Photovoltaic Energy Systems Research Articles

System sizing and transient simulation of a solar photovoltaic off-grid energy system in various climates with air heat pumps

Photovoltaic off-grid systems are essential in supplying power to areas remote from the grid. Mobile homes are used in various cases in remote areas, most of which are far from the power supply grid. It is not economically feasible to develop electricity networks in these areas. One of the best ways to supply power in such cases is to implement photovoltaic systems. These systems can produce electricity through solar irradiation and are environmental-friendly. However, due to the high capital cost of these systems, it is necessary to determine the optimal number of components, such as photovoltaic panels and batteries, to optimize the initial cost and achieve a desirable level of availability. In this study, the TRNSYS software is utilized to investigate the energy required by mobile homes for the ventilation system and power supply operation for different regions. A numerical method is developed to quantify the optimal photovoltaic system for each region for the optimal sizing of these systems. Also, generators have been considered in particular cases to ensure a continuous power supply. Finally, the cities are divided into different categories, showing the off-grid system performance in these regions. Results obtained for the city of Tehran, Iran, suggest that the Levelized energy cost is 0.23 USD/kWh. This system lacks 2.45%, equivalent to 118 h, of required energy and produces 56% surplus energy.

Modelling and techno-economic analysis of standalone SPV/Wind hybrid renewable energy system with lead-acid battery technology for rural applications

The present work discusses an enhanced optimal solution for electrifying an individual rural consumer in a northern Indian village. The optimisation and sizing assessment is based on the techno-economic and socio-environmental parameters. The real-time market-based design variables have been considered for the present investigation. The renewable resources are assessed by the PDAV tool from NASA linked to the HOMER-Pro software tool. A stand-alone hybrid renewable energy system is designed for the domestic load of 55.14 kWh/day and 11.71 kW peak demand. The comparative analysis finds the stand-alone Solar Photovoltaic and Wind energy hybrid renewable energy system suitable. The net present and energy costs are determined as $34,344 and 0.152$/kWh for an optimized Hybrid System. In the present work, the employment creation with social aspects of the renewable energy system is analysed in a distinguished manner. A novel approach is adapted for the environmental effect of hybrid energy systems. The sensitivity analysis and robustness viability has been performed for the optimized arrangement. In the scope of optimal sizing, an equivalent model of the hybrid energy system is recreated in Matlab/Simulink. Each Matlab/Simulink model section is analysed separately with better technical aspects for the different input parameters.

Hybrid Multi-Level Source Inverter Design and Validation in Solar Photo-voltaic Renewable Energy System

This paper proposes the hybrid multi-level source inverter in light of staggered coordinated framework for boosting photo voltaic power. Hybrid multi-level inverter (MLI) proposed to design less number of switches compare with other MLIs of diode clamped multi-level inverter, the smallest number of switches are required to accomplish the highest steps in staircase AC output voltage. HMLIs additionally include variable info voltage and carries out load guideline to keep up with consistent result voltage. The HMLIS intends to operate in multiple stages during shoot through stage exchanging beat width (PWM) adjustment keeps up with to work in buck and lift mode. The activity of proposed work implemented in MATLAB and discuss effectiveness with diminished sounds took care of inverter operation. Model of converter is planned and accomplished the most extreme effectiveness of 95.4% as information voltage goes from 10-60 volts and result of half breed staggered source inverter keeps up with steady of 230v dc. Trial results approve the exhibition of proposed half and half staggered source inverter for exchanged mode power supplies utilized in PC.

