ABSTRACT
The article describes the world's experience in developing the solar industry. It discusses the mechanisms of state support for developing renewable energy sources in the cases of five countries that are the most successful in this area—China, the United States, Japan, India, and Germany. Furthermore, it contains a brief review of state policy in producing electricity by renewable energy facilities in Kazakhstan. This paper uses statistical information from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Energy Agency (IEA), British Petroleum (BP), and the Renewable Energy Network (REN21), and peer-reviewed sources. The research methodology includes analytical research and evaluation methods to examine the current state of solar energy policy, its motivators and incentives, as well as the prospects for its development in Kazakhstan and in the world. Research shows that solar energy has a huge development potential worldwide and is sure to take its place in gross electricity production. This paper focuses on the selected economic policies of the top five countries and Kazakhstan, in what may be considered a specific research limitation. Future research suggestions for the expansion of Renewable Energy (RE) in Kazakhstan could include analysing the impact of introducing dedicated policies and incentives for solar systems and exploring the benefits and challenges of implementing large RE zones with government–business collaboration.
ABSTRACT
When it comes to supplying oxygen, current standard hospitals in Iran have proven inadequate in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly during infection peaks. Power disruptions drastically reduce the oxygen pressure in hospitals, putting patients' health at risk. The present study is the first to attempt to power an oxygen concentrator with a solar-energy-based system. The HOMER 2.81 package was used for technical–economic–environmental–energy analysis. The most notable aspects of this work include evaluating different available solar trackers, using up-to-date equipment price data and up-to-date inflation rate, considering the temperature effects on solar cell performance, sensitivity analysis for the best scenario, considering pollution penalties, and using a three-time tariff system with price incentives for renewable power. The study has been carried out at Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran. The study showed that, by supplying 60% of the power demand, the dual-axis solar tracking system offered the highest annual power output (47,478 kWh). Furthermore, generating power at—$0.008/kWh due to selling power to the grid, the vertical-axis tracker was found to be the most economical design. Comparing the configuration with a vertical-axis tracker with the conventional scenario (relying on the power distribution grid), the investment is estimated to be recovered in three years with $234,300 in savings by the end of the 25th year. In the best economic scenario, 6137 kg CO2 is produced, and the analysis revealed the negative impact of a temperature rise on the performance and solar power output.
ABSTRACT
Data collection and large-scale urban audits are challenging and can be time consuming processes. Geographic information systems can extract and combine relevant data that can be used as input to calculation tools that provide results and quantify indicators with sufficient spatial analysis to facilitate the local decision-making process for building renovations and sustainability assessment. This work presents an open-access tool that offers an automated process that can be used to audit an urban area in order to extract relevant information about the characteristics of the built environment, analyze the building characteristics to evaluate energy performance, assess the potential for the installation of photovoltaics on available building rooftops, and quantify ground permeability. A case study is also presented to demonstrate data collection and processing for an urban city block, and the relevant results are elaborated upon. The method is easily replicable and is based on open data and non-commercial tools.
ABSTRACT
Developing a sustainable and reliable photovoltaic (PV) energy system requires a comprehensive analysis of solar profiles and an accurate prediction of solar energy performance at the study site. Installing the PV modules with optimal tilt and azimuth angles has a significant impact on the total irradiance delivered to the PV modules. This paper proposes a comprehensive optimization model to integrate total irradiance models with the PV temperature model to find the optimal year-round installation parameters of PV modules. A novel integration between installation parameters and the annual average solar energy is presented, to produce the maximum energy output. The results suggest an increase in energy yields of 4% compared to the conventional scheme, where tilt angle is equal to the latitude and the PV modules are facing south. This paper uses a real-time dataset for the NEOM region in Saudi Arabia to validate the superiority of the proposed model compared to the conventional scheme, but it can be implemented as a scheme wherever real-time data are available.
