Installation Of Photovoltaic Panels Research Articles

Impact of freeway slope photovoltaic panels on drivers: A study based on driving simulator

Aiming at the impact of freeway slope photovoltaic construction on driving safety, a driving simulator experiment was carried out. By designing eight slope photovoltaic schemes under varying sunlight conditions and road alignment parameters, we recruited 35 drivers to collect detailed driving behavior data. Seven driving indicators were selected to develop an evaluation index system. Statistical analysis was conducted to compare driver behavioral performance under eight slope photovoltaic schemes. The findings reveal that the installation of photovoltaic panels on freeway slopes significantly affects driving behavior. Specifically, the driver's speed and degree of steering wheel angle decreased significantly, while acceleration increased significantly on straight alignment. The standard deviation of driver speed, acceleration and standard deviation of acceleration significantly reduced, while the degree of steering wheel angle and the depth of the gas pedal significantly increased when photovoltaic panels were laid on the side slopes on curved road sections. In addition, different curve radius, the impact of photovoltaic panels on acceleration and degree of steering wheel turning angle were different. There is a significant effect of installing side slope photovoltaic panels on driver acceleration, standard deviation of acceleration and degree of steering wheel turning angle in curved sections with different curve radius. Under different sunlight conditions, the impact of photovoltaic panels on the degree of steering wheel angle were also different. The actual setup needs to take into account the impact of different road alignments on drivers. The is study provided theoretical support for the installation of freeway slope photovoltaic panels.

Examining the northern region of Iraq and the imperative for establishing photovoltaic power stations

The construction of a photovoltaic (PV) plant in the Iraqi province of Salah al-Din marks a significant step towards enhancing the region's energy infrastructure and transitioning towards sustainable, renewable energy sources. The project aims to harness the abundant solar resources in the area to generate clean and reliable electricity, contributing to both environmental sustainability and energy security. The chosen location, Salah al-Din province, is strategically positioned to receive ample sunlight, making it an ideal site for a photovoltaic installation. This solar plant is expected to have a considerable impact on the local energy landscape by diversifying the energy mix and reducing reliance on conventional, non-renewable sources. The construction process involves the installation of photovoltaic panels designed to capture and convert solar radiation into electricity. These panels, often mounted on support structures, form an array that maximizes exposure to sunlight. The energy generated by the PV plant is then fed into the local power grid, supplementing the existing energy supply. The benefits of this solar initiative extend beyond environmental considerations. The project is likely to create employment opportunities during the construction phase, boosting the local economy. Additionally, the operation of the photovoltaic plant will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with global efforts to combat climate change. Furthermore, the PV plant in Salah al-Din exemplifies Iraq's commitment to embracing renewable energy solutions as part of its sustainable development agenda. As the world transitions towards cleaner energy sources, projects like these play a crucial role in meeting the growing energy demand while mitigating the environmental impact associated with traditional energy generation. In conclusion, the construction of a photovoltaic plant in Salah al-Din energy a represents infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and energy resilience for the Iraqi province and contributing to the broader global shift towards clean and sustainable energy systems.

Increase of landscape ecosystem services generated by agrivoltaics systems

UN estimated that the world population will probably grow by 75% in 2050. This will press food and energy production to satisfy human needs. In recent years, the agricultural and energy sectors have been in competition for land use, as many arable lands have been changed in photovoltaic (PV) farms with a loss of food production and ecosystem services. Indeed, in many PV farms the flora is ruderal, with the prevalence of nitrophilous-type plants, and requires frequent mowing with a cost for the companies to prevent panel shading and reduce fire risk. The agrivoltaics system represents a new frontier for renewable energy policy, by associating energy production with food security. The agrivoltaics system combines the PV panels installation with the possibility to develop crop production under them. This provides a new perspective of vegetation management in the agrivoltaics field, mainly allowing to replace invasive plants (passive vegetation management) into crop production (active vegetation management). This allows the implementation of food production and raw material, besides the improvement of ecosystem services provisioning. In this study, we estimated the ecosystem services increase by three agricultural scenarios of agrivoltaics systems, such as vegetables vegetation and woods vegetation. The results show that these potential solutions can give the possibility to generate new economic activities in agrivoltaics farms with potential benefits from a local scale (e.g., cultural services) to a global one (e.g., regulation services). In the agrivoltaics system, the provisioning of ecosystem services is deviated by the feedback of agricultural knowledge, PV technologies and vegetation development. They represent Innovativebased Solutions creating more landscape and environmental externality for human needs through multifunctional land use.

