International Journal of Renewable Energy Resources
IJRER (ISSN 2289-1846) accepts original research papers or any other original contribution in the form of reviews and report on new concepts. It promotes innovation, papers of a tutorial nature and a general exchange of news, views and new books on the above subjects. The scope of the journal encompasses the following: Photovoltaic Technology Conversion, Solar Thermal Application, Biomass Conversion, Wind Energy Technology, Materials Science Technology, Solar and Low Energy Architecture, Energy Conservation in Buildings, Climatology , Socio-economic, Energy Management, Solar Cells, Bio and hydrogen energy.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON HEAT TRANSFER ENHANCEMENT USING MGO-ZNO/WATER HYBRID NANOFLUIDS IN AN AUTOMOTIVE RADIATOR
Advances in world technology are becoming smaller and more efficient, hence management of heat is becoming a burning issue among researchers. The usage of nanoparticles is advancing industry and research by improving the thermal characteristics of conventional heat transfer fluids. The focus of this study is on the application of water-based MgO-ZnO hybrid nanofluids for thermal management of an automotive radiator. A flat tube with a louvered fin-type radiator was used as a heat exchanger for this study. Hybrid nanofluids of different volumetric concentrations (0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.06%) were experimentally tested for understanding their heat transfer performance characteristics. The test liquids were flowed through the radiator, which consisted of 37 vertical tubes, and forced convection heat transfer was done by a fan that provided a cross-air flow inside the tube bank at a constant speed. The experiment was carried out varying flow rates in the range of 6-14 liters per minute (LPM) and a constant radiator inlet temperature at 70 °C. The results demonstrate that all concentrations of hybrid nanofluid showed enhancement in heat transfer compared to the pure base fluid. Along with the convective heat transfer coefficient, it was increased by 23.4%, 32.5%, and 42.3% compared to the base fluid at 0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.06% volume concentrations, respectively. Also, the Nusselt number was increased by 9.3%, 16.1%, and 22.5% when 0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.06% volume concentrations of MgO-ZnO/Water hybrid nanofluid were used, respectively.
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Renewable Energy Resources
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY FOR THERMAL PERFORMANCE AND PRESSURE LOSS CHARACTERISTICS ON A CAR RADIATOR USING NATURE (RICE HUSK) BASED SiO2 NANO-FLUID
This research investigates the application of silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles synthesized from rice husk to improve the thermal performance of car radiators. The study aims to enhance conventional heat transfer fluids by incorporating these nanoparticles into a base fluid. The paper focuses on the experimental evaluation of rice husk-based SiO2 nanofluids as a novel coolant in automotive cooling systems. Experiments were conducted using a specially designed car radiator setup under conditions that simulate real-world scenarios. Various volume concentrations of SiO2 nanoparticles (0.07% and 0.1%) were prepared and tested under different operating conditions. The findings demonstrate that the addition of natural SiO2 nanoparticles significantly enhances the heat transfer efficiency of the car radiator. However, higher concentrations can lead to increased pressure drops, resulting in greater pumping power requirements. This study strongly advocates for their use in the automotive industry to design and develop more efficient and environmentally friendly cooling systems, ultimately improving vehicle energy efficiency.
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Renewable Energy Resources
CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY PENETRATION AND ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES IN INDONESIA: A REVIEW
Indonesia has significant renewable energy potential, but it is underutilized due to technical, economic, and integration constraints. This study looks at the challenges to solar and wind energy adoption and assesses the role of energy storage technologies in overcoming them. Photovoltaic (PV) and wind systems have fluctuation, grid instability, and reactive power control issues, whilst geothermal and hydro sources, while more reliable, still require additional grid services. This paper summarizes the technical and grid integration challenges of PV systems, emphasizing issues such as harmonic distortion, voltage instability, and high upfront costs. Potential options for energy storage include lithium-ion batteries, pumped hydropower, and compressed air. Each technology's distinguishing features, such as energy density, cost, and operating restrictions, are thoroughly evaluated. Despite their promise, hefty investment costs and limited deployment prevent widespread adoption. This article provides techniques for increasing renewable energy integration, such as hybrid power systems, better grid management, and sophisticated energy storage options. Future research should concentrate on microgrid optimization, cost-benefit modeling, and case study comparisons to help drive policy and infrastructure development. This comprehensive research emphasizes the importance of innovative ideas to help Indonesia achieve its energy transition and sustainable development goals.
