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Dr. Amaya Martínez-Gracia
Department of Mechanical Engineering, CIRCE Research Institute, University of Zaragoza C, María de Luna 5, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain

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0 Renewable Energy
0 Solar Energy
0 Biomass energy
0 Urban water supply systems

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Journal article
Published: 24 March 2021 in Applied Sciences
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Photovoltaic–thermal panels (PVT) have been widely studied in the last years and have proved to be a technically viable and profitable solution. This work analyses the integration of a set of thermoelectric generators (TEG) inside these panels in order to obtain additional power. The thermoelectric material takes advantage of the temperature gap between the hottest part of the system, the output flow from the collector, and the cold water feeding the solar system. An experimental test bench with a PVT having integrated TEGs and the same PVT in parallel without TEGs was mounted to compare both devices. The corresponding CFD simulation was also carried out to better understand the temperature map in the arrangement. Both experimental and computational results show that the manufacture of the panel with integrated TEGs should be carefully studied before becoming a commercial product. They also gave some guidelines for the improvement of the prototype in this integrated product.

ACS Style

Mª Pintanel; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Mª Galindo; Ángel Bayod-Rújula; Javier Uche; Juan Tejero; Alejandro del Amo. Analysis of the Experimental Integration of Thermoelectric Generators in Photovoltaic–Thermal Hybrid Panels. Applied Sciences 2021, 11, 2915 .

AMA Style

Mª Pintanel, Amaya Martínez-Gracia, Mª Galindo, Ángel Bayod-Rújula, Javier Uche, Juan Tejero, Alejandro del Amo. Analysis of the Experimental Integration of Thermoelectric Generators in Photovoltaic–Thermal Hybrid Panels. Applied Sciences. 2021; 11 (7):2915.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mª Pintanel; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Mª Galindo; Ángel Bayod-Rújula; Javier Uche; Juan Tejero; Alejandro del Amo. 2021. "Analysis of the Experimental Integration of Thermoelectric Generators in Photovoltaic–Thermal Hybrid Panels." Applied Sciences 11, no. 7: 2915.

Journal article
Published: 25 February 2021 in Energies
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A real case study of an energy system based on a Solar Assisted Heat Pump (SAHP) fed by hybrid photovoltaic-thermal solar panels (PVT) and seasonal storage (SS) is presented in this paper. Exergy and exergy cost analyses are proposed as complementary methods for the assessment and better understanding of the efficiency of this cogeneration solar configuration. The system performance takes advantage of storage heat in summer, when the solar resource is high in Spain, and is then later consumed during the cold winter (heating season). The building is devoted to social housing, and it is currently under construction. The assessment is based on simulations developed using TRNSYS, a dynamic simulation software for energy systems. Results show that the unit exergy cost of the solar field is around 6. The cost of the seasonal storage is higher, about 13, and its formation is affected both by its own irreversibility and by the irreversibility of the PVT solar field. The cost of the heat delivered by the heat pump is around 15, being affected by all the upstream units and even by the grid. Besides, the analysis points out strategies for improving the system efficiency, such as increasing the size of the storage tank or improving the control strategy of the boiler.

ACS Style

Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Sergio Usón; Mª Pintanel; Javier Uche; Ángel Bayod-Rújula; Alejandro Del Amo. Exergy Assessment and Thermo-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Solar Systems with Seasonal Storage and Heat Pump Coupling in the Social Housing Sector in Zaragoza. Energies 2021, 14, 1279 .

AMA Style

Amaya Martínez-Gracia, Sergio Usón, Mª Pintanel, Javier Uche, Ángel Bayod-Rújula, Alejandro Del Amo. Exergy Assessment and Thermo-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Solar Systems with Seasonal Storage and Heat Pump Coupling in the Social Housing Sector in Zaragoza. Energies. 2021; 14 (5):1279.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Sergio Usón; Mª Pintanel; Javier Uche; Ángel Bayod-Rújula; Alejandro Del Amo. 2021. "Exergy Assessment and Thermo-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Solar Systems with Seasonal Storage and Heat Pump Coupling in the Social Housing Sector in Zaragoza." Energies 14, no. 5: 1279.