Techno-economic analysis and optimization of solar and wind energy systems for hydrogen production: a case study

ABSTRACT Water electrolysis can produce hydrogen by using a photovoltaic array as an electrical source to power the electrolyzer. Combining multiple energy sources has the potential to increase hydrogen production while also meeting other electrical needs. As Oman is planning to develop green hydrogen production, this study is proposed to help the private and governmental sectors to invest in the green hydrogen industry. In this study, the unique geographical location of Salalah and the meteorological data collected were utilized in the hybrid energy arrangement to generate electricity and produce a significant amount of hydrogen in Salalah using HOMER (Hybrid optimization model for electric renewables). The findings showed that the wind turbine (WT), photovoltaic (PV), fuel cell (FC), and hydrogen tank (HT) hybrid energy system is economically viable when compared to its counterparts in other systems and was chosen to meet Salalah in Oman’s electrical and hydrogen production needs. The PV-WT-FC-HT hybrid energy system is clearly the best option for the proposed hydrogen project in Salalah because it has the lowest Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH), 1.15 ($/kg), and Cost of Energy (COE), 19.0 ($/kWh).

Smart Photovoltaic Energy Systems for a Sustainable Future

This book is the result of a concerted effort to shed scientific light on the timely theme of “Smart Photovoltaic Energy Systems for a Sustainable Future” [...]

Efficient evaluation of anticipated 31-level inverter for photovoltaic energy system with reduced switches

Due to the growing number of consumers and the expansion of industries, the demand for energy is alarmingly rising today. The non-renewable power plants are the cause of the significant increase in pollutant emissions. As a result, the grid's expressive improvement in the dispersion of Renewable Energy Sources (RES). Due to its large availability, photovoltaic (PV) systems in particular have become well-liked resources. The power electronic devices are crucial for producing electricity using solar panels, and the search for efficient power electronic converters is drawing a lot of attention. Currently, MLIs (Multilevel Inverter) have gotten a lot of interest recently from the researchers than the two-level inverters because of their skills to offer lesser electromagnetic intrusion, greater efficacy, and greater DC link voltages. Therefore, in this study, a novel The Solar PV system will use the anticipated model is simulated using MATLAB/Simulink. The suggested inverter is integrated with a fuzzy based oriented MPPT and dc generator to harvest energy from solar PV modules. The corresponding harmonic spectrum has been captured and it has been found to be 0.962% of THD. It also has a proclivity for producing 31 spaced output voltages with low Total Harmonic Distortions (THD). The THD obtained is compliant with IEEE standards.

Thermo-ecological cost optimization of a solar thermal and photovoltaic integrated energy system considering energy level

Integrating renewable resources into traditional tri-generation systems helps to reduce fossil fuel use and emissions. A solar thermal and photovoltaic assisted integrated energy system is proposed here using high- performance cooling approaches to provide cooling, heating, and electricity. To find the best system configurations with a focus on the ecological performance, the specific thermo-ecological cost of the energy products considering energy level is optimized employing the cumulative exergy consumption over the whole life-cycle. The results show that the ideal specific costs for cooling, heating and electricity demands are 8.699, 7.129, and 1.970 J/J, respectively. Compared to the method without the energy level consideration, the specific cost of the hybrid system is 0.47 J/J higher due to the lower energy level of water products. Moreover, the specific thermo-ecological cost of natural gas has higher impacts on the performance of hybrid system than the other parameters.

Design, Greenhouse Emissions, and Environmental Payback of a Photovoltaic Solar Energy System

This study aims to design a 16.4 MW photovoltaic solar system located in the Brazilian Northeast and quantify the associated greenhouse gas emissions and environmental payback. The energy system was designed to minimize the Levelized Cost of Energy. The greenhouse gas emissions were quantified with the Life Cycle Assessment methodology, expressing the environmental impact in terms of generated energy (kg CO2-eq/kWh) and following ISO 14040 and 14044. The environmental payback considered the Brazilian electricity mix and degradation of the panels. The results indicated a system capable of producing 521,443 MWh in 25 years, with an emission factor of 0.044 kg CO2-eq/kWh and environmental payback of five years and eight months. The emission factor is at least ten times lower than thermoelectric natural gas power plants. The solar panels were the main contributors to the greenhouse gas emissions, representing 90.59% of overall emissions. It is concluded that photovoltaic energy systems are crucial in the search for emissions mitigation, even in a country that presents a predominantly renewable electricity matrix, with demonstrated environmental benefits.

