Solar Dish Stirling technology for sustainable power generation in Southern Morocco: 4-E analysis

This paper presents an energy, exergy, economic and environmental assessment of the Solar Dish Stirling (SDS) technology in thirteen Southern Moroccan sites, carrying out parametric analysis of various design parameters to optimise this technology under time-varying climatic data. System simulation was conducted on an hourly basis with the help of System Advisor Model (SAM) software. Annual energy can be maximised by adjusting the receiver aperture diameter, cooling pump speed, and thickness of receiver insulation appropriately. For all examined sites, the optimum value of the receiver aperture diameter and the thickness of receiver insulation were 70 mm and 30 mm, respectively. The recommended value of the pump speed varies depending on meteorological parameters for each site. The highest annual energy yield considering the optimal values of the assessed parameters is achieved in the site of Ouarzazate, which for a total installed capacity of 10 MW, reached a value of 23.693 GWh. Annual overall energetic and exergetic efficiencies were determined to be 24.26% and 25.98%, respectively. Nominal Levelized Cost of Electricity in the various cities varied in the range of 10.87c$/kWh and 18.69c$/kWh for Ouarzazate and Tan-Tan, respectively. Environmentally, the SDS technology can mitigate between 7.76 ktonne and 13.85 ktonne of CO₂ emissions annually. Top three potential sites for implementing the Solar Dish Stirling technology were identified as Ouarzazate, Errachidia, and Midelt, assisting Moroccan policymakers in developing strategies to promote and plan future projects. Solar Dish Stirling technology can open the perspectives for modern polygeneration applications that can promote living conditions in Morocco's southern regions.