Economic and Environmental Analysis of Solar Thermal and Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage Based on a Renewable Energy Conversion System for Greenhouses

This study investigates the economic benefits of solar thermal and seasonal thermal energy storage based on a renewable energy conversion system for greenhouses. The proposed system consists of solar collectors, seasonal thermal energy storage, hybrid-source heat pumps, and ground-source heat pumps. The heat generated from the proposed system was stored in two types of seasonal thermal energy storage and supplied to the greenhouse using Purme Yeoju Farm in South Korea for experimental analysis. Based on the experimental data gathered over a heating system, the economic benefits of operating cost savings and carbon trading with the greenhouse gas emission reduction of the proposed system were investigated by comparing to a conventional heating season using oil and electric boilers. From October 2021 to March 2022, approximately 38.4% of the total 482 MWh of heat was supplied either directly or indirectly through the solar system. In addition, the coefficient of the performance of the entire proposed system was calculated to be 2.28. Both the operating cost savings and greenhouse gas emission reductions of the proposed system showed over 73% and 82% compared with those of conventional systems.