Using the Erratic Application of Solar Photovoltaic Panel Installations to Power Agricultural Submersible Pumps in Deep Wells in Order to Extend Productive Times and Boost Water Production

Due to the surge in oil prices, alternative energy sources, like solar power, are being explored to meet energy demands. Solar power is utilized in various industries, including agriculture. In Iraq and other developed countries, solar power is actively being developed due to the abundance of solar radiation. In agriculture, solar standalone pump systems with variable-speed drives are used. Electric motors operate at different speeds depending on the availability of sunlight. Inverters convert this solar energy from direct current to alternating current, enabling the powering of motors with a fixed voltage per frequency ratio and regulating motor current consumption. The variation in motor speed affects hydraulic pump efficiency and water productivity, making it crucial to optimize solar energy utilization in agriculture. The angle of inclination greatly affects the effectiveness of solar panels. The optimal tilt angle depends on location, latitude, season, and time of day. Adjusting this angle based on these factors maximizes power output. Innovative installation methods are being employed to enhance the benefits of solar power, reduce costs, and optimize sunlight capture. These methods drive sustainable development in various industries, including agriculture.

ENERGY PERFORMANCE-BASED RETROFIT OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN ALBANIA USING MASS-HOUSING TYPOLOGIES AS CASE STUDIES

Introduction: The study is focused on the analysis of the energy performance of mass-housing residential buildings in Albania and further evaluation of the opportunities for energy retrofit of these buildings. Currently, in Albania, energy performance evaluation is mandatory for newly constructed buildings, but there are no approaches that would address the existing building stock. Methods: The goal of this study is to evaluate apartment buildings of the communist period in Tirana and Shkodra and apply a number of passive and active retrofit strategies, which are appropriate in the Mediterranean climate conditions. Results and Discussion: Improvement of thermal conductivity and energy balance can be achieved through the additional insulation of the buildings’ walls and roofs and window replacement, installation of photovoltaic panels and energy-efficient lighting. The application of passive strategies reduces energy losses in Tirana by 56% and in Shkodra— by 57%. Conclusions: Installation of photovoltaic panels can meet cooling and lighting demands during the warm period; however, their contribution during the wintertime is insufficient to satisfy heating demands.

Forecasting solar energy production: A comparative study of machine learning algorithms

The use of solar energy has been rapidly expanding as a clean and renewable energy source, with the installation of photovoltaic panels on homes, businesses, and large-scale solar farms. The increasing demand for sustainable energy sources has pushed the growth of the solar industry, as well as advancements in technology, making solar panels more efficient and cost-effective. The implementation of solar energy not only reduces our reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels but also helps to mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing carbon emissions. This paper presents a complete and comparative study of solar energy production forecasting in Morocco using six machine learning (ML) algorithms : Support Vector Regression (SVR), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), Generalized Additive Model (GAM) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBOOST), based on Solar Power Plant daily data installed in Benguerir city of Morocco between January and December 2022. The models were trained, tested, and then evaluated. In order to assess the models performance four metrics were used in this study, namely root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute scaled error (MASE)and R-squared (R2). The performance of the models reveals ANN to be the most effective predictive model for energy forecasting in similar cases with the lowest value of RMSE, MSAE and the highest value of R-squared, which are accepted as one of the most important performance criteria by the ANN model. The findings of this study not only validate the effectiveness of the ANN algorithm but also offer the appropriate parameters for achieving the best results in predicting solar energy production. By identifying the optimal configuration of the ANN algorithm, we provide valuable insights that can be directly applied in real-world applications, thereby enhancing the optimization of solar energy systems and contributing to a sustainable future, particularly the integration of these results in an edge device for the predictive maintenance of photovoltaic power plants.

Analysis of the azimuth angles of a medium-scale PV system in non-ideal positions for roof application