Journal article
Published: 05 August 2020 in Energy and Buildings
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A water-water solar-assisted heat pump (SAHP) is projected on an under construction academic building at the University of Zaragoza (Spain). It integrates a heat pump heating system with photovoltaic/thermal collectors and seasonal storage. Because of its innovative design, considerably higher performances than a conventional type air-source heat pump are expected. This paper shows the simulation of the system performed in TRNSYS, a graphically based software used to simulate the behavior of transient systems. In addition, starting from the current design of the energy system, different sensibility analysis are simulated in order to study alternative configurations of the heating system. The solar coverage of the current installation design is about 60% and the expected savings yield to a payback period of 15,4 years. Three alternative configurations are proposed in this work, reaching up to around 98% of solar coverage. The study results show the technical and economic feasibility of the heating installation based on a solar assisted heat pump with implementation of seasonal storage in an educational building located in a middle latitude.

ACS Style

A. Del Amo; A. Martínez-Gracia; T. Pintanel; A.A. Bayod-Rújula; S. Torné. Analysis and optimization of a heat pump system coupled to an installation of PVT panels and a seasonal storage tank on an educational building. Energy and Buildings 2020, 226, 110373 .

AMA Style

A. Del Amo, A. Martínez-Gracia, T. Pintanel, A.A. Bayod-Rújula, S. Torné. Analysis and optimization of a heat pump system coupled to an installation of PVT panels and a seasonal storage tank on an educational building. Energy and Buildings. 2020; 226 ():110373.

Chicago/Turabian Style

A. Del Amo; A. Martínez-Gracia; T. Pintanel; A.A. Bayod-Rújula; S. Torné. 2020. "Analysis and optimization of a heat pump system coupled to an installation of PVT panels and a seasonal storage tank on an educational building." Energy and Buildings 226, no. : 110373.

Journal article
Published: 31 March 2020 in Renewable Energy
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Experimental tests of a small polygeneration plant unit based on hybrid renewable energy and desalination have been used to validate a novel model simulation of this plant. It provides electricity by coupling photovoltaic/thermal collectors and a micro-wind turbine, fresh water by means of hybrid desalination (membrane distillation, and reverse osmosis), and sanitary hot water coming from the photovoltaic/thermal collectors and an evacuated tubes collector. Plant was designed to operate in off-grid conditions and conventional energy storage systems were used (lead acid batteries and hot water tank). Simulation model was performed in TRNSYS environment and it was fully validated by comparing several key plant measurements. The analysis was focused on five typical days of summer, fall and winter. Some differences found in experimental and simulated values were analysed. To reduce those gaps, some modifications have been suggested to the model or the pilot unit respectively. As a result, a validated model in TRNSYS of the plant was obtained. This model can be used for the further scale up of new projects to cover any other scheduled demands of power and water in isolated areas, whenever is based on the combination of the abovementioned technologies.

ACS Style

J. Uche; A. Muzás; L.E. Acevedo; S. Usón; A. Martínez; A.A. Bayod. Experimental tests to validate the simulation model of a Domestic Trigeneration Scheme with hybrid RESs and Desalting Techniques. Renewable Energy 2020, 155, 407 -419.

AMA Style

J. Uche, A. Muzás, L.E. Acevedo, S. Usón, A. Martínez, A.A. Bayod. Experimental tests to validate the simulation model of a Domestic Trigeneration Scheme with hybrid RESs and Desalting Techniques. Renewable Energy. 2020; 155 ():407-419.

Chicago/Turabian Style

J. Uche; A. Muzás; L.E. Acevedo; S. Usón; A. Martínez; A.A. Bayod. 2020. "Experimental tests to validate the simulation model of a Domestic Trigeneration Scheme with hybrid RESs and Desalting Techniques." Renewable Energy 155, no. : 407-419.

