Potential of renewable energies for the Finnish agriculture
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Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Sähkötekniikan korkeakoulu |
Master's thesis
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Authors
Date
2019-08-19
Department
Major/Subject
Sustainable energy system and markets
Mcode
ELEC3048
Degree programme
Master's Programme in Advanced Energy Solutions
Language
en
Pages
83
Series
Abstract
Renewable sources of energy are taking a central role in the new direction the current energy system is heading. Driven by goals of decarbonisation, the energy transition opens possibilities to local and distributed generation, and Finland has good opportunities to benefit from it. In that context, agriculture offers an appropriate niche for renewable energies, where the adoption of clean and local energy can positively affect farms and their wider society. Hence, the aim of this thesis is to estimate the potential of renewable energies in the context of Finnish agriculture. More specifically, this work focuses on the suitability of the solar photovoltaic energy in one of the most energy consuming agricultural activities, crop drying. The potential of solar energy to cover the energy needs of crop drying is assessed in the Finnish context. A numerical analysis investigates solar photovoltaic energy with respect to electricity consumption in grain drying. This is done by simulating the solar PV production and the consumption of the dryer from a reference case, considering the use of battery storage and comparing the economic viability of different installed PV and battery storage capacities. The use of solar photovoltaic energy in combination with heat pumps is discussed in the context of the heating needs of crop drying, using a second real case as a reference. The main conclusion is that solar PV can bring significant energetic and economic savings to the activity of crop drying, already with current conditions. In addition, the future promises yet better conditions for distributed generation, and further research and development in this area is essential for the decarbonisation of the energy system.(only English)Description
Supervisor
Millar, JohnThesis advisor
Temmes, ArmiJuntunen, Jouni
Keywords
agriculture, solar photovoltaic, energy consumption, energy storage, crop drying