The installation of photovoltaic (PV) panels on building roofs has seen a significant increase in recent years due to the rising cost of conventional energy sources. This shift towards renewable energy sources has been driven by the urgent need to mitigate the effects of climate change. PV applications is one of the most sustainable and cleanest sources of renewable energy, producing no greenhouse gas emissions during operation. By reducing reliance on fossil fuels, the use of PV panels can help to reduce carbon emissions and lower the overall carbon footprint of buildings. In addition to the environmental benefits, the installation of PV panels can also provide economic benefits, such as reduced energy costs and increased property value. In the past, installations were mostly made in the direction of the south, but now the roofs of the buildings facing west, east, and even north are also considered for PV panel installations. In this study, a grid-connected PV system with an installed power of 148 kWp at the Konya Technical University (KTUN) campus is modeled by PVsyst software. The PV systems' performance on building roofs oriented in different geographical directions (north, south, east, and west) with a 30° fixed tilt angle was investigated. In the modeling, the solar irradiation coming to the surfaces of the PV panels, electricity production values, performance ratios, and their economic feasibility were calculated. The highest effective irradiation value on the panel surface was obtained from the system facing south, found as 1964.4 kWh/m². It is 20.77%, 22.87%, and 73.48% higher than the solar irradiation obtained at -90°, +90°, and 180° azimuth angles, respectively. It is concluded that the electricity generation amounts of PV systems highly depend on the azimuth angle. Similarly, the highest annual electricity production was obtained from the system installed in the 0° azimuth angle found as 254.77 MWh. The annual total electricity generation is 19.66%, 22.55%, and 69.41% higher in systems modeled toward the east, west, and north, respectively. Performance ratio, defined as the ratio of radiation coming to the panel surface and the electricity produced, has relative values between 0.843 and 0.862 for four different azimuth angles. Furthermore, as an economic analysis, the Basic Payback Period (BPP) of the projects was found as 6.92 years, 4.08 years, 4.88 years, and 5.00 years for the systems modeled in the north, south, east, and west directions, respectively. It can be concluded that the most suitable orientation is south, and the other two directions, east, and west, can also be considered feasible.

Energy-efficient smart solar system cooling for real-time dynamic weather changes in mild-climate regions

With changes in climatic conditions, the performance of photovoltaic power plant installations fluctuates, mainly due to excessive heat. The question of their efficient cooling comes to the fore, especially direct cooling, either by cooling media or air. Here, it is proven that the active cooling of photovoltaic panels leads to an increase in the performance, but the overall costs may exceed the benefits (especially for smaller/household installations). Moreover, in conventional approaches, increasing efficiency does not take into account sudden weather changes in the areas that have long been considered stable, such as the temperate climate zone. The proposed solution addresses the maximum number of parameters that can affect the cooling efficiency and introduces effortless rapid decision making system to ensure whether the conditions for active smart cooling are met or not. Parameters such as the amount of cooling medium (rainwater), its temperature, flow control, panel temperature, and the current prediction of local weather conditions based on the rapid changes in barometric pressure are monitored and then used for intelligent automation. By implementing efficient cooling system control that has to evaluate series of input parameters in real-time it was experimentally verified that the performance of photovoltaic panel installation using the spray cooling control system achieves average performance improvement of 14%.

Agrivoltaic: A Strategic Assessment Using SWOT and TOWS Matrix

New strategies and market segments considering integrated approaches have emerged as critical components in the energy transition. Agrivoltaics is one approach that has shown a lot of promise for offering advantages in the food-energy-water nexus. The agrivoltaic system involves the installation of photovoltaic panels above agricultural lands to generate electricity while also allowing for crop production. The paper “SWOT and TOWS Matrix Analysis of Agrivoltaic System” comprehensively analyses the potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) associated with implementing an agrivoltaic system. This study utilizes a SWOT analysis framework to identify and evaluate the internal and external factors that could impact the implementation and success of the agrivoltaic system. A TOWS matrix analysis is also conducted to formulate strategic recommendations based on the identified SWOT factors. The analysis results reveal that the agrivoltaic system has numerous strengths, including its potential to generate renewable energy, increase crop yield, and provide economic benefits to farmers. However, the system also faces several weaknesses and threats, such as high initial investment costs, land use conflicts, and potential environmental impacts. Based on the TOWS matrix analysis, this study provides strategic recommendations to maximize the potential of the agrivoltaic system while mitigating its weaknesses and threats. These recommendations include adopting a flexible pricing strategy, researching the system’s environmental impact, promoting collaboration between various stakeholders like government agencies, farmers, and energy service companies. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the potential of agrivoltaic systems and the factors that should be considered when implementing such a system. The findings can help stakeholders make informed decisions and take appropriate actions to ensure the integration of agrivoltaic systems into agricultural practices.