POTENTIAL OF RENEWABLE ENERGY FROM HYDROTHERMAL VENTS FOR NATIONAL ENERGY RESILIENCE IN INDONESIA
Renewable energy has become a primary focus in addressing climate change and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. In Indonesia, hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ring of Fire present significant potential as an energy source. However, their development faces challenges, including technological limitations, potential environmental impacts, and the need for supportive regulations. This study utilizes a comprehensive literature review and descriptive analysis to evaluate the feasibility of using hydrothermal vents as a sustainable energy source in Indonesia. The key findings emphasize the necessity for technological advancements, careful environmental management, and a supportive regulatory framework to harness this potential effectively. This research contributes to the discussion on renewable energy solutions that align with Indonesia's sustainability goals and global initiatives to combat climate change.
OPTIMIZATION OF SUSTAINABLE HYBRID MICROGRID FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION: TECHNO-ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVES
The energy crisis problem in rural communities of developing countries is fast becoming a contemporary challenge to advancing global socioeconomic systems. Finding sustainable solutions for improving the energy supply to rural communities is significant. Thus, this paper presents the optimization of a hybrid microgrid with integrated energy components of Photovoltaic (PV) systems, Diesel Generators (DG) and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). These energy components were configured and techno-economically investigated in three different scenarios of PV/BESS, PV/DG/BESS and DG only for load power supply to an isolated unelectrified Nigerian community. To the relevant decision factors, the chosen objective functions of the Deficit Power Supply Probability (DPSP), the Cost of Energy (COE), and the Net Present Cost (NPC) were minimized. In addition, new intelligent multi-objective computational methods such as Ant Colony Optimisation (ACO), Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA), Genetic Algorithm (GA), and Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) were applied to handle the optimization problems. Based on the input techno-economic and meteorological data applied for the simulations, the best solution for the optimal sizing configuration was obtained by the PV/BESS through the FPA with the NPC value of $95,432.02, COE of 0.165 $/kWh and zero GHG emissions. A value of 1.72% DPSP was also obtained for the PV/BESS hybrid configuration. This indicates that unlike PV/DG/BESS and DG alone, PV/BESS is techno-economically viable for the electrification of the case study community.
Copyright (c) 2024 International Journal of Renewable Energy Resources
THE HYDROTHERMAL VENT RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE DEEP OF THE SEA IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
In just forty years, numerous hydrothermal vent fields have been identified, spread across tectonic plate boundaries on the ocean floor. The substantial biomass of vent invertebrates, which can reach up to tens of kilograms per square meter, has sparked interest in their role in contributing to the deep-sea organic carbon pool, which is otherwise limited in resources. However, the rate at which organic carbon is produced through chemosynthesis at these deep-sea vents varies widely and remains inadequately understood. Despite advancements in molecular techniques and in situ sensors, the factors determining how vent communities utilize available chemical energy resources are still largely unclear. The intent of this research is to examine hydrothermal vents as an alternative energy and a new resource of renewable energy. Hydrothermal vent energy is very worthy of being a new renewable energy resource. Although the hydrothermal vent is hard to find since we know that the position of these resources is much deeper, We know that we can make these new resources useful for reducing emissions. Hydrothermal vents are deep in the offshore. They are formed from the conserved remains of animals and plants. As hydrothermal vents are buried deep underground, geological knowledge and advanced equipment are required to reach them. This research showed the renewable energy in the deep sea is hard to find but worthy. However, the hydrothermal vent is a new resource in the deep of the sea and can be useful in reducing emissions.
A WIND ENERGY POTENTIAL, PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES IN BANGLADESH: A REVIEW
Although Bangladesh has the potential for 100% electricity generation, a power shortage caused by limited fossil fuel supply, alongside a growing fuel crisis, underscores the urgent need to shift towards sustainable energy solutions. This review paper delves into the realm of wind energy, assessing its potential as an alternative and renewable energy source within the country. It explores the promising prospects of wind energy, underpinned by the country's favorable geographical and climatic conditions. However, a variety of obstacles that fall into the technological, financial, and environmental categories stand in the way of fully realizing the promise of wind energy. Technical concerns include things like grid integration, intermittency management, and turbine technology. Significant challenges are posed by economic impediments, such as high starting expenses and inadequate finance channels. Furthermore, the complex interactions between wind energy and the environment demand that environmental effects be carefully considered. This study proposes potential solutions that include technology innovation, governmental interventions, financing methods, and environmental management strategies to solve these difficulties. This article has put forth actionable suggestions in three areas: technological, economic, and environmental. In the field of technology, it is important to enhance the design of turbines, including the potential benefits of diffused augmented wind turbines (DAFT) and building augmented wind turbines (BAWT). A stable microgrid system could be a beneficial asset for Bangladesh's current circumstances. In addition to cooperation between development financial institutions (DFIs) and government, Feed-In-Tariffs (FITs) and green bonds could serve as effective mechanisms for funding renewable energy projects.
