Thermodynamic and Environmental Analysis of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (Solar-Wind) Based on a Focus on Carbon Footprint Reduction

The transition toward sustainable energy systems requires a comprehensive understanding of the interdependencies between thermodynamic efficiency, economic feasibility, and environmental impacts. This study proposes a comprehensive multi-objective framework for evaluating a hybrid wind-solar energy system by integrating exergy analysis, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and exergy economic modeling. Unlike conventional studies based on energy quantity, this research emphasizes energy quality and its long-term sustainability. The results demonstrate that the hybrid configuration achieves a superior exergy efficiency of ۲۹.۸%, which significantly outperforms single-source wind or solar systems. However, exergy analysis reveals that photovoltaic (PV) modules are the primary drivers of exergy destruction due to high entropy production during thermal fluctuations in summer. From an environmental perspective, LCA results show that although the hybrid system reduces annual CO۲ emissions to ۱۶۰ tons per year, a significant carbon debt remains due to the manufacturing phase of PV components. Furthermore, the exergy economic analysis identifies a critical trade-off: minimizing the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) often exacerbates environmental degradation, whereas transitioning toward low-carbon operations necessitates an ۸۷% increase in operational costs. This study also emphasizes that over-sizing battery storage for grid stability leads to decreased efficiency in both exergy efficiency and life cycle emissions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Hybrid renewable energy systems ، Exergy analysis ، Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) ، Exergy economics ، Carbon footprint ، Sustainable energy transition