Retractable roof module with photovoltaic panel as small solar power plant

The use of building-integrated photovoltaic (PV) systems in the form of retractable roofs is an alternative option to existing installations without tracking systems (NT) or horizontal single-axis tracking systems (HSAT). This paper presents a retractable roofing module intended for the installation of PV panels. The main objective of this study is to identify modern solutions for these systems in terms of geometry and kinematics, which would allow the displacement of the roof slopes to follow the trajectory of the Sun during the day. This study is based on the parametric modelling and virtual prototyping of engineering objects. A moveable roof module is obtained, which, in addition to its function of shading and protection from rainfall, serves as a small movable solar power plant. The structure of the roof module is based on the construction of a mechanism comprising three revolute kinematic pairs and one prismatic kinematic pair, whose movement is strictly defined. The roof comprised three moving slopes of the same length. One of the slopes is designed for the installation of a PV panel; it moves according to the Sun to obtain maximum energy gains. For an adopted PV panel length of 1.0a, the maximum roof covering space is 2.69a. An analysis of the natural lighting for the panel following the Sun was performed, and the angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal plane was determined. The inclination of the panel ranges from +80º to –75º. In the case analysed, the HSAT delivers approximately 16% more energy than the NT system. The adaptation of retractable roofs with PV panels enables the optimal use of space around buildings, which are occupied by fixed or moveable installations with PV panels.

Effects of photovoltaic power station construction on terrestrial ecosystems: A meta-analysis

The rapid increase in construction of solar photovoltaic power stations (SPPs) has motivated ecologists to understand how these stations affect terrestrial ecosystems. Comparing study sites, effects are often not consistent, and a more systematic assessment of this topic remains lacking. Here, we evaluated the effects of SPP construction on carbon emissions, edaphic variables, microclimatic factors and vegetation characteristics in a meta-analysis. We employed log response ratios (as effect sizes) to assess how control plots differed from those beneath solar photovoltaic panels. We found that SPP construction decreased the local air temperature and photosynthetically active radiation, while increasing air humidity, especially in grasslands. Furthermore, plant aboveground biomass and vegetation cover were also enhanced by SPP construction in grassland ecosystems. In farmland ecosystems, photovoltaic panel installation increased plant aboveground biomass, soil available phosphorus and soil pH, while reducing CO2 flux, plant species richness and vegetation cover in woodlands. Thus, while SPP construction had profound ecological impacts in terrestrial ecosystems, the direction and strength of these effects were largely dependent on ecosystem type. Most studies of SPP construction to date have focused on local microclimatic and plant diversity effects, but few studies have examined effects on ecosystem functions and services. Future assessments are needed of both the benefits and disbenefits of SPP construction across different ecosystems, to improve SPP site selection and adaptive management.

Advanced phase change hydrogel integrating metal-organic framework for self-powered thermal management

With increasing global installation of photovoltaic panels and more complex functionalities of smart electronic devices, a fundamental problem in photovoltaic conversion and electronic device operation is massive heat generation, which severely reduces energy utilization efficiency and service life. Herein, we proposed a self-powered thermal management strategy integrating metal-organic framework (MOF) and liquid-gas phase change hydrogel ((Poly (vinyl alcohol)/CaCl2·6H2O, PVA/CH), which is much beyond traditional solid-liquid phase change materials in phase change enthalpy. Benefiting from the self-adaptive capability of MOF, MOF@PVA/CH bilayer was capable of efficiently evaporating water molecules with a rate of ∼0.90 kg m−2 h−1 at higher temperature and capturing water molecules with a rate of 0.21 g g−1 from the surrounding humid air at lower temperature for self-regeneration. Specifically, this self-adaptive passive cooling strategy tremendously boosted the thermal management efficiency of the simulative heater, and reduced the surface temperature of solar cell by 18 ℃. Our proposed approach provides a promising reference for achieving high cooling efficiency, low-energy consumption, and self-powered thermal management for thermo-related devices.

Techno-Economic Analysis of Selected PV-BWRO Desalination Plants in the Context of the Water–Energy Nexus for Low–Medium-Income Countries