ABSTRACT
Maintaining our standard of living and keeping the economy running smoothly is heavily reliant on a consistent supply of energy. Renewable energy systems create abundant energy by utilizing resources such as the sun, wind, earth, and plants. The demand for renewable energy is increasing, despite power scarcity, pollution, and climate change posing challenges to long-term development in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which has seen significant social and economic growth in recent years. To achieve its 23% renewable energy (RE) target, ASEAN can develop solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity. Members of the ASEAN have established regulations and incentives to encourage individuals and businesses to use renewable energy in the future. This paper explores Southeast Asian countries' comprehensive fossil-free energy options, the region's renewable energy potential, current capacity, goals, and energy needs. Through the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016–2025 and the ASEAN Declaration on Renewable Energy, ASEAN is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable development aligning with the Paris Agreement's aim to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Results show that decarbonizing the region's energy system is possible, but current policies and actions must be altered to reach that target level. Further research is necessary to optimize the ASEAN region's renewable resource technical potential and commercial viability with available technology.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this article is to show the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on electricity consumption and, consequently, on decisions regarding the installation of photovoltaic panels using the example of a selected local authority in Poland—the Szemud Municipality. The analysis was conducted in 2022 and covered the years 2019–2021. An attempt was made to explore the factors that may have triggered an increase in the use of solar energy in households and identify the determinants of installing photovoltaic panels in the period under analysis. Previous analyses of the PV market (and the impact of the pandemic on it) have so far focused on the market as a whole, either in macro or global terms, while studies on smaller municipalities have been limited to examining changes in electricity consumption levels during the COVID-19 pandemic and during lockdown. Therefore, a research gap was identified in that there are no studies analyzing the reasons for the shift from conventional to PV-assisted energy in households, with the COVID-19 pandemic as the background of these changes. The literature research showed that there are currently no studies attempting to establish a link between the increased interest in this type of energy by local authorities and the COVID-19 pandemic. The research confirmed the hypothesis of increased interest in household PV during the pandemic. The main conclusions of the study boil down to the need for further support as well as promotion of the use of solar energy. In addition, the results derived from the empirical research indicate the need to take action at a policy level to counter adverse trends regarding undesirable social behavior.
ABSTRACT
Electricity in Bali majorly is supplied by power plants in Java which use fossil-fuelled. With petroleum and coal reserves to run out by 2025, Bali Government has issued Governor Ordinance No. 45/2019 concerning clean energy in encouraging Balinese to use rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV). As backboned tourism industry, Bali has drastically been declining due to COVID-19 causing most hotels and their supporting industries closed, the government then has changed the orientation from urban tourism to rural tourism. This paper proposes rooftop solar PV power plant program in the tourism village representing all 8 regencies and 1 municipality (Sudaji in Buleleng, Catur and others in Bangli, Tenganan in Karangasem, Kerta in Gianyar, Blimbingsari in Jembrana, Paksebali in Klungkung, Bongan in Tabanan, Bongkasa in Badung, and Sanur Kauh in Denpasar). Recent studies show huge potential for solar energy in Bali and the program is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (Bali SDGs). The study elaborates problems in implementing the program since solar PV is still new and traditions could hinder the people in the tourism village to utilize it. Behaviour approach must be explored to make the program can be successfully done.
ABSTRACT
In recent years, one of the key postulates in the European Union’s policy has become the development of renewable energy sources. In order to achieve the desired synergy effect, the idea of combining two selected sources of energy appeared. This article presents a technical and economic analysis of a hybrid connection of a ground source heat pump with a photovoltaic installation. Taking into account the heat demand of the building, a ground heat pump with a catalog nominal heating power of 25 kW was selected. This article presents the problem of the economic profitability of using a hybrid combination of a heat pump and photovoltaic panels in domestic hot water and central heating systems. The justification for the use of such heat sources in these installations is due to global trends and the gradual departure from conventional energy sources such as oil or gas boilers. This paper presents the economic and ecological results of using the pump heat connected together with photovoltaic panels. In the economic analysis, with the assumed installation costs related to the use of the considered heat pump and PV, two parameters commonly used in the investment analysis (static and dynamic) were used, namely, the simple payback period and the net present value of the investment. For the adopted assumptions, the usable area of the facility and the number of years of use were indicated, at which the investment in question is competitive with other alternative investment interest methods and will start to bring tangible benefits. The performed analysis also has measurable environmental benefits in the form of a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions at the level of 2893 kg/year into the atmosphere. The presented solution will help future investors understand the investment profitability mechanism for their households.
ABSTRACT
As the coronavirus pandemic has brought about global economic recession and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficient building retrofitting has become a comprehensive solution to increase the employment rate and reduce the energy consumption of buildings. This situation requires more energy-efficient integrated generation systems. In this study, an integrated generation system is proposedfor building integrated photovoltaic, thermoelectric generator, and phase change material as an enhanced generation system for buildings. In the proposed system, the phase change material absorbs solar radiation as latent heat within the melting temperature, increasing the photovoltaic conversion efficiency. Additionally, the thermoelectric generator harvests additional electricity as the temperature difference is maintained during the phase change. The total generated energy of the proposed system highly depends on the melting temperature and thickness of the phase change material. Therefore, the appropriate melting temperature and thickness design conditions of the phase change material were derived with the following simulations based on transient energy balance equations in 12 daily profiles. As a result, the optimal melting temperature increased by 5.4°F (3.6°C) and 1.9°F (1.04°C) with an insolation increase of 317 Btu/ft2 (1000 Wh/m2) and a 1.8°F (1°C) increase in ambient temperature, respectively. In addition, the optimal thickness increased by 0.04 in (2.5 mm) with an insolation increase of 317 Btu/ft2 (1000 Wh/m2).
