미이용 산림바이오매스 연료를 활용한 분산형 열 공급시설의 열병합 발전 설비 종류별 경제성 비교･분석
© 2025 by the New & Renewable Energy
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Abstract
In South Korea, most rural households rely on individual heating systems that use kerosene, electricity, and firewood, leading to higher heating costs than those in urban areas. Distributed heat supply facilities consisting of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems and boilers that utilize unused forest biomass as fuel are being developed to reduce these costs. This study evaluated the economic feasibility of distributed heat supply facilities based on regional heat demand, particularly those consisting of gasification and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems. The results showed that the gasification and ORC systems achieved the highest internal rates of return of 11.3% and 9.2%, respectively, when the annual heat demand was 2 GWh (approximately 100 households). However, as the heat demand increases, the economic feasibility decreases, primarily because of the rising fixed costs associated with the expansion of the piping infrastructure. The gasification system was more economically viable for demands below 4 GWh (approximately 200 households), whereas the ORC system was better for higher demands. To ensure economic viability, it is crucial to establish heat supply systems in regions with large-scale heat demand facilities beyond individual households to secure a higher heat sales ratio for CHP facilities.