Jordan was late in adopting seawater and brackish water desalination as a source until the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, ongoing studies are still discussing the technical, economic, and socio-political aspects of brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) desalination plants. In this study, the water–energy nexus was considered, in order to highlight the main challenges facing BWRO desalination. We discuss the use of photovoltaic (PV) technology, together with BWRO desalination, as an approach to compensate for ecological, financial, and social challenges in Jordan. For this purpose, the performance of nine existing BWRO desalination plants in the agricultural, domestic, and industrial sectors is assessed. The water performance is assessed based on water consumption, safe yield extraction, plant recovery rate (R, %), and compliance to local and international water quality standards; the Specific Energy Consumption (SEC, kWh/m3) is taken as the main evaluation criterion to assess the energy performance of the BWRO desalination plants; and economic performance is assessed based on the overall cost of water produced per cubic meter (USD/m3). The main environmental component is the brine disposal management practice utilized by each plant. Based on this assessment, the main challenges in BWRO desalination are the unsustainable patterns of water production, mismanaged energy performance, low recovery rates, and improper brine disposal. The challenges in domestic and industrial BWRO desalination, which are completely dependent on the electricity grid, are associated with critical energy and costs losses, as reflected by the high SEC values (in the range of 2.7–5.6 kWh/m3) and high water costs per cubic meter (0.60–1.18 USD/m3). As such, the use of PV solar panels is suggested, in order to reduce the electricity consumption of the assessed BWRO plants. The installation of PV panels resulted in significantly reduced energy costs (by 69–74%) and total costs (by 50–54%), compared with energy costs from the electricity grid, over the lifetime of the assessed BWRO desalination plants.

Photovoltaic power prediction for solar micro-grid optimal control

In a solar micro-grid, a hybrid renewable energy system generates electricity for a building’s onsite use. The battery storage and the main power grid connection are used to facilitate the matching between the demand and production. To control energy flows optimally, an accurate day-ahead prediction of the photovoltaic (PV) panels output is required. However, this is a challenging task due to the fluctuating nature of solar radiation availability. The accuracy of the prediction is influenced by the modelling method and input parameters. In this study, the measured power and weather data is gathered from an experimental installation of PV panels to predict PV output for a 24-hours horizon in 15 min intervals. The multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) methods are considered in the prediction modelling and compared using performance indicators. The micro-inverter technology is used to gather the individual PV panel output in addition to the overall system output. The results show that the modelling methods have different accuracy performances and the ANN model built with the individual PV output data results in the highest accuracy. Utilizing the micro-inverter technology leads to an advantage of having more accurate PV prediction for the control purpose.

Development and economic viability analysis of photovoltaic (PV) energy powered decentralized ultrafiltration of rainwater for potable use

This paper approaches long-term experiments for the treatment of rainwater by ultrafiltration (UF) followed by chlorination to produce potable water The water produced met the standards of drinking water in terms of physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters (coliforms and E. coli). The UF (50 kDa) hollow fiber membrane achieved a high permeate flux (135 L h−1 m−2). The use of photovoltaic (PV) energy was evaluated to energize the proposed system for small, medium, and large-scale building catchment areas for rainwater. The economic assessment shows that a water cost of 0.17 US$ m−3, 0.10 US$ m−3, and 0.05 US$ m−3 for 230 m2, 2300 m2, and 11,500 m2 of rooftop areas, respectively, without a PV power source. With the installation of PV panels as the source of power, similar water costs were found, 0.13 US$ m−3, 0.10 US$ m−3, and 0.04 US$ m−3 for 230 m2, 2300 m2, and 11,500 m2, respectively. The results demonstrate that treatment of rainwater using UF followed by chlorination powered by renewable energy (PV) is a technical and economical alternative to supply drinking water through decentralized systems.

Effect of shading determined by photovoltaic panels installed above the vines on the performance of cv. Corvina (Vitis vinifera L.)

Agrivoltaic (AV) is a new concept integrating both the production of agricultural crops and electric power on the same land area through the installation of photovoltaic panels some meters above the soil surface and the crop canopy. In the present situation of energy demand from renewable sources, agrivoltaic systems with vines and/or fruit trees under the photovoltaic panels has still received poor attention. On the basis of this lack, the present 3-year study (2017–2019) aimed to investigate the effects of photovoltaic panels on grapevines of variety Corvina (Vitis vinifera L.). In particular, the experiment was carried out in a vineyard located in Northern Italy, Veneto region, with the Corvina (Vitis vinifera L.) grape variety and the effects of shading by the panels on both physiological activities and vine performances were analyzed. Photovoltaic panels reduced both air and soil maximum temperature by 1–2 °C. Vine transpiration on early morning was 0.83–0.90 in AV vs. 1.03–1.21 mmol H2O m−2s−1 in full sun (FS) vines, whereas at midday values were significantly higher in AV vines (0.56–0.65) with respect to FS vines (0.38–0.44 mmol H2O m−2s−1). Photosynthesis followed the same pattern with values significantly higher in the FS vines at morning (9.34–11.03 μmol CO2m−2s−1) with respect to AV vines (5.24–6–84 CO2m−2s−1), and the opposite was detected at midday, with 1.57–3.05 μmol CO2m−2s−1 in AV vines and 0.58–2.05 μmol CO2m−2s−1 in FS vines. The stem water potential was significantly reduced (less negative) by shading of the panels both at morning and at midday of values around 1–6 MPa thus indicating less stressful conditions for AV vines. The photovoltaic panels affected the microclimate of the vineyard (lower air and soil temperature, higher soil matric potential) in the three seasons. Vine productivity parameters (yield, cluster number and weight) were influenced to a limited extent; anthocyanins, TSS and polyphenols were reduced in grape must from AV vines. These findings show that the panels affect the vines microclimate and physiology and that yield reductions under AV are observed, but under hot and dry weather conditions results could be very interesting either for energy or fruit production. Further experiments need to be conducted in such environmental conditions also in the perspectives of the climate change.