Journal article
Published: 07 June 2019 in Journal of Cleaner Production
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Given the importance of hydropower in the supply of electricity worldwide, we argue that the assessment of its impact on local ecosystems be included among generation costs. A cost-benefit analysis, based on an ecosystem services valuation approach, which includes the maximum value of ecosystem services before and after the implementation of hydropower projects has been considered. The study focuses in hydropower plant Baba, located in a tropical area, at the central coast of Ecuador, which it is part of a multifunctional project (flood protection, water supply and water transfer). It was found that the ecosystem services value decreased with the construction of the hydropower plant, the ecological balance returning losses for $ −314.7 million/yr. If these losses were added to the conventional hydropower cost assessment (investment and O&M), the generation costs would reach 0.4520 $/kWh. Furthermore, the plant was hypothetically redesigned to reduce the impact of water transfer to the conceding basin, an uncommon option as far as hydropower projects are concerned. This option led to better ecological performance and a significant reduction of hydropower generation costs (0.2723 $/kWh).

ACS Style

Andrei Briones-Hidrovo; Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Estimating the hidden ecological costs of hydropower through an ecosystem services balance: A case study from Ecuador. Journal of Cleaner Production 2019, 233, 33 -42.

AMA Style

Andrei Briones-Hidrovo, Javier Uche, Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Estimating the hidden ecological costs of hydropower through an ecosystem services balance: A case study from Ecuador. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019; 233 ():33-42.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrei Briones-Hidrovo; Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. 2019. "Estimating the hidden ecological costs of hydropower through an ecosystem services balance: A case study from Ecuador." Journal of Cleaner Production 233, no. : 33-42.

Journal article
Published: 01 March 2019 in Journal of Cleaner Production
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ACS Style

Javier Uche; Luis Acevedo; Fernando Círez; Sergio Usón; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Ángel Antonio Bayod Rújula. Analysis of a domestic trigeneration scheme with hybrid renewable energy sources and desalting techniques. Journal of Cleaner Production 2019, 212, 1409 -1422.

AMA Style

Javier Uche, Luis Acevedo, Fernando Círez, Sergio Usón, Amaya Martínez-Gracia, Ángel Antonio Bayod Rújula. Analysis of a domestic trigeneration scheme with hybrid renewable energy sources and desalting techniques. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019; 212 ():1409-1422.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Javier Uche; Luis Acevedo; Fernando Círez; Sergio Usón; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Ángel Antonio Bayod Rújula. 2019. "Analysis of a domestic trigeneration scheme with hybrid renewable energy sources and desalting techniques." Journal of Cleaner Production 212, no. : 1409-1422.

Journal article
Published: 18 December 2018 in Energy
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Solar energy is called to play a relevant role in meeting the energy requirements of heating and cooling in industry and households. Its widespread use depends on the development of cost-effective and highly-efficient systems. The joint installation of heat pumps and photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) panels can greatly contribute to these targets, since solar energy provides a heat source that allows operating the evaporator of the heat pump cycle at a higher temperature than the air temperature in winter. The coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump therefore increases because of the reduction of the electricity expense on the compressor. Additionally, the solar system is allowed to work in a low temperature range, so the heat loss from the collector to the surrounding areas decreases, resulting in higher collector efficiencies. The solar assisted heat pump is conceived in this work as a support system to be installed in existing facilities with yearly more or less constant thermal demands being supplied by conventional boilers. This paper shows the simulation of such a system, performed in Trnsys (a flexible graphically based software used to simulate the behaviour of transient systems specialized in the solar energy field), and its experimental validation. From the collecting operating parameters (irradiance, temperature, pressure and mass flow measured on the facility) and the actual design of the system defined by the size of the solar field, the storages and the heat pump capacity, the final objective of the work is to analyse the most appropriate size of the solar field, storage (water tanks) and heating power of the heat pump for optimizing the efficiency of the system. Results show that the working cold temperature ranges from 10 to 20 ºC and the seasonal COP rose to 4.62, instead of 2.96 when working between 7 and 10 ºC. The 67.6% of the electricity demanded by the heat pump is provided by the photovoltaic production (9,309 kWh/yr of the 13,771 kWh demanded by the heat pump are renewable). The economic analysis indicates a payback period of about six years, what makes the proposal greatly attractive.

