Conventional Photovoltaic Research Articles

Open-Source Software for Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Tiling for Novelty Architecture

Novelty architecture buildings can be tiled with conventional rectangular solar photovoltaic (PV) modules with both close-packed cells or partially transparent modules, vastly increasing renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions, and allowing for positive energy buildings. To enable this potential, in this study, for the first time, two open-source programs were developed and integrated to provide a foundation for designing and coating real-life novelty architecture buildings and objects with solar PV modules. First, a tiling algorithm was proposed and integrated into Blender that can generate solar PV modules on the face of any 3D model, and an augmented Python version of SAM was developed to simulate the performance of the resultant irregularly shaped PV systems. The integrated open-source software was used to analyze the energy performance of seven different novelty BIPVs located across the globe. The buildings’ energy performance was compared to conventional ground-based PV systems, and the results showed that the conventional arrays generate more energy per unit power than the BIPVs. The analysis reveals that the more complex the building model geometry, the less energy the building generates; however, the novelty BIPV power and energy densities far surpass conventional ground-based PV. The real estate savings observed were substantial, reaching 170% in one case where the BIPV reached 750 m in height. The BIPVs’ energy production is optimized by orienting the building via rotation and only needs to be carried out a single time for replication anywhere globally. The results show that the energy yield of the BIPV increases as the building becomes more detailed while the total power and energy decrease, indicating the need for the careful balancing of priorities in building design. Finally, the energy simulations demonstrate the potential for net-positive energy buildings and contribute to net-zero-emission cities. The findings indicate that BIPVs are not only appropriate for conventional residential houses and commercial buildings, but also for historical building replicas or monuments in the future. Further studies are needed to investigate the structural, electrical, and socio-economic aspects of novelty-architecture BIPVs.

Enhancement of PV and concentered PV panels using evaporative cooling during summer and winter seasons: A case study in Egypt

Numerous efforts are made to comprehend the performance evolution of photovoltaic (PV) panels. The elevated surface temperature causes a deterioration in PV panels' performance, hindering the expected increase in harvested energy associated with integrating solar reflectors. In this context, the year-round efficacy of cooling PV panels supported by reflective mirrors is investigated to assess the effectiveness of solar reflector implementation. A conventional PV panel, a CPV (cooled PV panel), and a CCPV (concentrated cooled PV panel) were compared side-by-side to determine their relative performance and energy productivity. Evaporative cooling pads are utilized to chill the two modified PV systems by varying the coolant flow rate during the summer and winter seasons of 2022 and 2023, respectively, in the environmental conditions of the Tenth of Ramadan City, Egypt. The findings indicate that the average daily power increment ratio (PIR) for CPV ranges from 4.7 % up to 7.4 %, while CCPV ranges from 6.7 % to 12 % for different climate conditions year-round. Finally, changing the setup configuration from CPV to CCPV increased the (PIR) 1.5 times during the summer tests and 1.7 times during the winter tests.

Evaluating the energy and economic performance of hybrid photovoltaic thermal system integrated with multiwalled carbon nanotubes enhanced phase change material

Photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems represent an advanced evolution of traditional photovoltaic (PV) modules designed to generate electrical and thermal energy simultaneously. However, achieving optimal and commercially viable performance from these systems remains challenging. To overcome this issue, in this research, multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) enhanced phase change materials (PCMs) integrated with PVT system to enhance electrical and thermal performance has been studied. An experimental investigation with three different configurations, PVT, PCM integrated PVT (PVTPCM), and MWCNT enhanced PCM integrated PVT (PVTNePCM) systems, was carried out under varying solar radiations and a water flow rate of 0.013–0.016 kg/s compared to conventional PV system. A two-step technique was employed to formulate the nanocomposites, and the energy performance of both PV and PVT systems assessed experimentally. The performance of PVTPCM and PVTNePCM systems was evaluated using the TRNSYS simulation technique. The formulated nanocomposite exhibited a 71.43% enhancement in thermal conductivity, a significant reduction in transmittance up to 92% and remained chemically and thermally stable. Integration of NePCM in the PVT system resulted in a notable decrease in panel temperature and a 25.03% increase in electrical efficiency compared to the conventional PV system. The highest performance ratio and overall efficiency for PVTNePCM were 0.55 and 81.62%, respectively, at a flow rate of 0.013 kg/s. The energy payback periods of PVTNePCM, PVTPCM, and PVT setup were 4.7, 4.8 and 5.6 years, respectively. Additionally, a significant improvement in thermal efficiency were observed for PVTPCM and PVTNePCM systems compared to water-based PVT systems, due to the energy stored in the thermal energy storage material.

