Concentrated solar power is an alternative renewable energy technology that converts solar energy into electrical energy by using a solar concentrator and a solar receiver. Computational fluid dynamics have been used to numerically design concentrated solar power. This is a powerful numerical analysis approach that is widely used in energy and environmental engineering applications. In this paper, we review previous work on the applications of computational fluid dynamics in the design of concentrated solar power technology. We performed a bibliometric analysis of journal articles relevant to applications to analyze the current trend of utilization of computational fluid dynamics in these technologies. Then, we conducted a comprehensive analysis focused on the design of solar dish technology using computational fluid dynamics. Furthermore, we reviewed in detail the optical modeling of solar concentrators and solar receivers. Of the 83 retrieved publications from Scopus database, 80 were journal articles, and only three were review papers. Among these 80 journal articles, only 54 were relevant to this study, and 23 were relevant to solar dish technology. The documents were analyzed according to their number of citations, journal sources, and keyword evolution and network map. The information presented in this paper is useful to further recognize the contributions of computational fluid dynamics to the development of concentrated solar power, particularly to solar dish technology. In addition, we also discuss the challenges and future research directions to make solar energy a more sustainable source of renewable energy.

One of the motivations of deploying renewable energy is its promise to reduce emissions. The accounting of emissions, however, becomes challenging and complex in the case of grid-tied PV system as it also derives energy from the centralized grid where the energy comes from a mix of resource. The amount of avoided emissions is highly variable. The study focused on the determination of avoided emissions resulting from grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) generation of Ateneo de Davao University Jacinto Campus in the Philippines. The results show that the small size of PV systems impacts only the marginal generating plant which is normally a hydro, diesel or natural gas-fired generator and largely depends on which grid the consumer is located. It shows that the energy generation of the PV acts like a peak shaving mechanism that reduces the system load. The solar PV of the university was simulated and the avoided emissions (CO2, SO2, NOx, PM10, PM2.5, NH3, VOCs, and Hg) were quantified through energy-based approach.

Wind energy represents a promising resource for accelerating the transition to renewable energy and meeting global net-zero emission targets. While wind turbines have generated considerable amounts of electricity in specific regions of four-season countries, their potential in low-wind countries is generally limited, thereby inhibiting further investigation. However, advancements in wind turbine design and wind resource databases have provided new opportunities for assessing utility-scale wind energy potential. Therefore, this study assessed the potential for utility-scale wind power generation in low-wind regions of Indonesia's Java–Bali region. The Weibull distribution of wind speed and theoretical energy output were investigated using 10-year hourly temporal-based wind speed data collected at 100 m height from 2006 to 2015. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) power density classification was used to identify locations for energy generation analysis under wind turbine capacities of 1, 2, and 2.5 MW. The trade-offs between the average energy output over ten years and capacity factors were also considered. The results showed that the Ujungjaya area in Pandeglang Regency, Banten Province, has the potential to produce an estimated 13,916 MWh of energy per year using the 2.5 MW turbine with a capacity factor of 60.5% and Weibull parameters k and c of 2.49 and 8.22, respectively. The annual wind-based electricity generation potential of selected locations revealed that low-wind regions of Indonesia should not be overlooked when strategically planning wind energy utilisation to support the sustainable energy transition. In addition, the results have important implications for including additional wind energy in the energy mix of developing countries with similar low-wind regimes.