KINETICS OF THE PYROLYSIS OF HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE, LOW-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE, STYROFOAM AND THEIR BLENDS
The pyrolysis characteristics of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Styrofoam (STF), and their blends were investigated to compare the process of the pure components with those of the blends. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was employed to monitor the mass loss of the plastic samples during heating, providing critical insights into their thermal degradation behaviour. The pyrolysis kinetics were further examined using a multi-step integral method to determine the reactivities and activation energies of the materials. The results revealed that the pyrolysis processes of individual plastics could be characterized by a single reaction in the main decomposition zone. In contrast, the pyrolysis of binary (LDPE-HDPE, LDPE-STF, HDPE-STF) and tertiary blends (LDPE-HDPE-STF) exhibited two and three distinct reactions, respectively. Consequently, the decomposition of pure plastics follows a one-step mechanism, while the blends undergo multi-step mechanisms. Plastic pyrolysis is a crucial method for converting waste plastics into fuel-like substances. Hence, the term "fuels" highlights the potential of the resulting pyrolyzed products to serve as alternative energy sources. The results also showed variations in peak temperatures and decomposition intensities across different blends, significantly influencing the individual plastic materials' reactivities and activation energies. The activation energies for LDPE, HDPE, and STF ranged from 126.22 to 134.52 kJ/mol, while those for the blends were between 129.12 and 299.99 kJ/mol. Determining reactivities and activation energies is essential for understanding the efficiency and energy requirements of the pyrolysis process, helping optimize conditions for maximum fuel yield.
RENEWABLE ENERGY UTILIZATION AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS
Provision of clean sustainable energy plays a vital role in socio-economic development of country and citizens. Renewable energy (RE) resources present an excellent means of achieving clean and sustainable energy for domestic, industrial, commercial and other public uses when optimally harnessed. With a relatively high potential for renewable energy such as solar, biomass and small hydropower, Nigeria is positioned to be in forefront in clean and sustainable energy provision. This could influence socio-economic development and livelihood of citizens. Among prominent RE resources with high potentials in Nigeria, only solar energy is given a significant prominence while biomass for instance, is mostly used in crude form leading to indoor pollution and desertification. A number of policies and plans have been put in place including the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy 2015, National Development Plan 2021–2025, and Electricity Act 2023, to improve lives of the population via provision of affordable and sustainable energy. However, lack of implementation strategies and poor renewable energy infrastructure have hampered the utilization of Renewable Energy. This paper discusses renewable energy utilization via various technological innovations, and its potentials contribution to Nigeria’s energy mix with focus on analysis of 1kW solar capacity. The analysis shows the feasibility and viability of solar as a renewable energy with significant potentials contribution to energy security and environmental sustainability. This paper equally examines the influences of environment on RE utilization using PESTELS. Political will is observed a major influence on RE utilization towards improved socio-economic development in Nigeria
Carbon Monoxide-Resistant Anode Catalysts for Single-Cell Direct Carbon Monoxide Fuel Cells: Binary, Ternary, And Quaternary Platinum Alloys as Anode Electrocatalysts
The objective of this paper is to present the results of experimentations on the custom-made anode electrocatalysts for direct carbon monoxide fuel cells (DCMFCs) inspired by catalysts commonly used for direct alcohol fuel cells. Seven different catalysts were fabricated and tested. The uniform and consistent manufacturing process and the test procedure allowed a meaningful comparison of the developed fuel cells. The results indicated that homemade Pt-Ru membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) could not compete with the Pt-Sn MEA. While the performance of the MEAs with Pt-Ru-Ni, Pt-Ru-Sn-Ni, and Pt-Ru-Sn-Co was not satisfactory, the Pt-Ru-Sn-Co-W MEA achieved the best performance among all MEAs with Nafion® 117 membrane. The last MEA was made of the Pt-Sn anode catalyst and Nafion® 212 membrane and outperformed all other MEAs by a wide margin. The experiments demonstrated that the performance of the best-developed MEA was three times better than the performance of the commercial Pt-Ru MEA. This means the performance of DCMFCs can be significantly improved by developing a suitable anode electrocatalyst, using a thinner membrane, and operating at optimum conditions. These results are not only applicable for DCMFCs but also are very useful for other proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) operating with CO-containing fuels.