ACS Style

Alejandro Del Amo; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Ángel Antonio Bayod Rújula; Marta Cañada. Performance analysis and experimental validation of a solar-assisted heat pump fed by photovoltaic-thermal collectors. Energy 2018, 169, 1214 -1223.

AMA Style

Alejandro Del Amo, Amaya Martínez-Gracia, Ángel Antonio Bayod Rújula, Marta Cañada. Performance analysis and experimental validation of a solar-assisted heat pump fed by photovoltaic-thermal collectors. Energy. 2018; 169 ():1214-1223.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alejandro Del Amo; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Ángel Antonio Bayod Rújula; Marta Cañada. 2018. "Performance analysis and experimental validation of a solar-assisted heat pump fed by photovoltaic-thermal collectors." Energy 169, no. : 1214-1223.

Proceedings
Published: 01 January 2018 in Proceedings
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The development of technologies such as efficient multi-generation system, lead to realizing the benefits of integrated energy infrastructure such as electricity, natural gas, and heating networks, and thus a rapid movement toward multi-energy systems (MES). In such systems, different energy carriers and systems interact together in a synergistic way. An Energy hub (EH) can be defined as the place where the production, conversion, storage and consumption of different energy carriers takes place, is a promising option for integrated management of MES. In this work we present the hourly Schedule along a year of a building energy hub, with local generation of heat and power, energy storage and electrical and thermal loads. We include PVT systems and a CHP system in the local generation of heat and power, and a gas boiler. A battery is considered as electrical storage and a water tank as thermal storage. The system is connected to the mail grids of power and gas. The typical thermal and electrical load of a building has been considered, with a heat pump that is considered as a deferral load. The model for all the components has been developed, and a yearly simulation has been carried out in which prices of electricity and gas have been considered.

ACS Style

Angel A. Bayod-Rújula; Yue Yuan; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Jiangyu Wang; Javier Uche; Huanxin Chen. Modelling and Simulation of a Building Energy Hub. Proceedings 2018, 2, 1431 .

AMA Style

Angel A. Bayod-Rújula, Yue Yuan, Amaya Martínez-Gracia, Jiangyu Wang, Javier Uche, Huanxin Chen. Modelling and Simulation of a Building Energy Hub. Proceedings. 2018; 2 (23):1431.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Angel A. Bayod-Rújula; Yue Yuan; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Jiangyu Wang; Javier Uche; Huanxin Chen. 2018. "Modelling and Simulation of a Building Energy Hub." Proceedings 2, no. 23: 1431.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2017 in Renewable Energy
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ACS Style

Andrei Briones Hidrovo; Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Accounting for GHG net reservoir emissions of hydropower in Ecuador. Renewable Energy 2017, 112, 209 -221.

AMA Style

Andrei Briones Hidrovo, Javier Uche, Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Accounting for GHG net reservoir emissions of hydropower in Ecuador. Renewable Energy. 2017; 112 ():209-221.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrei Briones Hidrovo; Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. 2017. "Accounting for GHG net reservoir emissions of hydropower in Ecuador." Renewable Energy 112, no. : 209-221.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2017 in Journal of Cleaner Production
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ACS Style

Beatriz Carrasquer; Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. A new indicator to estimate the efficiency of water and energy use in agro-industries. Journal of Cleaner Production 2017, 143, 462 -473.

AMA Style

Beatriz Carrasquer, Javier Uche, Amaya Martínez-Gracia. A new indicator to estimate the efficiency of water and energy use in agro-industries. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2017; 143 ():462-473.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Beatriz Carrasquer; Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. 2017. "A new indicator to estimate the efficiency of water and energy use in agro-industries." Journal of Cleaner Production 143, no. : 462-473.

