Energy and exergy analysis of a high head hydroelectric power plant integrated with a solar power plant

The limited and rapid depletion of conventional energy resources lead countries to renewable energy resources, which will increase their current and future energy needs. In order to increase the efficiencies of renewable energy sources and to determine the losses, thermodynamic analyzes should be made. In this context, the Lower Kaleköy Dam, Turkey's first combined renewable electricity generation facility, was analyzed. Lower Kaleköy Dam consists of Hydroelectric Power Plant (HEPP) and Solar Power Plant (SPP), and thermodynamic evaluation of the facilities has been made. Within the scope of the thermodynamic evaluation of the Lower Kaleköy Dam HEPP and SPP facilities, energy, exergy and sustainability analyzes were handled and parameters such as the energy and exergy efficiencies of the power plants, the distribution of losses in the system and the sustainability indexes were calculated. It has been determined that exergy losses in SPP occur in photovoltaic panels, DC and AC cables, inverters and transformers. It has been determined that exergy losses in HEPP occur in penstocks, Francis turbines, generators, transformers and switchyard. PVsyst simulation program for solar power plant and theoretical calculation for hydroelectric power plant were made. As a result the annual average energy efficiency of the solar power plant is 17.9% the annual average exergy efficiency of the plant is 13% and the annual average of the sustainability index of the plant is 1.15. It has been determined that the exergy loss in the equipment in the SPP is mostly in the photovoltaic panels, and the exergy loss in the panels is the exergy loss that occurs with the conversion of the radiation into electricity. The efficiency of the hydroelectric power plant was 90%, the annual average exergy efficiency of the plant was 91% and the exergy sustainability index of the plant was found to be 9.3. The most exergy loss occurred in the equipment in HEPP was realized in Francis turbines. It has been demonstrated that the Lower Kaleköy Dam is an environmentally friendly, green and sustainable energy facility.