Copyright (c) 2023 International Journal of Renewable Energy Resources
Carbon Monoxide-Resistant Anode Catalysts for Single-Cell Direct Carbon Monoxide Fuel Cells: Platinum-Ruthenium Anode Electrocatalysts
The objective of this paper is to present the results of experimentations on the state-of-the-art anode electrocatalysts and the membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) developed for direct carbon monoxide fuel cells (DCMFCs). The custom-made platinum-ruthenium (Pt-Ru) MEAs along with a commercial MEA were tested to evaluate the impacts of cell temperature, different types of fuel and oxidant, the flow rate of fuel and oxidant, and humidification temperature on the performance of the MEAs. It was shown that both the catalyst manufacturing process and the test procedure are repeatable. Also, it was shown that the performance of Pt-Ru cells when fueled by CO and CO-containing fuels was markedly inferior to that of hydrogen-fueled fuel cells. However, there were some promising signs that with the right catalysts and optimum operating conditions, the performance of DCMFCs can be significantly improved. It was also shown that increasing the operating temperature always improved the performance. While increasing the flow rates of the reactants improved the performance of the MEAs, there was a limit to this improvement. Furthermore, generally speaking, the performance of the MEAs was better when fed with CO rather than CO-N2 and O2 rather than air but the actual impact depended on other operating conditions.
Prediction and evaluation of the performance of a PV solar module in Ayn al-Tamr Zone/Karbala
This work presented a new method to extract each of the output power, efficiency, short-circuit current, open circuit voltage, and temperature of the module (Sharp type NU-JC400B), based on the values of the solar radiation falling on the horizontal surface and the maximum temperature, where the horizontal solar radiation was divided by the cosine of the angle of inclination of the module installed in the Ayn al-Tamr, zone which is equal to the latitude angle of 32.58o for this zone. The results indicated that the annual solar radiation incident in Ayn al-Tamr with the horizontal plane was 1718.33kWh/m2/year with an annual peak sun hour (solar fuel) of 4.71. Therefore, the method that we followed for predicting the performance of the solar module proved to be good and achieved results that were very close to the measured results practically, so it is suitable to be generalized as a new method for calculating the performance of any solar module.
Microwave Assisted Pyrolysis of Moringa Seed and Karanja for Bio-Oil Production
Microwave-assisted pyrolysis is an alternative technique of conventional heating which undergo thermochemical process to convert biomass to bio oil, bio char and biogas. Microwave-assisted pyrolysis is more rapid and efficient to produce product compared to conventional heating. A modified household microwave oven with 800W was used to pyrolyze Moringa seed and Karanja to become bio oil and bio char. This experiment was repeated in different parameters such as time, temperature and power to obtain maximum bio oil yield. Bio oil yield of Moringa seed increased from 7.2 wt% at 300°C in 5 minutes to 10.6 wt% at 450°C in 13 minutes. Bio oil of both raw materials showed maximum yield when pyrolysis time is 13 minutes in 800W but after 13 minutes, the bio oil yield of Moringa decrease of 2.4% and bio oil yield of Karanja decrease of 4.7%. The calorific value of Moringa bio oil is 25.08MJ/kg whereas Karanja bio oil is 20.36 MJ/kg. Functional group of both bio oil mainly include alcohol, ketones, aldehydes and carboxylic acid. The pH value of Moringa bio oil and Karanja bio oil are 4.38 and 5.86 respectively. Keywords: Microwave-assisted pyrolysis, bio-oil, bio char, moringa seed, karanja.
