Recent Advances in Renewable Energy-Integrated Thermodynamic Cycles: A Comprehensive Review

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Se.C., Islamic Azad University, Semnan, Iran

Abstract

The global transition to sustainable energy systems presents the critical challenge of efficiently integrating renewable sources to mitigate climate change. Developing and optimizing energy conversion technologies is paramount to this effort. This research provides a comprehensive review of the latest progress in combining thermodynamic cycles with renewable energy sources, offering valuable insights into system design, performance, and optimization. To this end, we introduce thermodynamic and combined cycles, classify renewable energy inputs, and evaluate their integration, including an analysis of hydrogen production processes. A central focus is the significant impact of single- and multi-objective optimization algorithms on promoting sustainability and reducing emissions. Our analysis reveals that the Rankine cycle is the most commonly applied thermodynamic cycle (43% of cases), with solar energy being the leading renewable input (37%). Furthermore, genetic algorithms are the predominant optimization method (50% usage rate). These findings highlight current trends and suggest that future research should focus on developing novel hybrid cycles and advancing multi-objective optimization frameworks to simultaneously balance economic viability and environmental impact, paving the way for the next generation of clean energy systems.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer Research
Volume 13, Issue 3 - Serial Number 27
In Progress
September 2026
Pages 315-334

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History

  • Receive Date: 12 April 2025
  • Revise Date: 19 August 2025
  • Accept Date: 31 August 2025

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