Design and implementation of a solar power optimizer for module level power electronics application

AbstractPartial shading on series‐connected photovoltaic (PV) panels in conventional PV systems results in lower harvested power. To resolve this, it is vital to utilize module level power electronics (MLPE) such as Solar Power Optimizers (SPOs). This paper introduced a non‐isolated common ground non‐inverting output voltage buck‐boost converter as an SPO. Proposed converter benefits from continuous input and output currents which has a significant role in designing SPOs. Having a quadratic gain, beside acceptable step‐down range are other features of the converter. Operating principle, design, steady‐state, small‐signal analysis, and dynamic performance of proposed converter are included. Proposed converter is compared with other buck‐boost converters in terms of voltage gain, voltage stresses, continuous input and output current, and output polarity. To validate the performance of introduced converter, experimental results for a prototype with input voltage 24 V, output voltage 72 V for step‐up and 15 V for step‐down modes are given and results are examined. The maximum efficiency of the prototype is 93% and 89% for step‐up and step‐down modes, respectively. To evaluate the effect of proposed SPO for extracting maximum available power from PVs, simulation results of a grid connected PV system with two series connected SPOs is discussed.

Design of a Novel Hybrid Concentrated Photovoltaic–Thermal System Equipped with Energy Storages, Optimized for Use in Residential Contexts

Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) technology is based on the principle of concentrating direct sunlight onto small but very efficient photovoltaic (PV) cells. This approach allows the realization of PV modules with conversion efficiencies exceeding 30%, which is significantly higher than that of the flat panels. However, to achieve optimal performance, these modules must always be perpendicular to solar radiation; hence, they are mounted on high-precision solar trackers. This requirement has led to the predominant use of CPV technology in the construction of solar power plants in open and large fields for utility scale applications. In this paper, the authors present a novel approach allowing the use of this technology for residential installations, mounting the system both on flat and sloped roofs. Therefore, the main components of cell and primary lens have been chosen to contain the dimensions and, in particular, the thickness of the module. This paper describes the main design steps: thermal analysis allowed the housing construction material to be defined to contain cell working temperature, while with deep optical studies, experimentally validated main geometrical and functional characteristics of the CPV have been identified. The design of a whole CPV system includes thermal storage for domestic hot water and a 1 kWh electrical battery. The main design results indicate an estimated electrical conversion efficiency of 30%, based on a cell efficiency of approximately 42% under operational conditions and a measured optical efficiency of 74%. The CPV system has a nominal electric output of 550 Wp and can simultaneously generate 630 W of thermal power, resulting in an overall system efficiency of 65.5%. The system also boasts high optical acceptance angles (±0.6°) and broad assembly tolerances (±1 mm). Cost analysis reveals higher unit costs compared to conventional PV and CPV systems, but these become competitive when considering the benefit of excess thermal energy recovery and use by the end user.

An innovative approach to assessing and optimizing floating solar panels

Floating photovoltaic energy is an emerging solution to the need for decarbonization of the current society. It is currently in the early stages of implementation, so there are not many previous experiences to standardize decision-making and the most relevant operating parameters such as, the tilt angle of a fast as in conventional photovoltaics. In addition, the lack of specific design tools and production calculations for floating solar is a barrier to the correct understanding of the real advantages of floating solar versus conventional solar. From the point of view of the investment, the stakeholders do not have a complete analysis of the profitability of their investment. From a technical, environmental and legislative point of view, there is not enough information available to establish standards and criteria for the design and selection of the most suitable water bodies at local, regional or state level. This research aims to fill this gap by proposing a specific framework based on geographic information systems (GIS), multi-criteria analysis (MCDA) and intelligent optimization (Genetic Algorithm). The objective is to select within a set of water bodies those where the investment is most beneficial from a holistic perspective considering technical, economic, social, environmental, and legislative criteria. Once the optimal location is obtained, the framework obtains the tilt angles that minimize the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) by means of intelligent optimization techniques that evaluate the characteristics of each water body, such as location or available surface. The tilt angle obtained in this research achieves LCOE improvements of between 2.1% and 8.4% with respect to the tilt angle obtained by conventional methods applied to ground photovoltaics. Spain has been chosen as a case study as it is a region with a high solar potential and an even distribution of water bodies in which there is still no legislative framework in force.