Journal article
Published: 30 November 2016 in Energies
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In this paper, the design of a system providing electricity by coupling photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) collectors and a wind turbine (WT), sanitary hot water (SHW) coming from the PVT and evacuated tube collectors (ETCs) and fresh water (FW) produced in two seawater desalting facilities (membrane distillation, MD, and reverse osmosis, RO), has been carefully analyzed by means of a dynamic model developed in TRNSYS®. This analysis is compulsory to operate a lab-scale pilot plant that is being erected at Zaragoza, Spain. A new model-type has been included in TRNSYS® in order to include the MD unit in the scheme. A sensitivity analysis of some free-design variables, such that the ETC surface, PVT and ETC tilt, water storage tank, batteries capacities, and mass flow rates delivered to the SHW service and/or feeding the MD unit has been performed in order to propose the definite design of the scheme. The proposed base case was able to produce up to 15,311 L per year in the MD system and cover an electric energy demand of 1890 kWh. Coverage of SHW, water (including RO and MD) and power is respectively 99.3%, 100% and 70%. However, daily and yearly assessment of FW, SHW and power produced with the optimized design gave a better coverage of water and energy demands for a typical single family home. The improved and definite design was able to increase its MD production in 35% and the electric energy in 7% compared with base case.

ACS Style

Luis Acevedo; Javier Uche; Alejandro Del Almo; Fernando Círez; Sergio Usón; Amaya Martínez; Isabel Guedea. Dynamic Simulation of a Trigeneration Scheme for Domestic Purposes Based on Hybrid Techniques. Energies 2016, 9, 1013 .

AMA Style

Luis Acevedo, Javier Uche, Alejandro Del Almo, Fernando Círez, Sergio Usón, Amaya Martínez, Isabel Guedea. Dynamic Simulation of a Trigeneration Scheme for Domestic Purposes Based on Hybrid Techniques. Energies. 2016; 9 (12):1013.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Luis Acevedo; Javier Uche; Alejandro Del Almo; Fernando Círez; Sergio Usón; Amaya Martínez; Isabel Guedea. 2016. "Dynamic Simulation of a Trigeneration Scheme for Domestic Purposes Based on Hybrid Techniques." Energies 9, no. 12: 1013.

Journal article
Published: 01 October 2016 in Energy Conversion and Management
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ACS Style

Beatriz Carrasquer; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Javier Uche. Exergy costs analysis of water desalination and purification techniques by transfer functions. Energy Conversion and Management 2016, 126, 51 -59.

AMA Style

Beatriz Carrasquer, Amaya Martínez-Gracia, Javier Uche. Exergy costs analysis of water desalination and purification techniques by transfer functions. Energy Conversion and Management. 2016; 126 ():51-59.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Beatriz Carrasquer; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Javier Uche. 2016. "Exergy costs analysis of water desalination and purification techniques by transfer functions." Energy Conversion and Management 126, no. : 51-59.

Journal article
Published: 18 July 2016 in Applied Energy
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The case study presented in this paper is an innovative urban roof-mounted energy system constituted by a hybrid solar system for domestic use. Utilizing this untapped energy is the key value for home renewable energy supply. It allows the improvement of the energy yield per area unit of roof or façade. The Photovoltaic/Thermal (PVT) panel considered presents the particularity of the addition of a transparent insulating cover to reduce the heat losses on its front side. It has been developed by the manufacturer Endef Engineering in collaboration with the University of Zaragoza. In this paper, the design of a PVT system to feed the domestic heat water requirements of multi-housing building is explained. The electricity production is also considered, in accordance with the Spanish regulation for self-consumption. The work developed began with the redesign of the hybrid solar plant, which individually supplies hot water to each dwelling and power for common consumption of the building, including a charging system for electric vehicles. Then, the PVT panel developed and manufactured by Endef Engineering and the complete thermal and electrical system are simulated in Trnsys. The monitoring of a real working installation is used in this paper to validate the proposed model. The presented case study is located in Zaragoza (Spain), in a residential apartment block, with an electrical installed power of 4.14 kWp and 20.5 kW of thermal capacity. The proposed model allows the calculation of the heat and electricity production and efficiency of the whole system with error lower than 6.5%.