ABSTRACT
The transport sector generates a considerable amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide, especially road transport, which accounts for 95% of the total GHGs. It is commonly known that Electric vehicles (EVs) can significantly reduce GHG emissions. However, with a fossil-fuel-based power generation system, EVs can produce more GHGs and therefore cannot be regarded as purely environmentally friendly. As a result, renewable energy sources (RES) such as photovoltaic (PV) can be integrated into the EV charging infrastructure to improve the sustainability of the transportation system. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art literature on power electronics converter systems, which interface with the utility grid, PV systems, and EVs. Comparisons are made in terms of their topologies, isolation, power and voltage ranges, efficiency, and bi-directional power capability for V2G operation. Specific attention is devoted to bidirectional isolated and non-isolated EV-interfaced converters in non-integrated architectures. A brief description of EV charger types, their power levels, and standards is provided. It is anticipated that the studies and comparisons in this paper would be advantageous as an all-in-one source of information for researchers seeking information related to EV charging infrastructures.
ABSTRACT
Aerial infrared (IR) thermography has been implemented in recent years, proving to be a powerful and versatile technique for performing maintenance at photovoltaic (PV) plants. Its application speed and reliability using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones make it extremely interesting at large PV plants, due to the associated savings in time and costs. Ground-level thermographic inspection is slower and more costly to apply, although it does provide higher optical resolution, due to being conducted closer to the PV modules being inspected. Both techniques used in combination can improve the diagnosis. An IR thermography inspection strategy is proposed for PV plants based on two stages. The first stage of the inspection is aerial, enabling thermal faults to be detected and located quickly and reliably. The second stage of the inspection is done on the ground and applied only to the most relevant incidents revealed in the first stage. This inspection strategy was applied to a 100 kW PV plant, with an improved diagnosis verified via this procedure, as the ground-level inspection detects one-off thermal incidents from objects creating shade and from solar reflections. For PV modules with open circuits or open substrings, the use of one technique or another is immaterial.
ABSTRACT
Agrivoltaic systems have the potential to maximize the usefulness of spaces in building rooftops. Urban farming systems improve the microclimatic conditions, which are beneficial to solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, as they lower the operating temperatures, resulting in a higher operating efficiency. Microclimate simulations by means of ENVI-met simulation showed that between 0800 h and 1800 h, PV temperatures in the plot that has crops below the PV system were on average lower by 2.83 °C and 0.71 °C as compared without crops on a typical sunny and cloudy day, respectively. Hence, we may see PV efficiency performance improvement of 1.13–1.42% and 0.28–0.35% on a sunny day and cloudy day, respectively. Data collected from a physical prototype of an agrivoltaic system suggested that evaporative cooling was responsible for the reduction in ambient temperatures. The presence of crops growing underneath the PV canopy resulted in the agrivoltaic prototype generating between 3.05 and 3.2% more energy over the day as compared to a control system with no crops underneath.
ABSTRACT
A multi-faceted energy intensive technology that can be used for water disinfection and synthesis of electrolysed water (EW) is the need of the hour to achieve a sustainable post COVID 19 water management strategy. Direct sunlight driven processes are legislatively green technologies and hold the key in environmental sustenance. The development of a laboratory proto type reactor powered by a photovoltaic module for the treatment open source river water is described in this paper. This paper reports on the efficacy of the developed proto type technology for multipurpose application namely: (1) the production of Electrolysed water (EW) in a cost efficient manner using direct sunlight and (2) the removal of organic impurity from water using direct sunlight without the use of any photo catalyst or membrane. The prototype reactor utilizes chemical spray pyrolysis deposited highly photo-conducting indium sulphide thin films grown on fluorine doped tin oxide (F:SnO2) substrate (coated using chemical spray pyrolysis technique in-house) as the photo electrode. Dissolved organic matter arising in river water has distinctive fluorescence properties, and this research has utilized it to identify dissolved organic substances in both random samples and treated water. The work proves that photovoltaic module powered electrolytic reactors consisting of In2S3 electrodes can be used for treatment of river water. A diaphragm free, energy intensive route for the production of electrolysed water with the use of non-hazardous NaCl as the electrolyte has been demonstrated here. We conclude that In2S3 electrodes can be used for non-photo catalytic reduction of humic-derived impurities in river water. These results are also encouraging on the prospects of treating Nitrates present in the river water. The likes of techniques as described in this report that do not use photo catalyst or membranes may pave way for real time photovoltaic module powered floating reactors that can decontaminate water bodies on a large scale. The technique used by us demonstrates that a chlorine free route can be optimized for the synthesis of EW eliminating the production of large amounts of wastewater with high levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD).