Design and modeling of PV-integrated Double Skin Facades and application to retrofit buildings

Double Skin Façade (DSF) system comprises two glazing layers with a ventilated cavity. Integrating photovoltaic (PV) modules within the outer layer of DSFs offers an efficient method for electricity generation. Current tools for modeling and analyzing DSF systems are complex and resource-intensive, lacking the capability to evaluate the performance of innovative PV-DSF systems during the early design stage. This study develops a mathematical model to evaluate the electrical and thermal performance of PV-DSF systems, considering architectural design elements such as PV color and relative orientation. Based on an energy balance approach, the model is particularly suited for designing PV-DSF systems in heritage buildings, which often have color and relative orientation constraints. The model is applied to assess the performance of PV-DSF systems with conventional clear glass PV and colored front glass PV modules under the climatic conditions of Montreal, Canada. Results indicated that conventional clear glass PV module exhibit higher PV cell temperature than colored PV modules due to greater transmissivity, with peak temperature differences at noon of 5.5 °C, 6.2 °C, and 6.5 °C for orange, blue, and gray PV modules, respectively. On the contrary, the influence of PV's color front glass on room air temperature is non-significant. Furthermore, the optimal orientation for maximum energy yield is not always south-facing; it depends on the hourly distribution of the beam, diffuse solar irradiation, and ambient air temperature. For Montreal, west-facing DSFs produce more electrical and thermal energy on a summer design day because the hourly distribution of beam radiation is skewed towards afternoon hours.

Surface Modification of Cellulose Films By Dielectric Barrier Discharge for Organic Photovoltaics Encapsulation

Organic photovoltaics (OPV) are the third generation of solar cells and are more and more attractive for industrial applications. OPV present numerous advantages, such as flexibility, low cost, light weight, large-area production.[1,2] Nonetheless, OPV are not as efficient as the conventional crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells. Recently, power conversion efficiency (PCE) has reached 18% for OPV, while conventional PV remains around 30% [3]. In this sense, additional works are necessary to improve their processability. Moreover, components of OPV are highly sensitive to water or oxygen, which strongly affect OPV stability in time when used in harsh conditions. Therefore, development of new barrier coatings are today essential to reduce OPV degradation and increase their shelf life. According to the literature, encapsulation can be performed following three strategies: (i) glass-glass encapsulation, (ii) flexible polymer lamination and (iii) thin film direct deposition. Glass-glass encapsulation provides great protection, with good optical properties but it remains fragile and is not compatible with roll-to-roll processes. On the other hand, although, flexible polymer lamination is suitable for roll-to-roll processes, adhesion between the front and back barriers is still complex to deal with, leading sometimes to partial encapsulation, thus increasing OPV degradation. Finally, direct deposition allows to obtain thin films with excellent optical and oxygen and humidity barrier properties. To date, most of thin layers are synthesized under vacuum [1,2]. This work focus on the development new barrier coatings at atmospheric pressure, compatible with roll-to-roll processes using cellulose nanofibrils with excellent oxygen barrier properties [4]. Being hydrophilic, the surface of cellulose nanofibrils have been modified to improve the water barrier properties. Wettability modification (WCA ~ 140°) was successfully achieved with an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge to control the fragmentation/reticulation of 2,4,6,8-Tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (TMCTS).

