Track: Energy

Abstract

Global fossil fuel reserves are declining and the world is experiencing a shift in its energy base. Since 2013, more capacity for renewable power is being added each year than coal, oil and natural gas combined. As emerging economies around the world continue to grow, there remains an even greater need for affordable and sustainable sources of energy. The gradual transition from fossil fuels to renewables can be streamlined and expedited with the help of expert systems which provide decision-making support at various stages of a renewable energy project’s lifetime. A simplified model for such an expert system has been presented in this paper. Primary focus is on technical, financial and risk assessments of hydro, solar and wind energy projects. A software-based model has also been developed and validated through comparative assessment of a real-world case study. Results are presented and conclusions are drawn for future work.