This paper presents eight hybrid renewable energy (RE) systems that are derived from solar, wind and biomass, with energy storage, to meet the energy demands of an average household in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The resource assessments show that the solar insolation, wind speed (at 30 m hub height) and biomass in the country range, respectively, from 4.38–6.00 kWh/m²/day, 3.74 to 11.04 m/s and 5.709–15.80 kg/household/day. The HOMER software was used to obtain optimal configurations of the eight hybrid energy systems along the six geopolitical zones’ RE resources. The eight optimal systems were further subjected to a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) analysis, which considers technical, economic, environmental and socio-cultural criteria. The TOPSIS-AHP composite procedure was adopted for the MCDM analysis in order to have more realistic criteria weighting factors. In all the eight techno-economic optimal system configurations considered, the biomass generator-solar PV-battery energy system (GPBES) was the best system for all the geopolitical zones. The best system has the potential of capturing carbon from the atmosphere, an attribute that is desirous for climate change mitigation. The cost of energy (COE) was seen to be within the range of 0.151–0.156 US$/kWh, which is competitive with the existing electricity cost from the national grid, average 0.131 US$/kWh. It is shown that the Federal Government of Nigeria favorable energy policy towards the adoption of biomass-to-electricity systems would make the proposed system very affordable to the rural households.

This study presents the performance evaluation of a combined gas- and steam- turbine cycle power plant (CCPP) integrated with organic Rankine cycle (ORC) and absorption refrigeration cycle (ARC). The attached ORC and ARC units are powered with the flue gas exhaust heat from the CCPP. The evaluation was conducted by performing energy, exergy and environmental sustainability index analysis of the integrated power plant (IPP) and its components. Based on the operating data of an existing CCPP operating in the tropical rain forest region of Nigeria, results of the analysis showed that by utilizing exhaust heat of the CCPP to power an ORC, using R113 as the working fluid, extra 7.5 MW of electricity was generated and by powering an ARC to cool inlet air streams to 15°C in the gas turbine plants, additional 51.1 MW of electricity was generated. The overall effect of integrating ORC and ARC to the CCPP showed that the net power output of the integrated power plant was increased by 9.1%, thermal and exergy efficiencies by 8.7% and 8.8%, respectively, while the total exergy destruction rate and specific fuel consumption reduced by 13.3% and 8.4% respectively. Sustainability index increased by 8.4% which means that the integrated plant has greater environmental sustainability potential over the combined cycle plant.

This paper presents the thermodynamic performance analysis of an existing combined cycle power plant to be retrofitted with a waste heat driven aqua lithium bromide absorption refrigerator for cooling the inlet air streams to the compressor and air-cooled steam condenser. The power plant is located in the hot and humid tropical region of Nigeria, latitude 4°45′N and longitude 7°00′E. This was achieved by performing energy and exergy analysis of the integrated system. Using the operating data of the existing combined cycle power plant, the results of the analysis showed that by cooling the inlet air streams to 15oC at the compressors, and to 29oC at the air-cooled steam condenser, the net power output, thermal and exergy efficiencies of the combined cycle plant increased by 7.7%, 8.1% and 7.5% respectively while the plant total exergy destruction rate and specific fuel consumption dropped by 10.8% and 7.0% respectively. The stack flue gas exit temperature reduced from 126oC to 84oC in the absorption refrigerator, thus reducing the environmental thermal pollution. The COP and exergy efficiency of the refrigeration cycle was 0.60 and 27.0%, respectively. Results also show that the highest rate of exergy destruction in the combined cycle power plant occurred in the combustion chamber while the highest rate of exergy destruction in the absorption refrigeration cycle occurred in the evaporator followed by the absorber.