Predicting Potential Challenges of Regional Hydrogen Cooperation Through a Case Study of the European Union
Climate disasters will become more common if carbon emissions continue unabated. In response, the United Nations (UN) has called for countries to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. For many countries, adopting hydrogen energy through imports and regional cooperation is critical to achieving this goal. This study will look at the potential benefits and challenges of regional hydrogen cooperation through a case study of regional hydrogen cooperation in the European Union (EU). The main argument is that the challenges confronting the EU are likely to be encountered elsewhere. The EU provides a particularly favourable environment for regional cooperation. If these challenges were encountered in a favourable environment, they would likely be encountered in less favourable regions as well. The main implication is that other regional cooperations will likely face challenges such as domestic opposition, weak international cooperation in hydrogen R&D, overly lenient carbon emissions accounting, and exacerbated regional inequality.
Partial Shading Effect on Power Generation of BIPV System in Bangladesh
The research tries to observe the power difference for the PV module in the case of the partial and void of partial shading in Bangladesh. For analysis of the partial shading effect on the PV module it is necessary to establish an experiment set up for the PV module. To investigate the power output from PV module the partial shading effect has been generated using the paper coverage. The experimental result shows that the photovoltaic module can generate up to 41% more power output in the case of the void of the shading effect rather than in the shading effect. Around 50% portion of the PV module has been shaded for making partial shading effect. The other important factors influencing the output power of the PV module are solar irradiance, cell temperature; ideality factor. To get the maximum output it is essential to avoid shading effect which will help to generate more power. In this paper, MATLAB simulation of PV module has been done showing the partial shading effect under consideration of various factors like series resistance, ideality factor, temperature. Partial shading effect has been created by varying the level of solar radiation. An experiment has been carried out to see the overall performance of PV module under shading effect at a fixed tilt angle.
Impact of temperature and reaction time on the conversion of polystyrene waste to pyrolytic oil and its diesel engine performance, emission, and lubricity characteristics
The focus of this research is to see how temperature and reaction time affect the yield and quality of liquid oil obtained by pyrolysis. In a small batch pyrolysis reactor, polystyrene waste was employed as a feedstock. This study also studied the performance and emission characteristics of liquid oil produced at optimal condition (PS100), and its tribological characteristics in diesel engine. The ideal temperature and reaction time were discovered to be 400 °C and 30 min, where the liquid oil yield was 92.94% by mass. PS100 had similar properties to commercial diesel. PS100 comprises 34.6% aromatics, 25.2% alkanes, and 4.3% alkenes. PS100 delivered superior performance than B10 diesel. The brake thermal efficiency, brake power, and brake torque were up by 15.5, 5.6, and 2.38%, respectively, while the brake-specific fuel consumption was down by 8.00%. PS100 emitted 97.06 and 17.3% more hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide than B10, respectively. Its poor exhaust gas emissions have proven a key stumbling block in its application in diesel engine. PS100 demonstrated 27.6% increase in coefficient of friction and 29.8% increase in lubricant contamination as compared to B10. Despite its low lubricity and emissions, PS100 has a lot of potential as a diesel engine alternative fuel.
Copyright (c) 2022 International Journal of Renewable Energy Resources
Towards sustainable energy technologies at a COVID-19 hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh
The current energy demands in Bangladesh far supersedes the supply. The thesis provides an efficient way to account for the energy deficit by using a renewable hybrid model design. Solar, Wind, and Biogas were the focus of this thesis for their abundance in the study region. Our thesis explored the possibilities of implementing a hybrid energy system in a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Purbachal, Bangladesh. The COVID-19 situation is getting worse, even after the first case detected in March 2020.. It is tough to manage sufficient hospital beds with minimum facilities in the least developing country like Bangladesh. The hybrid model developed using HOMER software utilized solar, Wind, and Biogas in a configuration that achieved the best COE and NPC values. The model adjusted parameters such as fuel cost, wind speed, solar radiation, electricity price, and component cost for smooth and realistic simulation. From our simulations, we observed that wind energy was not a feasible option for the region of study, and without Biogas, the PV-Wind or only PV system had a COE of 0.492 and 0.516 USD, respectively. We find good optimize results for PV-Bio as a generator-Battery system. We are getting the COE of around 0.176 USD with a considerable amount of initial capital, 82806.25 USD. Even though the model was primarily fashioned for the healthcare sector in Purbachal, Bangladesh. The model can easily be modified for use in any region of the world and be re-purposed for use in other industries.
