Abstract
Unreliable electricity supply and constrained heating networks are major challenges facing rural communities. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems can alleviate these energy security issues by utilizing readily available biomass resources in rural areas by producing two forms of energy from a single process. Biomass-fueled CHP systems called b-CHP can effectively reduce energy costs and consumption while having a minimal environmental impact. This paper presents strategies for the design process of b-CHP systems and insights into the factors to consider for sustainable operation. For biomass to compete with fossil fuels, selecting optimal system component sizes and operational strategies is necessary to satisfy consumers’ varying electric and thermal demand patterns. Furthermore, the system performance must be evaluated in relation to a range of biofuel, fossil fuel, and grid utility prices in a specific location. The comparative analysis of the b-CHP system with traditional separate heat and power generation in terms of performance parameters such as operational cost (OC), primary energy consumption (PEC), and carbon dioxide emission (CDE) can be used to determine the ideal plant design. The net metering policy is another crucial factor from the economic standpoint of b-CHP systems. Therefore, an investigation of the b-CHP system with and without net metering is also necessary. With properly assessed and designed b-CHP systems, rural areas can increase their resilience and achieve energy independence.