The effect of place of living on social acceptance of shared PV projects in Switzerland

In Switzerland, solar power has the greatest potential to further advance the energy transition. As conventional rooftop PV excludes a large share of citizens from personally contributing to climate change mitigation, shared PV (photovoltaics) projects offer a more inclusive alternative, e.g. also for urban residents who are less likely to have the option to install solar panels on their own roof. Thus, investigating people’s preferences depending on the degree of urbanity of their place of residence is crucial to determine socially acceptable PV project designs. Using original Swiss survey data (N = 3000) and applying conjoint analysis, different preferences both depending on respondents’ place of living as well as for different dimensions of social acceptance are found. Most notably, big city residents are generally most in favour of such projects but they exhibit the lowest willingness to actually invest. The conjoint experiment showed that, regarding the DVs of project rating and project choice, only the reimbursement by credit vouchers significantly improved project acceptance for big city residents. This also holds true for rural residents, where, in addition, tax deductions (reimbursement), traffic infrastructure, large consumer roofs (location) and electricity provider were also positively evaluated. For the DV specifying the amount of PV modules bought, no project attribute level managed to significantly increase this number, for which only investment-reducing factors were identified: Residents from big cities invest less when a PV project is located in a skiing area or when the investment is made at an information event. For rural residents, large consumer roofs as a location decrease the scale of an investment. These factors should therefore be avoided when planning a shared PV project in order to maximise investments. Fulfilling respective preferences (i.e. according to projects’ place-based target group) may prove relevant to enhance social acceptance of shared PV projects.

Solar photovoltaic refrigeration system coupled with a flexible, cost-effective and high-energy-density chemisorption cold energy storage module

Owing to the environmental pollution and high costs associated with lead-acid batteries, this paper proposes a solar photovoltaic (PV) refrigeration system coupled with a flexible, cost-effective and high-energy-density chemisorption cold energy storage module. Its operation mode includes daytime solar PV refrigeration/cold energy charging mode and nighttime cold energy discharging mode. A novel composite sorbent SrCl2 is developed using expanded natural graphite as matrix and carbon coated aluminum as additive, exhibiting superior heat and mass transfer performance. A sorbent performance test bench is constructed, demonstrating that the cold energy storage density reaches 503.6 kJ/kg at an evaporating temperature of −15 °C, 1.5 times of ice storage. Compression-assisted desorption is adopted to regulate desorption temperature, so that 75–90 °C solar hot water from low-cost non-concentrating solar collectors can be utilized as the driving heat source. For an evaporating temperature of −10 °C and a solar hot water temperature of 90 °C, the electrical coefficient of performance for cold energy storage unit reaches 3.72, representing a 33 % improvement compared to conventional solar PV refrigeration systems. This novel system features characteristics such as low cost, high efficiency and eco-friendliness, offering a promising solution for solar refrigeration.

Transparent and Colorless Luminescent Solar Concentrators Based on ZnO Quantum Dots for Building-Integrated Photovoltaics.

Scientific interest in luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) has reemerged mainly due to the application of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) as highly efficient luminophores. Recently, LSCs have become attractive proposals for Building-Integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) since they could help conventional photovoltaics to improve sunlight harvesting and reduce production costs. However, most of the modern LSCs rely on heavy-metal QDs which are highly toxic and may cause environmental concerns. Additionally, their absorption spectra give them a characteristic color limiting their potential application in BIPV. Herein, we fabricated transparent and colorless LSCs by embedding nontoxic and cost-effective zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs) in a PMMA polymer matrix (ZnO-LSC), preserving the QD optical properties and PMMA transparency. The synthesized colloidal ZnO QDs have an average size of 5.5 nm, a hexagonal wurtzite crystalline structure, a broad yellow photoluminescent signal under ultraviolet excitation, and are highly visibly transparent at the employed concentrations (>95% in wavelengths above 400 nm). The optical characterization of the fabricated ZnO-LSCs showed a good visible transparency of 80.3% average visible transmission (AVT), with an LSC concentration factor (C) of 1.02. An optimal device (ZnO-LSC-O) could reach a C value of 2.66 with the combination of optical properties of colloidal ZnO QDs and PMMA. Finally, simulations of the performance of silicon solar cells coupled to the fabricated and optimal LSCs under standard AM 1.5G illumination were performed employing the software COMSOL Multiphysics. The fabricated ZnO-LSC achieved a simulated maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.80%, while the optimal ZnO-LSC-O reached 5.45%. Also, the ZnO-LSC generated a maximum power of 15.02 mW and the ZnO-LSC-O generated 40.33 mW, employing the same active area as the simulated solar cell directly illuminated, which generated 14.39 mW. These results indicate that the ZnO QD-based LSCs may be useful as transparent photovoltaic windows for BIPV applications.

