Optimized Design of an Off-Grid PTC Based Power Plant in Saint Martin’s Island

Abstract

Solar energy is one of the key renewable energy sources of the globe and can be converted into power by using different technologies and approaching various methodologies. As a remote island and being disconnected from the national power grid, Saint Martin’s island in Bangladesh is one of the best prospects for mass scale usage of solar power. Solar energy can be converted to electrical power by two distinct processes namely Photovoltaic (PV) conversion and Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) using thermodynamic cycles. Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) is thought of as one of the major future alternatives in the field of harvesting solar energy. It has advantages over the PV cells in terms of efficiency and lifetime. Using thermal storage technology integrated with the CSP plant, about 6 to 12 hours of power backup can be gained in ideal conditions. In this study, a 1 MW parabolic trough collector (PTC) based stand-alone CSP power plant with 12 hours of thermal storage has been specifically designed and optimized for Saint Martin’s island using System Advisor Model (SAM). The design point DNI value selected for the specified location is 852 W/m2. The gross power cycle output for the optimized plant is calculated to be 2.68 GWh with a power cycle efficiency 40.58%. The total land area needed for the proposed design plant is 7.83 acres which covers only 1.08% of the total land area of this island. The proposed design of the PTC based thermal power plant resolves the power generation problem of a disconnected island of the country which will in turn develop the daily life of locals along with making the travelling experience smoother for the tourists. The performance analysis of the plant also encourages development and innovation of solar thermal power plants in Bangladesh.