ABSTRACT
Generally, PV (photovoltaic) modules are known as devices which are used semi-permanently for more than 20 years, but the electrical performance and lifespan of PV modules can be significantly degraded due to various environmental factors. Thus, a proper evaluation method for aging phenomenon of PV modules is required. Although there already are methods which compare adjusted PV output power based on STC (standard test condition) with initial PV module specification, or perform direct comparison by conducting the test under STC, there are issues with objectivity or efficiency in the existing evaluation method of aging phenomenon due to the data distortion while adjusting measured data or difficulties in implementation. Therefore, in order to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantage of the existing evaluation method for deterioration in PV modules and evaluate the aging characteristics of PV modules based on on-site measurement data in an accurate and efficient manner, this paper implements a test device for aging diagnosis to measure and collect actual data from a PV module section, and presents a modeling of data analysis for aging phenomenon with MATLAB S/W in order to minimize the variability of PV output, communication error, delay, etc. Furthermore, this paper confirms the usefulness of the presented test device for aging diagnosis of the PV modules which is accurately evaluated by considering on-site measurement of PV output power by season.
ABSTRACT
In this article, the authors briefly present the development, features, operating principles, and typical applications of slot-die technology. Slot-die technology is a coating method in which a consistent thickness, coating layer, can be applied to a receiving surface in an almost completely closed system. The technology was first used in the production of films but is now used for the application of a wide variety of coatings (e.g., plastics), from battery production, through semiconductor production, to solar cell production. It can also be used to make membrane air filters / filters, which can help to overcome today’s covid epidemic. Due to the proliferation of electric cars, the production of batteries has become an increasing slice of industrial production. In this article we present in detail, in a systematic way, the information gathered during the literature search, which we used in our work. In this article we present with a case study, the problems and experiences that arose during the design and manufacture of a coating machine operating under laboratory conditions. The construction of the machine was done with the technical assistance of a joint project with an industrial partner. The laboratory machine will be suitable for sheet-to-sheet coating. The article presents strength and deformation simulations along with the experience gained during the production of the coating machine.
ABSTRACT
Electricity in Bali majorly is supplied by power plants in Java which use fossil-fuelled. With petroleum and coal reserves to run out by 2025, Bali Government has issued Governor Ordinance No. 45/2019 concerning clean energy in encouraging Balinese to use rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV). As backboned tourism industry, Bali has drastically been declining due to COVID-19 causing most hotels and their supporting industries closed, the government then has changed the orientation from urban tourism to rural tourism. This paper proposes rooftop solar PV power plant program in the tourism village representing all 8 regencies and 1 municipality (Sudaji in Buleleng, Catur and others in Bangli, Tenganan in Karangasem, Kerta in Gianyar, Blimbingsari in Jembrana, Paksebali in Klungkung, Bongan in Tabanan, Bongkasa in Badung, and Sanur Kauh in Denpasar). Recent studies show huge potential for solar energy in Bali and the program is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (Bali SDGs). The study elaborates problems in implementing the program since solar PV is still new and traditions could hinder the people in the tourism village to utilize it. Behaviour approach must be explored to make the program can be successfully done.
