Annual thermoeconomic analysis of a Concentrating Solar Power + Photovoltaic + Multi-Effect Distillation plant in northern Chile

Abstract

A detailed annual performance and thermoeconomic analysis of a Concentrated Solar Power plant coupled to aPhotovoltaic and a Multi-Effect Distillation plants (CSP + PV + MED) were performed using an extensivemethodology based on an hourly simulation. The aim was to assess the impact of the PV integration into theCSP + PV plant and to evaluate the sizing of the plant in terms of the design parameters (PV plant size, solarmultiple, Thermal Energy Storage capacity, and numbers of MED units) that allow achieving the lowest thermoeconomicelectric and water costs (TCE and TCW). Results show that PV integration mainly increases theelectric output but could increase the water production depending on the PV and CSP plants’ sizes. Moreover, thePV plant cost is mainly allocated to electricity, decreasing the TCE, while on the TCW it has a moderate impact.Finally, it was found that the PV plant and the CSP plant size has contradictory roles between the costs, wherethe minimum TCE is obtained for large PV plant with an undersized CSP plant and one MED unit, and theminimum TCW is obtained for small PV plant with an oversized CSP plant and a large MED plant (5 units).