• Hybrid solar- and biomass-assisted system produces electricity, ammonia, SNG, CO 2. • SOFC with TPV recovery achieves 32. 74 % exergy efficiency. • Outputs: 0. 0692 kg/s ammonia, 0. 0264 kg/s methane, 0. 67 kg/s CO 2. • Levelized energy cost 37. 04 /GJ; payback period 4. 65 years. • LCA confirms sustainability; optimized via Gray Wolf algorithm. This study proposes a novel solar- and biomass-assisted hybrid energy system integrating a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), thermophotovoltaic (TPV) unit, PV-powered alkaline electrolyzer, and downstream methanation and ammonia synthesis units. The system is designed for multi-product generation, producing electricity, synthetic natural gas (SNG), ammonia, and liquefied CO 2, while efficiently managing carbon using LNG cold energy. Key innovations include TPV-based recovery of high-temperature SOFC radiation for electricity, integration of PV-powered hydrogen production, and combined methanation and ammonia synthesis to enhance product diversity and efficiency. System performance is comprehensively evaluated using energy and exergy analysis, techno-economic assessment, life cycle assessment (LCA), and multi-objective optimization with the Gray Wolf Optimization (GWO) algorithm. At baseline conditions, the system achieves 32. 74 % exergy efficiency, 2776 kW net power output, and production rates of 0. 67 kg/s CO 2, 0. 0264 kg/s methane, and 0. 0692 kg/s ammonia, while the unit energy cost is 37. 04 /GJ. LCA confirms the environmental sustainability of the system, and optimization further improves efficiency (up to 33. 23 %) and reduces costs (down to 36. 06 /GJ) and emission index (down to 0. 0902 kg/kWh). The proposed system demonstrates strong potential for sustainable green fuel production, efficient carbon capture, and enhanced economic performance compared to existing hybrid energy approaches.
Rabet et al. (2026) studied this question.