ABSTRACT
This paper proposes an Intelligent Monitoring System (IMS) for Photovoltaic (PV) systems using affordable and cost-efficient hardware and also lightweight software that is capable of being easily implemented in different locations and having the capability to be installed in different types of PV power plants. IMS uses the Internet of Things (IoT) platform for handling data as well as Interoperability and Communication among the devices and components in the IMS. Moreover, IMS includes a personal cloud server for computing and storing the acquired data of PV systems. The IMS also consists of a web monitor system via some open-source and lightweight software that displays the information to multiple users. The IMS uses deep ensemble models for fault detection and power prediction in PV systems. A remarkable ability of the IMS is the prediction of the output power of the PV system to increase energy yield and identify malfunctions in PV plants. To this end, a long short-term memory (LSTM) ensemble neural network is developed to predict the output power of PV systems under different environmental conditions. On the other hand, the IMS uses machine learning-based models to detect numerous faults in PV systems. The fault diagnostic of IMS is based on the following stages. Firstly, major features are elicited through an analysis of Current–Voltage (I–V) characteristic curve under different faulty and normal events. Second, an ensemble learning model including Naive Bayes (NB), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used for detecting and classifying fault events. To enhance the performance in the process of fault detection, a feature selection algorithm is also applied. A PV system has been designed and implemented for testing and validating the IMS under real conditions. IMS is an interoperable, scalable, and replicable solution for holistic monitoring of PV plant from data acquisition, storing, pre-and post-processing to malfunction and failure diagnosis, performance and energy yield assessment, and output power prediction.
ABSTRACT
The electrification of isolated homes in rural areas without access to the electric grid has been achieved in part using solar energy transformed into electricity through Photovoltaic (PV) equipment known as Solar Home Systems (SHSs), which has been widely disseminated throughout the world. The use of SHSs in rural electrification projects has been studied from 1980 to date, they have been incorporating advances and technological innovations successively. Through the review of documents on PV projects, articles, and technical reports, it has been possible to identify the changes in the main components of the SHS and the typical configurations, systematizing them in a discrete timeline. Thereby, this article characterizes three generations of SHSs and highlights their differences. The first generation is fully valid between 1980–1995, the second generation in 1995–2010, and the third generation from 2005 to date, which overlaps the beginning. In any case, the time limits in each period are only referential. The later generation, Third Generation Solar Home Systems (3G-SHSs), is highly efficient, uses LED lamps, lithium batteries, microelectronic control, and plug and play connections. Indeed, this equipment can be self-managed by the user and reflects the technology’s high reliability by a minimum maintenance service in situ. Furthermore, their lower costs make access to electricity more affordable for the last mile population. The present research offers a detailed technological and operational characterization of the 3G-SHSs to show the most relevant aspects of support to project developers, planners, and decision-makers to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7.
ABSTRACT
The objective of Poland’s energy policy is to guarantee energy security while enhancing economic competitiveness and energy efficiency, thus minimizing the power sector’s environmental impact and optimizing the use of energy resources in the country. Poland is not the only European country to rely on coal for power generation. Historical factors and large coal deposits act as natural barriers to increasing the share of renewable energy in the Polish power sector. Yet, today, environmental concerns and climate change are prompting many countries to move away from fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind energy, are an alternative to traditional energy generated from fossil fuels. However, investors developing solar and wind farms in Poland encounter numerous problems at each stage of the project. These difficulties are associated mainly with the location, technical requirements, infrastructure and formal and legal documents. This study aimed to identify the key factors that influence the development of photovoltaic power stations in Poland, with special emphasis on the choice of location and technical aspects of the investment process. The demand for clean energy and the renewable energy prospects for Poland are discussed based on the example of solar farms. Sixty-seven prospective farm locations were analyzed, and the results of the analysis were used to identify the main barriers and opportunities for renewable energy development in Poland. The option of connecting solar farms to the existing power grid was also examined. This study demonstrates that the development of solar farms in Poland is inhibited mainly by technical barriers, in particular the lack of options for connecting farms to the power grid, as well as the absence of support mechanisms and dedicated legislative solutions, rather than environmental obstacles.
ABSTRACT
Energy consumption is steadily increasing with the ever-growing population, leading to a rise in global warming. Building energy consumption is one of the major sources of global warming, which can be controlled with renewable energy installations. This paper deals with an advanced evacuated hybrid solar photovoltaic–thermal collector (PVT) for simultaneous production of electricity and domestic hot water (DHW) with lower carbon emissions. Most PVT projects focus on increasing electricity production by cooling the photovoltaic (PV). However, in this research, increasing thermal efficiency is investigated through vacuum glass tube encapsulation. The required area for conventional unglazed PVT systems varies between 1.6–2 times of solar thermal collectors for similar thermal output. In the case of encapsulation, the required area can decrease by minimizing convective losses from the system. Surprisingly, the electrical efficiency was not decreased by encapsulating the PVT system. The performance of evacuated PVT is compared to glazed and unglazed PVTs, and the result shows a 40% increase in thermal performance with the proposed system. All three systems are simulated in ANSYS 18.1 (Canonsburg, PA, USA) at different mass flow rates and solar irradiance.