Iron-Based Additives and Biogas Production from Organic Wastes Using Anaerobic Digestion Process
The world is facing a serious energy crisis and environmental pollution problems due to a sharp increase in the world population. Bioenergy is an eminent solution to these problems. Anaerobic digestion is a green energy technology used worldwide for the conversion of organic waste to biogas. It is reported that organic wastes are hard to digest and need some technical improvement in the anaerobic digestion process to improve biogas yield. Iron-based additives, due to their electron acceptance and donation capabilities, have been emphasized as being exceptional in improving anaerobic digestion process efficiency amongst all other enhancement options. This study reviews the major available types of iron-based additives, their characteristics, and their preparation methods. The preferred iron-based additive that has a significant effect on the enhancement of biogas yield is also discussed. The use of iron-based additives in the anaerobic digestion process with varying dosages and their impact on the biogas generation rate is also being studied. Substrates, operating parameters, and types of anaerobic digesters used in recent studies while researching the effects of iron-based additives are also part of this review. Lastly, this study also confirms that iron-based additives have a significant effect on the reduction rate of the volatile suspended solids, methane content, biogas yield, and volatile fatty acids.
Assessment of energy poverty among rural households in Kwara State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT Energy poverty is a widespread phenomenon which is mostly attributed to the poor rural households in developing countries. This study was carried out to assess the energy poverty status and as well analyse the determinants of energy poverty among rural households in Kwara State of Nigeria thus providing information that may lead to improvement in the energy use efficiency of the rural households. A four-staged random sampling technique was used to select 150 rural households from Kwara State and were administered a well-structured questionnaire. The study employed the descriptive statistics, expenditure approach and logit regression model to identify the various energy used for cooking by the rural households, energy poverty status and the determinant of energy poverty in the study area, respectively. The result shows that the household stack the various types of energy with majority of them using the combination of modern and transitional energy types, with 59% using the traditional sources of energy and 49% using the modern sources in the past 7days. About 39% of the rural households were energy non poor, years of schooling, distance to energy source and household income significantly influence the energy poverty of the households. Although majority of the rural households spend above the energy benchmark for this study, however, majority of them uses the traditional sources of energy. The study therefore recommended necessity to establish regulatory frameworks for the protection of poor consumers to guarantee access to modern energy sources at affordable prices, which may involve the incorporation of subsidies.
Effect of Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticle as Additive with Diesel Karanja Biodiesel Blend on Performance of Diesel Engine
The research study was conducted to produce biodiesel from Karanja oil (Pongamia pinnata) to evaluate the performance and compare the efficiency of samples involving conventional diesel, B10(10% biodiesel and 90% conventional diesel), B10MgO5(10% biodiesel, 85% conventional diesel and 5% Magnesium Oxide), and B10MgO10(10% biodiesel, 80% conventional diesel and 10% Magnesium Oxide), tested with the diesel engine. The production process undergoes a two-step transesterification process since the free fatty acid (FFA) percentage is more than 4%. The titration process reduces the FFA by using Ethanol and Potassium Hydroxide (KOH). Apart from that, the pre-treatment of oil for acid and base transesterification use methanol as a reactant with the presence of Sulfuric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide ((NaOH) as a catalyst. Moreover, Karanja Biodiesel undergoes three characterization tests: Bomb Calorimeter Test, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Diesel Engine Performance Testing. From the Bomb Calorimeter test, the highest calorific value was recorded by conventional diesel with 45.5815 MJ/kg, followed by B10MgO10 and B10MgO5. While the smallest value was obtained by B10 with 38.7741 MJ/kg. The inclusion of MgO as an additive increases the calorific value for biodiesel. Throughout FT-IR analysis, four fuel samples were evaluated from the wavelength range from 600 to 4000 . The oxidation process that happens due to the presence of magnesium oxide introduces a new bond at the B10MgO5 and B10MgO10 that is the O-H bond. Meanwhile, the performance of the diesel engine is analyzed at the speed of 1400 rpm until 2200 rpm with an interval of 200 rpm. Conventional diesel has a higher brake horsepower (BHP) value at the speed of 2200 rpm. While Karanja biodiesel with 10% Magnesium Oxide as additives has a greater BHP value among other samples from the speed of 1400 to 1600 rpm. Next, the addition of MgO reduces fuel consumption in the blended Karanja biodiesel samples.
