Polygeneration as a future sustainable energy solution - A comprehensive review

Integrating multiple utility outputs to obtain better efficient system has been a good option. After cogeneration and trigeneration, polygeneration emerges as a possible sustainable solution with optimum resource utilization, better efficiency and environment friendliness. Several possible polygeneration has been conceptualized, performance assessed theoretically as available in literature. Both inputs and outputs vary in these reported works. A few prototype development and experimental result analysis are also reported. Several optimization tools based on objective function are used to develop efficient polygeneration. Assessment criteria of polygeneration are also multi dimensional and may be defined on a case to case basis with definite objective. In this paper a comprehensive review of available literature is done to assess the status of polygeneration as a possible sustainable energy solution. Possible future research in this field is also logically predicted at the end of this review.