ACS Style

Alejandro del Amo; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Angel A. Bayod-Rújula; Javier Antoñanzas. An innovative urban energy system constituted by a photovoltaic/thermal hybrid solar installation: Design, simulation and monitoring. Applied Energy 2016, 186, 140 -151.

AMA Style

Alejandro del Amo, Amaya Martínez-Gracia, Angel A. Bayod-Rújula, Javier Antoñanzas. An innovative urban energy system constituted by a photovoltaic/thermal hybrid solar installation: Design, simulation and monitoring. Applied Energy. 2016; 186 ():140-151.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alejandro del Amo; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Angel A. Bayod-Rújula; Javier Antoñanzas. 2016. "An innovative urban energy system constituted by a photovoltaic/thermal hybrid solar installation: Design, simulation and monitoring." Applied Energy 186, no. : 140-151.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2016 in Energy Conversion and Management
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In the search for new alternatives to meet the water demands, it is interesting to analyze the cost of using alternatives different from those such as desalination and pumping. The exergy cost analysis can be a useful tool to estimate costs of those alternatives as a function of its energy efficiency and its relative abundance with respect to existing resources in their surroundings. This study proposes a methodology for assessing the costs of groundwaters and water transfers from surplus basins within the exergy perspective. An equation to assess the exergy costs of these alternatives is proposed. System boundaries are first identified to the assessment of input and output currents to the system in exergy values for the design and certain operating conditions. Next, an equation to assess water supply costs depending on design and operational parameters is proposed, from the analysis of different examples. Pumping efficiency, altitude gap and flow among other features are introduced in the calculations as those characteristics parameters. In the developed examples, unit exergy costs of groundwaters go from 1.01 to 2.67, and from 1 to 4.06 in case of water transfers. Maximum values, as expected within this perspective, are found at high pumped/transferred flows and high pumping levels and/or low pumping efficiency if pumping is required.

ACS Style

Beatriz Carrasquer; Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Exergy costs analysis of groundwater use and water transfers. Energy Conversion and Management 2016, 110, 419 -427.

AMA Style

Beatriz Carrasquer, Javier Uche, Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Exergy costs analysis of groundwater use and water transfers. Energy Conversion and Management. 2016; 110 ():419-427.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Beatriz Carrasquer; Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. 2016. "Exergy costs analysis of groundwater use and water transfers." Energy Conversion and Management 110, no. : 419-427.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2015 in Journal of Cleaner Production
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ACS Style

Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Fernando Círez; Uriel Carmona. Environmental impact of water supply and water use in a Mediterranean water stressed region. Journal of Cleaner Production 2015, 88, 196 -204.

AMA Style

Javier Uche, Amaya Martínez-Gracia, Fernando Círez, Uriel Carmona. Environmental impact of water supply and water use in a Mediterranean water stressed region. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2015; 88 ():196-204.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Fernando Círez; Uriel Carmona. 2015. "Environmental impact of water supply and water use in a Mediterranean water stressed region." Journal of Cleaner Production 88, no. : 196-204.