Terahertz photon to dc current conversion via magnetic excitations of multiferroics

Direct conversion from terahertz photon to charge current is a key phenomenon for terahertz photonics. Quantum geometrical description of optical processes in crystalline solids predicts existence of field-unbiased dc photocurrent arising from terahertz-light generation of magnetic excitations in multiferroics, potentially leading to fast and energy-efficient terahertz devices. Here, we demonstrate the dc charge current generation from terahertz magnetic excitations in multiferroic perovskite manganites with spin-driven ferroelectricity, while keeping an insulating state with no free carrier. It is also revealed that electromagnon, which ranges sub-terahertz to 2 THz, as well as antiferromagnetic resonance shows the giant conversion efficiency. Polar asymmetry induced by the cycloidal spin order gives rise to this terahertz-photon-induced dc photocurrent, and no external magnetic and electric bias field are required for this conversion process. The observed phenomena are beyond the conventional photovoltaics in semi-classical regime and demonstrate the essential role of quantum geometrical aspect in low-energy optical processes. Our finding establishes a paradigm of terahertz photovoltaic phenomena, paving a way for terahertz photonic devices and energy harvesting.

Influence of Silica Oxide Nanofluid for Different Concentrations on Photovoltaic Cell

Photovoltaic (PV) cells, a renewable fuel, are widely employed. A conventional PV cell also loses efficiency as the temperature rises. This research addresses this issue by cooling the PV cell with nanofluid, specifically SiO2 and distilled water. Applying SiO2 nanofluid experimentally using a real experimental setup is hoped to cool the PV cell’s surface as it becomes heated. This research aims to use distilled water and various concentrations of SiO2 nanofluid, such as 0.1 wt%, 0.2 wt%, and 0.3 wt% on Photovoltaic Cell and flow rate of 2 LPM and a radiation rate of 800 W/m2. ANSYS is used to confirm experimental results by using SiO2 as a nanofluid to lower the PV cell’s temperature and boost its thermal efficiency. The experiment’s findings demonstrated that utilizing nanofluid as a coolant boosted the PV cell’s thermal efficiency and decreased its temperature. Results showed that the thermal efficiency increased with the use of nanofluid as a coolant and with increasing mass concentration. Thermal efficiency values for distilled water, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% SiO2 were 35.56%, 79.91%, 91.04%, and 104.01%, respectively. This study also discovered that SiO2 works better in terms of cooling the PV cell than normal fluid because of its higher thermal conductivity. The experimental and numerical data show the same decline in PV cell surface temperature and thermal efficiency, unlike the computational results.

Improved Land Use Efficiency Through Spectral Beam Splitting in Agrivoltaic Farms

Installing photovoltaic (PV) collectors above arable land (Agrivoltaics) can aid with the shortage of available land area for solar power generation and food production. Most open field agrivoltaics are based on opaque PV devices which absorb photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400-700 nm), reducing crop yield and increasing variability in light distribution across the field. This research evaluates the performance of spectral beam splitter integrated photovoltaic (BSIPV) modules using a PV performance model. A high percentage (66 %) of PAR incident on the spectral beam splitter is transmitted effectively to the plants, while the near infrared radiation (NIR, > 700 nm) is reflected to the adjacent bifacial opaque photovoltaic module to generate power. In the model, seven rows of modules were placed uniformly across the field at a height of four meters from the ground. Considering a cool season (November – March) in Yuma, Arizona, in a conventional opaque PV agrivoltaic farm received 43 % lower total daylight integral (TDLI) across the season in comparison to open field with a coefficient of variation (ratio of standard deviation to mean expressed in percentage) of 56 % in TDLI across the field. On the other hand, the BSIPV agrivoltaic farm limited the drop in TDLI to 7 % in comparison to open field and the coefficient of variation to 14 % across the field. Thus, BSIPV showed a 36 % improvement in TDLI relative to the conventional opaque PV agrivoltaic farm. The results of the current study justify further research on the proposed collector concept.

