Hybrid power energy system optimization by exergoeconomic and environmental models for an enhanced policy and sustainable management of exergy resources.

• Three exergoeconomic and environmental optimization models have been developed. • For the exergy performance model, photovoltaics dominated in power production. • The resource distribution is mainly based on wind technologies for the cost model. • The major part is for solar technologies when applying the CO 2 emission model. • The optimum cost model is the most suitable for the resource strategy in Tunisia. Recent attention to global warming has increased interest in sustainable technology. The current issues are the reduction of emissions and cost. Innovative hybrid systems that combine fossil fuel and renewable energy sources need to be developed. The optimization of these systems is essential to ensure the continuity of load supply and to decrease the cost of energy production. This work presented a novel optimisation method for exergy resource distribution within hybrid power systems based on exergoeconomic and environmental performance. Three optimization models were proposed: the first one focuses on minimizing exergy input, the second one considers the minimization of the production cost and the last model aims to minimize the CO 2 emissions. Tunisia was selected as a case study. The findings demonstrate that using model 1 results in gains in natural gas consumption, production costs, and CO 2 emissions of 75 kWh ex /kWh ex , 0.015 €/kWh ex , and 0.12 kg CO 2 /kWh ex , respectively. Furthermore, when model 2 is used, these gains amount to 49 kWh ex /kWh ex , 0.035 €/kWh ex , and 0.159 kg CO 2 /kWh ex. And finally, when model 3 is used, there will be 2.49 kWh ex /kWh ex , 0.015 €/kWh ex , and 0.168 kg CO 2 /kWh ex. It is concluded that the second model is more suitable for the resources strategy in Tunisia; it affords a minimum cost with a moderated exergy input and CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]