Hrvatske vode, Vol. 26 No. 105, 2018.
Review article
Economic analysis of the sustainability of urban wastewater systems powered by solar photovoltaic energy
Bojan Đurin
; Faculty of Geotehnical Engineering, University of Zagreb, Varaždin, Croatia
Lucija Plantak
; Faculty of Geotehnical Engineering, University of Zagreb, Varaždin, Croatia
Abstract
Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems used in electrical power generation for the operation of pumping stations have been used for about 50 years. In principle, these systems consist of a PV generator, pumping station and water tank. Their use is generally justified from the environmental and social viewpoints, although not fully economically. However, these systems are the only option that can be applied in isolated, remote areas. A great disadvantage of these systems is a possibility of their failure due to insufficient strength and intensity of sunlight. The paper uses the critical period approach (CPA), which was devised precisely to solve this problem. Additionally, the paper puts the emphasis on the economic analysis to prove sustainability, i.e. present the economic balance of an urban water supply system (UWSS) dimensioned with the CPA approach. The economic analysis was carried out by applying the Life Cycle Costs (LCC) analysis for all obtained variants of a UWSS powered by PV energy. The conclusion is that PV energy has a justified potential to be used in UWWSs, with the CPA inclusion to achieve sustainability.
Keywords
water supply system; solar photovoltaic energy; sustainability; critical period approach; economic analysis
Hrčak ID:
205809
URI
Publication date:
7.9.2018.
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