Sustainable energy performance of solar power : a case study for a Lebanese town with a view point towards developing greener built environment

Abstract

The rise of environmental problems such as climate change, fossil fuels depletion and air pollution along with the electricity and economic crises in Lebanon require the implementation of sustainable energy generation systems. In Lebanon, electricity generation is mainly dependent on fossil fuels which are non-renewable sources. In addition to causing toxic emissions, the reliance on fossil fuels causes an increase in the electricity bill. Solutions to these problems require the adoption of renewable energy sources such as solar or wind. That is why, the purpose of this study is to compare from a sustainable point of view (technical, economic and environmental) two scenarios for energy generation at a Lebanese village, Douma. The technical and economic assessments are done using manual calculations while the environmental assessment is done using the life cycle assessment (LCA) tool. Results of the technical assessment show that a 275-kW diesel generator is needed for scenario A and 500 PV cells plus a 165-kW diesel generator are needed for scenario B. Results of the economic assessment show that scenario B decreases the electricity bill but makes less profits than scenario A. Results of the environmental assessment indicate that scenario A is the major contributor to 12 out of 15 categories considered. This study is of major importance since it is the first study done in Lebanon that considers a complete sustainable assessment of different systems for energy generation.