Enhancing Photovoltaic Performance with BaTiO3/MWCNTs Composite Photoelectrodes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted renewed research interest as a potential low-cost substitute for conventional silicon photovoltaics. This work aims to improve the photovoltaic performance of the DSSCs by incorporating multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into the BaTiO3 photoelectrode. The pure BaTiO3 and BaTiO3/MWCNT nanocomposites were sensitized with N719 dye and fabricated into solar cell devices for testing. The structural characterization confirmed the successful formation of the nanocomposite with an optimal dispersion at 6% of MWCNT incorporation, beyond which agglomeration effects manifested. The optical analysis verified the modulation of defect states and bandgap engineering induced by the MWCNT network. The morphological studies revealed irregular nanoparticle clusters with embedded nanotubes. Solar cell testing under AM1.5G-simulated sunlight demonstrated a peak power conversion efficiency of 4.044% for 6% of MWCNT doping, constituting a 6-fold increment versus pure BaTiO3 (0.693%). It originated from the simultaneous enhancements in the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current enabled by the favorable band structure alterations and percolation-assisted charge transport. However, further increasing MWCNT content deteriorated the device metrics, owing to emerging limitations like trapping. The rational integration of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with lead-free ferroelectric metal oxides can contribute to the development of emerging organic-inorganic hybrid solar platforms.

Performance Potential for Locally Contacted Perovskite Solar Cells

In perovskite solar cells (PSCs), a common characteristic of highly effective interface passivation materials is low conductivity. Gains in voltage are thus often disproportionately offset by resistive losses. Local contact approaches can minimize this trade‐off and have a proven track record in conventional silicon photovoltaics. Indeed, recent record efficiencies for centimeter‐scale PSCs exploit architectures where the passivation layer partially covers the perovskite‐transport layer interface. Herein, a three‐dimensional numerical device model is used to determine practical performance limits to local contact geometries and consider both the optimum contact dimensions and the trade‐offs involved in relaxing these dimensions for ease of fabrication. It is observed that the potential for substantial power conversion efficiency (PCE) increases with local contacts. In devices where power loss occurs solely through recombination at the contacted interface, PCE can be enhanced by up to 10% absolute compared to a full‐area contact. However, optimum PCEs depend on contacts on the order of nanometers. It is shown that more fabrication‐friendly micrometer‐scale contacts still boost PCE, but the absolute enhancement falls short due to the relatively low bulk perovskite charge carrier diffusion length. This may ultimately motivate methods of interface engineering that produce “effective” local contact geometries at nanometer scales, such as via self‐forming layers.

Performance enhancement of nanofluid-based photovoltaic/thermal system with a novel finned multi-block container of phase change material in the summer season of northern India

This study describes the outdoor experiments conducted on a photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system during the summer months of May and June in the year 2023, in northern India. The main goal of this paper is to reduce the temperature of a photovoltaic (PV) module for effective thermal regulation by implementing a hybrid cooling strategy in a PV/T system. This is achieved by integrating two techniques: multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)-water nanofluid as the working fluid for active cooling and paraffin wax as the phase change material (PCM) for passive cooling. Therefore, the present study aims to design, fabricate, and test an innovative thermal collector with a multi-block finned absorber plate positioned beneath the PV module to promote uniform heat transfer distribution and mitigate temperature stratification within each PCM block. The proposed PV/T-PCM system's performance is assessed from energetic, exergetic, economic, and environmental standpoints compared to the PV/T system and conventional PV module. The present study also examines the impact of different concentrations (0.1–0.2 %) of MWCNT and volumetric flow rates (0.5–1.5 l/min) of both water and nanofluids as heat transfer fluids. It is shown that a desirable flow rate of 1.5 l/min yields the most favorable outcomes. The PV/T-PCM (0.2 %) system has been found to exhibit the highest levels of energetic and exergetic electrical and thermal efficiencies, with reported values of 13.25 %, 65 %, 12.81 %, and 1.66 %, respectively. The economic assessment demonstrates that the proposed PV/T-PCM system, integrating water and nanofluid, results in cost savings of 17.41 % and 19.63 % compared to a traditional uncooled PV system. In the context of environmental sustainability, the highest net CO2 mitigation is estimated to be 18.01 tons for the nanofluid-based PV/T-PCM system. Thus, the results confirm that the proposed PV/T-PCM (0.2 %) system, incorporating a hybrid cooling technique, achieves optimal performance.