A Review of the Effects of Biodiesel and Ethanol on Performance and Emission Characteristics of Diesel Engines
The effect of engine emissions due to using fossil fuels and its management is one of concerns cross the world. Recently, biodiesel and ethanol are well recognized as appropriate alternatives for diesel engines. In various countries bioethanol and biodiesel have attracted great attentions as alternative fuels in application and research because of renewability and environmentally friendly properties and reduction of using fossil resources. Here the benefits and limitations of usage the biofuels in diesel engine were reviewed. The effects of biodiesel-diesel, ethanol-diesel, and biodiesel-ethanol diesel blends on diesel engine were reviewed. Biodiesel and bioethanol are used in diesel engines mainly due to lower exhaust emissions and hence less environmental pollutions. As biodiesel and ethanol usage in diesel engines are some limitations, the optimization of biofuels components in the fuel blends of diesel engines is necessary. So, optimization of using biofuels in diesel engines as well as using new additives and analytical approaches was recommended in future studies.
Comparative Study of DGA for Transformer Service Life
This paper investigates the accuracy and reliability of each DGA method via dissolved gases. Key Gas Method, Doernenburg Ratio Method, Rogers Ratio Method, IEC Ratio Method, and Duval Triangle Method are used to test the 100 sample units. The results obtained are Doernenburg and IEC 94% accuracy each, Duval Triangle 80% accuracy, Rogers 79% accuracy, and Key Gas 75% accuracy. The said individual ratio methods are combined to proceed with newly developed hybrid testing methods that could probably improve the existing DGA methods. The first hybrid method is a combination between Doernenburg and Rogers which produced a slight improvement of 86% accuracy. Then a combination between Doernenburg and IEC delivered a stable prediction result of 94%. It seems that Doernenburg and IEC are the most accurate DGA methods. Although both methods are combined, they still produced a constant accuracy result. While the other methods, such as Key Gas, Rogers, and Duval Triangle, do not achieve satisfactory results.
STUDY ON THE SUCCESS AND LIMITATIONS OF FEED IN TARIFF (FIT) MECHANISM IN MALAYSIA
Malaysia have set an ambitious target for the national Renewable Energy (RE) installed capacity mix at 31% and 40% by 2025 and 2035 respectively. Based on the current RE growth rate, it will be a hustle for the government to meet the target. The growth of each RE sources also differs significantly even though similar FiT design mechanism applies for all RE sources available in Malaysia. Therefore, in this research project, the RE installed capacity mix is forecasted for Business as Usual (BAU) and alternative new RE projects scenario. The analysis of success and limitations of each RE sources under Feed in Tariff (FiT) mechanism is also done through a questionnaire survey to the energy sector personnel in Malaysia. The response were then analyzed using Oneway Analysis in JMP15 software
Design of a Prototype Solar Thermal Tobacco Curing Barn
A feasibility study survey held in July 2020 had tobacco farmers agreeing that there was strong need to move away from using firewood for tobacco curing. It became necessary to develop alternative renewable energy systems. Prototyping takes precedence before introducing the renewable energy tobacco curing system for use by farmers. The initiative is to design a prototype tobacco curing barn for use with solar thermal collector tobacco curing energy systems tests. The design accommodates dimensions of maximum cross-section of a tobacco leaf at 65 centimetres long and 40 centimetres wide. Prototype roof rail sustains tobacco mass of 100 kilogrammes. Barn mobility is enabled by mounting 4 roller wheels sustaining a gross weight of 500 kilogrammes. A barn handle is at one narrow side. The paper explains a detailed design process and sketches of the prototype tobacco curing barn as well as presents a lifecycle costing of the project’s investment in Zimbabwe.
Contribution of Renewable Energy in Mitigation of Global Warming Caused by Fossil Fuel
The temperature of the earth is gradually increasing threatens the existence of the planet. Emissions of green house gases (GHG) are mainly responsible for that damage. Concentration of GHG in the atmosphere which lasts for a long time generated from fossil fuel (oil, gas, coal) burning causes global warming put the world to rethink of the future energy solutions. The excessive uses of fossil fuel due to competitive economic growth among the nation’s releases GHG beyond to consume by the atmosphere warms the earth that have many adverse effects to the environment and ultimately creating the world vulnerable. The alternative source of energy that is the renewable energy can contribute huge to reduce this GHG emission and solve the energy crisis simultaneously. This paper is focusing on how the uses of traditional energy warm the globe and in addition gives an overview of the renewable energy that will mitigate the warming.