Journal article
Published: 13 December 2013 in The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
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In this paper, the combined life cycle assessment of the water supply alternatives and the water use in a water-stressed watershed in Spain (the Segura) is presented. Although it is a dry area, agriculture and tourism are very profitable sectors with high water demands. Thus, external water supply alternatives including water transfers or desalination partly balance the reduced natural water availability to cover the existing water demands. In order to integrate both the impact of water supply alternatives and water use, the ReCiPe method was used to assess the water supply alternatives at the endpoint approach with the three specific damage categories: human health, ecosystem diversity and damage to resources availability. At the same time, the water use impact was calculated and grouped in the same categories. Firstly, one average cubic metre of water at the user's gate in the Segura Basin area was taken as the functional unit. As irrigation and drinking water constitute the principal water uses, it was considered that to separately analyse 1 m3 used for irrigation and 1 m3 destined to drinking purposes could provide interesting information. Then, these units were also considered as functional units. Then, three additional hypothetical scenarios were introduced: two of them defined by a strong variability in rainfall and the third by a sudden diminution of water transferred from a neighbouring basin. Regarding the facilities to provide 1 m3 at user's gate in the Segura Basin, results showed that the seawater desalination plants obtained the highest score for all the three considered damage categories, followed by the Tajo–Segura water transfer, the groundwater, the local surface waters and the water reuse. In relation to the water use impact, the damage to ecosystems diversity was very representative with respect to the one coming from water supply infrastructures because irrigation constituted 85 % of the total demand. The diversification of water supply alternatives within a region considerably increases any environmental impact, primarily stemming from the additional required infrastructures, and frequently from the use of external water sources for their uses. Thus, users and policy makers should be aware of the costs that a guaranteed water supply entails. In water-scarce territories, the use of external solutions such as desalination or water transfer either increase the environmental impact due to their high energy consumption or they are limited by existing climate variability. Therefore, they cannot be considered as the definite solution, which would be a balance between renewable sources and existing demands.

ACS Style

Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Uriel Carmona. Life cycle assessment of the supply and use of water in the Segura Basin. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2013, 19, 688 -704.

AMA Style

Javier Uche, Amaya Martínez-Gracia, Uriel Carmona. Life cycle assessment of the supply and use of water in the Segura Basin. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2013; 19 (3):688-704.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Javier Uche; Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Uriel Carmona. 2013. "Life cycle assessment of the supply and use of water in the Segura Basin." The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 19, no. 3: 688-704.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2013 in Solar Energy
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The aim of this paper is to analyze the influence of some sizing parameters of grid-connected, hybrid wind-photovoltaic systems provided with energy storage and load consumption, on their interaction with the electrical network. These sizing parameters are the sizing factor (defined as the ratio between the yearly energy produced by the renewable generation system and the yearly energy demanded by a consumer), the solar and wind fractions, and the size of the batteries. The analyzed case study is the supply of energy to a typical residential load in Spain. Annual hourly-based series of energy production from wind and photovoltaic installations in operation in Aragon (an eastern region of Spain) are used as data inputs to a Matlab model of the system. Yearly energy balances for hybrid systems with different combinations and sizes of photovoltaic (PV) plant and wind energy conversion system (WECS) plus Battery Storage Systems (BES) are simulated in an hourly basis. These hybrid systems can inject or absorb energy from the grid depending on whether the energy produced is higher or lower than the household consumption and their operational limits are not exceeded. The interaction with the grid is evaluated in terms of energy injected in or absorbed from the grid, electrical (Joule) losses in lines and load duration curves (LDCs). Although the problem is case-dependent and the correct sizing of such systems is only possible with the knowledge of generation and consumption profiles, some general criteria can be extracted from the results of this paper. Conclusions are also valid for pure PV or Wind systems.

ACS Style

Ángel A. Bayod-Rújula; Marta E. Haro-Larrodé; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Sizing criteria of hybrid photovoltaic–wind systems with battery storage and self-consumption considering interaction with the grid. Solar Energy 2013, 98, 582 -591.

AMA Style

Ángel A. Bayod-Rújula, Marta E. Haro-Larrodé, Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Sizing criteria of hybrid photovoltaic–wind systems with battery storage and self-consumption considering interaction with the grid. Solar Energy. 2013; 98 ():582-591.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ángel A. Bayod-Rújula; Marta E. Haro-Larrodé; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. 2013. "Sizing criteria of hybrid photovoltaic–wind systems with battery storage and self-consumption considering interaction with the grid." Solar Energy 98, no. : 582-591.