Environmental and economic impacts of photovoltaic integration in concentrated solar power plants

This study conducted an environmental and economic assessment of an innovative hybrid energy generation system, a CSP+ plant, which integrates photovoltaic (PV) panels in a concentrated solar power (CSP) setup. The CSP+ concept uses a beam splitter that transmits part of the incident solar spectrum towards the PV cells for electricity generation and reflects ultraviolet and infrared light to the receiver tube for heating. This system allows more efficient use of solar radiation in a compact system with optimal efficiency.The environmental impacts were assessed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, focusing on the climate change impact category. The economic impacts were calculated using the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and the levelized cost of heat (LCOH). Both assessments considered a cradle-to-grave perspective in three scenarios (SC). SCI considered only electricity generation, while SCII involved the combined production of electricity and heat. These scenarios were compared to conventional CSP and PV technologies (SCIII) and benchmark values from the literature.The LCA results showed SCII was the most preferable: the impacts on climate change were reduced by up to 83% for electricity production and up to 97% for heat production compared to benchmark values. In SCII, the LCOE and the LCOH in the CSP+ plant were lower than the average benchmark values, with reductions of up to 70% for electricity and 40% for heat. The sensitivity analysis showed that the environmental performance was strongly influenced by the operating lifetime. For economic performance, the weighted cost of capital was the most influential factor.

A review of recent advances of kesterite thin films based on magnesium, iron and nickel for photovoltaic application: insights into synthesis, characterization and optoelectronic properties

Abstract This review emphasizes the recent advancements and prospects of thin-film kesterite-based photovoltaic (PV) applications using magnesium, iron and nickel. The quest for novel materials employed in solar cells has resulted in incorporating these elements into the composition of kesterite as substitutes or modifiers (dopants) for zinc. This integration has induced notable repercussions on the structural, optoelectronics and morphological properties, which are reviewed. The first section of this paper offers a comprehensive review of the general characteristics of kesterite minerals. These crucial materials exhibit a high absorption coefficient (104 cm–1) and an optical band gap of 1.0–1.8 eV. Moreover, they are free of critical raw materials, non-toxic and sustainable. The second section depicts the substitution or modification of zinc by magnesium in kesterite. Additionally, this paper provides a comprehensive review of the quaternary and pentanary systems Cu2MgSn(S,Se)4 and Cu2Zn1–xMgxSnS4, highlighting their advantages and drawbacks. In the last section, a review of the quaternary or pentanary systems is conducted, namely Cu2ZnxFe1–xSnS4 and Cu2ZnxNi1–xSnS4, along with their effects on optoelectronic properties. In conclusion, various methods for obtaining modified or substituted kesterite materials using magnesium, iron and nickel have demonstrated sustainability, scalability for industrial production and potential candidacy as substitutes for conventional PV materials. The prospects for pentanary materials (Cu2Zn1‑xMgxSnS4, Cu2Zn1‑xFexSnS4 and Cu2Zn1‑xNixSnS4) are to overcome the efficiency record of kesterite reported in 2014, which was 12.6 % for Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4, and to enhance its optoelectronic properties through synthesis conditions that comply with the principles of green chemistry.

Strategy for Enhancing Hosting Capacity of Distribution Lines Using a Vertical Photovoltaic System

Renewable energy sources are being increasingly deployed to achieve carbon neutrality, thereby boosting photovoltaic (PV) system adoptions. Accordingly, vertical PV systems designed for specific installations have been developed. We propose a strategy to enhance the PV hosting capacity of a connected distribution line (DL) by combining vertical installations with modules facing east-west and conventional PV systems with modules facing south at an installation angle of approximately 30°. The data were obtained from a real testbed located in South Korea, which is situated in a mid-latitude region. We analyzed the generation patterns of vertical and combined PV systems (vertical and conventional) to enhance the hosting capacity. The results showed that vertical PV combination ratios of 40–60% effectively flattened the peak generation curve. Additionally, the DL hosting capacity improved by 40% under real-world conditions. In an actual industrial scenario, the system feasibility was validated to be within the voltage maintenance range and thermal capacity of lines in South Korea, indicating that this approach can mitigate the need for additional line installations and renewable energy curtailments. Furthermore, the issue of Duck Curves in the power grid can be addressed by smoothing the power production of the PV systems, particularly during low-demand periods.