Power Potentiality Analysis of Photovoltaic Module with variation of tilt angle in Bangladesh
This paper explores the power potentiality analysis of PV modules to monitor the output power. PV module power potentiality analysis is performed in the Bangladesh climate condition. The important factors focused in this paper are solar irradiance, cell temperature, ideality factor, clearness index, tilt angle and fill factor. P-V and I-V characteristics of PV module are observed by MATLAB simulation and the power performance on various tilt angles are investigated by the experimental set up. From the experiment, it is seen that with the change of angle the power has been changed significantly. For this reason data has been collected for a couple of days with set up of various angles of tilt. A perfect choice of tilt angle for the PV module can promote the performance to a great extent. Besides, the performance of module has been checked by MATLAB simulation taking consideration of performance factors like solar radiation, temperature, ideality factor.
Integrated Strategic and Tactical Planning of non-Edible Biomass-to-Biofuel Supply Chains
Iran has high potential of renewable resources and biomass is one of the most important of them. While the biomass is fairly cheap, the logistic costs are major obstacles in utilizing these sources. In this paper, a mathematical programming model (a MILP model) is presented to design the biodiesel supply chain network (BSCN) in Iran. A supply chain model is presented that is in accordance with the real conditions and geographical features of the case study. Due to, importing most of edible oils in Iran and their high production costs, non-edible biomass including Jatropha curcas L. (JCL) and waste cooking oil (WCO) are considered as sources of producing biodiesel. In addition, in this study, the possibility of capacity expansion of facilities in different periods is considered. The presented approach is used to design a three-echelon, multi-product, multi-period BSCN. This model determines the strategic and tactical decisions including location, number, capacity of the facilities, production, inventory and material flow throughout the network. The result of this paper shows the effectiveness of the presented approach for designing the BSCN.
Copyright (c) 2019 International Journal of Renewable Energy Resources
A fuzzy data envelopment analysis method for performance evaluation of renewable feedstock suppliers
The growing energy consumption in the world caused the human’s tendency is faster to find new ways of energy production. One of the most important new energy sources is production of biodiesel from Microalgae. Microalgae is regarded as a renewable feedstock for biodiesel production and has drawn the attention to a wide range of researches in recent years due to containing high content of non-edible oil for biodiesel production. In this study, we investigate growth indicators of algae cultivation for assessing the efficiency of the candidate locations for algae cultivation under uncertainty. We extend a new fuzzy data envelopment analysis (FDEA) model for finding the optimum candidate among the available alternatives. The proposed model is, in fact, a non-radial and non-oriented model which evaluates each candidate under uncertainty. We also formulate an equivalent crisp linear programming problem with the aim of solving the suggested FDEA model under various levels of uncertainty. We provide a real case study in Iran to validate the proposed approach.
This paper tries to investigate potentiality of Osmotic power. From the base of experiment it can be said that around 1400 Watt osmotic power could be developed with 3000 litter of brackish water through osmosis principle. From the MATLAB simulation it is observed that osmotic pressure increases sharply with increase of membrane flow.
Proper understanding on the thermo chemical properties of biomass is necessary for the design of thermo-chemical conversion systems. The present study was conducted for the selected species of Bangladeshi biomasses. In this study seven different types of biomass from Bangladeshi agriculture residues such as rice husk, rice straw, jute stick, sugarcane bagasse, water hyacinth, dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) and wheat straw were considered for detailed analysis. The analysis includes moisture content, bulk density, proximate analysis, elemental analysis, calorific values and thermo-gravimetric (TGA/DTG) properties. This study reports that the moisture content in all samples investigated is suitable to serve as feedstock for thermal conversion technologies. Compared to coal, agricultural residues biomass has a lower energy density and also lower ash content. Results from proximate analysis and TG-DTG curve also indicates that higher amount of ash content in rice straw and rice husk among the studied samples and highest decomposition rate is obtained from rice husk but lowest from water hyacinth. Highest activation energy was obtained from rice straw and lowest from sugarcane bagasse. Contents of nitrogen and sulfur are very low underlying potential environmental benefits of using agricultural residues as fuel. On the other hand, the content in ash-forming elements, especially in potassium is quite high in rice straw, water hyacinth and dhaincha. Preliminary results of this study could serve to establish a database of Bangladeshi biomass fuels or feedstock that would support decision making in terms of energy conversion technology selection and operating conditions setting.