Journal article
Published: 10 February 2012 in International Journal of Thermodynamics
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The hydroelectricity potential of rivers is a very well-know parameter used to characterize the availability of a river as a function of its flow and its altitude. However, the chemical potential of water flowing through the rivers is commonly ignored. In its source, water presents high quality and, therefore, it owns an important availability that can be expressed through its chemical exergy value. On the opposite, when it flows into the sea and reaches the thermodynamic equilibrium, it can not be further used and it is converted into a null exergy value. Within these two limit values, the exergy state of the river at its different stages can be assessed. On the other hand, water availability for specific uses depends on its quality.In this way, the almost always hidden value of water, its chemical potential, is highlighted and can be compared to the potential component, since they are expressed in the same units (energy units). In this paper, it is shown that potential and chemical exergy values of rivers rise up with values with the same order of magnitude. That is, the chemical value of a river is, from a thermodynamic perspective, as much as its potential value. The main difference lies in the current available technologies to take advantage of those physical disequilibrium: while hydro-power turbines are a completely proved technology, there are not yet commercial devices to take advantage of the hydro-chemical potential.Results of those estimations for a small Spanish river, the Muga river, are presented in this paper in order to prove the accuracy of the methodology. It is shown that the potential exergy of that river ranges from 2.37 to 7.15 MW, while its chemical exergy is comprised between 2.30 and 8.78 MW for the present state of the river. In addition, several exergy indexes are defined as basic parameters to provide information about the advantage taken from the river, that is, about the water uses within the watershed.

ACS Style

Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Antonio Valero; Javier Uche. The hidden value of water flows: the chemical exergy of rivers. International Journal of Thermodynamics 2012, 15, 1 .

AMA Style

Amaya Martínez-Gracia, Antonio Valero, Javier Uche. The hidden value of water flows: the chemical exergy of rivers. International Journal of Thermodynamics. 2012; 15 (1):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amaya Martínez-Gracia; Antonio Valero; Javier Uche. 2012. "The hidden value of water flows: the chemical exergy of rivers." International Journal of Thermodynamics 15, no. 1: 1.

Erratum
Published: 31 August 2011 in Energy
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ACS Style

Angel A. Bayod-Rújula; Abel Ortego; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Corrigendum to “Photovoltaics On Flat Roofs: Energy Considerations” [Energy 87 (2010) 3625–3631]. Energy 2011, 36, 5424 .

AMA Style

Angel A. Bayod-Rújula, Abel Ortego, Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Corrigendum to “Photovoltaics On Flat Roofs: Energy Considerations” [Energy 87 (2010) 3625–3631]. Energy. 2011; 36 (8):5424.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Angel A. Bayod-Rújula; Abel Ortego; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. 2011. "Corrigendum to “Photovoltaics On Flat Roofs: Energy Considerations” [Energy 87 (2010) 3625–3631]." Energy 36, no. 8: 5424.

Journal article
Published: 30 April 2011 in Energy
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Flat roofs present a large potential of suitable areas for installation of PV (photovoltaic) plants. Flat roof PV installations have the advantage of being able to be optimally positioned with support structures, and the inclination angle can be adjusted. Due to the important technological development existing in the PV sector, there are different PV technologies in the market, whose energy and economic features substantially differ. This paper describes some useful parameters to assess the technology and distribution of modules to be installed in flat roofs and terraces of buildings. The effect on the energy parameters of the modules tilt and disposition is analyzed in a case study, considering different technologies.

ACS Style

Angel A. Bayod-Rújula; Abel Ortego; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Photovoltaics on flat roofs: Energy considerations. Energy 2011, 36, 1996 -2010.

AMA Style

Angel A. Bayod-Rújula, Abel Ortego, Amaya Martínez-Gracia. Photovoltaics on flat roofs: Energy considerations. Energy. 2011; 36 (4):1996-2010.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Angel A. Bayod-Rújula; Abel Ortego; Amaya Martínez-Gracia. 2011. "Photovoltaics on flat roofs: Energy considerations." Energy 36, no. 4: 1996-2010.