500,000 hectares of arable land for agricultural activities. In addition, using hydrogen from the CSTP system to produce the estimated ammonia will save 6124.56 tons of CO2 emissions from polluting the environment annually. The creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs will significantly benefit Algerians. The study concluded with some policy recommendations based on its findings.