Assessment of advantages and limitations of installing PV on abandoned dumps

The feedback of international practice shown that the installation of photovoltaic (PV) parc on the dumps is one of the best environmental and economic solutions. However, the number of projects is still very limited comparing to the identified potential. This paper addresses site selection criteria for landfill PV installation, particularly in relation to mining hazards. For installing the PV, different environmental, technical and economic criteria should be respected. The slope of the dumps appears as the main constraint for the installation of photovoltaic panels. In addition, specific foundation systems should be considered to ensure long-terms safety and security. The paper presents several examples of installation of photovoltaic panels on coal-lignite dumps in France.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Decision to Use Solar Energy and Install Photovoltaic Panels in Households in the Years 2019–2021 within the Area of a Selected Polish Municipality

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.

Photovoltaic potential estimation for various surface components of urban residential buildings based on Industry Foundation Classes data

AbstractInstalling photovoltaic (PV) equipment on the building's surface reduces greenhouse gas emissions and additional land acquisition. However, existing methods for estimating PV potential primarily focus on roofs and the assessment of facades and windows is not detailed. This study proposes a method based on the Building Information Model and its standard Industry Foundation Classes to effectively estimate the potential area and location of PV modules on the building's surface and explore the PV potential in detail. The method was applied to residential buildings in Xinyi County, China, and the results show that the annual average energy generated through windows (47,589.793 kWh/year), roofs (141,126.304 kWh), and facades (284,060.393 kWh) constitute a significant amount, particularly the facades, which show significant potential as sources of solar electricity even under the influence of shadows. The rationality and feasibility of this method were verified by comparing it with ArcGIS and other relevant studies available in the literature. Next, we assessed whether the installation of PV panels on the building's surface still has certain operability under the serious shadows. For this purpose, a building with serious shadow shading was selected to analyze the demand and supply of energy. The electricity consumption of the selected building was found to be 131,785.898 kWh/year, which is significantly lower than PV potential (310,632.775 kWh/year), as calculated in this study. Thus, the efficient use of the building's surface for PV generation can meet not only the local electrical energy demand but also the excess energy generated can be sold for economic gain. The method proposed can provide new insights to energy software designers and developers, and the results can provide a reference for energy investors, building owners, and engineers to focus on the installation of PV panels on facades and windows, and formulate complex schemes of PV modules on different building components.

Feasibility of solar tracking and fixed topologies considering the estimated degradation and performance of photovoltaic panels

Solar tracking maximizes the amount of electricity generated by photovoltaic (PV) panels throughout the day. Nevertheless, it is necessary to understand the effects of the topology on the degradation of PV modules. Thus, a methodology is described in this paper to predict changes in the degradation and performance over the lifetime of PV panels according to solar tracking topology. A technical and economic analysis of an experimental system built in UFSM (Santa Maria-RS, Brazil) is used to discuss typical configurations with and without solar tracking. Computational simulations were performed in the OpenDSS, Matlab and Homer programs for a period of 25 years. The results show an increase up to 2.43% in the accumulated degradation at the end of the simulated period by using a solar panel tracking compared to the fixed topology. In compensation, solar tracking increased annual electricity generation by an average of 20.87% proving that this topology is technically and economically quite feasible. • A methodology to predict the durability and performance of PV panels with solar tracking and fixed topologies. • A solar tracking system stands out as an excellent alternative to maximize PV energy generation. • Detailed technical and economic analysis between performance and durability relationship in a PV panels installation. • Fuzzy logic modeling as an innovative solution to find out the degradation rate of PV panels with solar tracking.