Contributions of Solar Photovoltaic Systems to Environmental and Socioeconomic Aspects of National Development—A Review

Presently, the world is undergoing exciting haste to install photovoltaic (PV) systems in industry, residential/commercial buildings, transportation, deserts, street lights, and many other applications. Solar photovoltaic energy systems are clean and reliable energy sources that are unlimited, unlike their fossil fuel counterparts. The energy market is rapidly growing globally with newly and cumulative installed capacities of about 37.6 GW and 139.6 GW, accounting for 53% and 55%, respectively, in 2017, making it one of the fastest-growing industries. The cumulative photovoltaic installations are projected to have reached 600 GW worldwide and are projected to reach 4500 GW by 2050 because of the strategies and policies of many countries. In 2021, more than three-quarters of the developed countries are now home to one solar installation. This article evaluates a critical and extensive review of the contributions of solar photovoltaic systems to national development. The approach follows all steps, starting with capturing photovoltaics on the Earth’s surface, then price reduction, load management, and socioeconomic impact of solar photovoltaic systems. From the study, it is found that the policies and strategies adopted by the leading countries, such as tax credits, capital subsidies, net-metering, VAT reduction, feed-in tariffs (FiTs), and renewable portfolio standards (RPS), have significantly helped in more installations. Additionally, the significant drop in photovoltaic module prices from 4731 $/W in 2010 to 883 $/W in 2020 has boosted the move for more installations. Based on the findings, approximately 10 million permanent employments would be put in place by advancing solar power across the globe annually.

Best battery storage technologies of solar photovoltaic systems for desalination plant using the results of multi optimization algorithms and sustainable development goals

In this paper, the optimization and multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) of a stand-alone photovoltaic and battery energy system (PV-BES) has been used to supply power to a desalination plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). To provide a continuous power supply, different types of battery technologies have been used as a renewable energy storage system in this study as Nickel Iron (NiFe), Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4), and Lead Acid (PbSO4) with three different depths of discharges. Six different configurations of the PV-BES were modeled. In total, nine metaheuristic optimization algorithms were used in the MATLAB environment to provide an optimal sizing of the PV-BES. The mayfly optimization algorithm has provided the best optimal Annual Levelized Cost (ALC) values compared with the remaining algorithms. The mayfly algorithm has more robustness and faster convergence in providing the optimal global best values. Furthermore, three different approaches of MCDA and weights methods were used. The inputs and the results for the optimization process in addition to the sustainable development goal (SDGs) from the united nation (UN) were used as criteria for MCDA. The PV-Li-ION at 50 % depth of discharge (DOD) was the best option among all cases based on the six configurations and nine optimization algorithms.

Up-to-date literature review on Solar PV systems: Technology progress, market status and R&D

Photovoltaic (PV) technologies have achieved commercial acceptance, technological maturity and foresee a leading role in the current energy transition to combat the adverse environmental issues posed by fossil fuel-based power generation. The market of photovoltaic technology is rapidly evolving with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) equal to 34% between 2010 and 2020. This review presents updated information on the solar PV development from the material, market, and engineering perspectives. Cell efficiencies, market trends, cost of PV systems , and global research efforts over the last years are provided. Real monitored performances reveal a decrease of up to 10% of PV power output due to soiling effects. This paper discusses soiling mitigation approaches, a critical technical pathway to improve the power output of solar PV systems . A particular emphasis was put into recent and novel experimental and numerical investigations pursued by the PV research community related to heat management in PV systems. Finally, critical challenges and prospects of the solar PV technology are highlighted and discussed. • An updated literature review on PV energy system sis given. • Market trends, technology and efficiency progress are summarized. • Relevant techniques for mitigation soiling effects and heat management of PV cells are reported. • Critical challenges, prospects and research priority pathways are highlighted.

Simulasi Sistem PLTS Atap dan Harga Satuan Energi Listrik Untuk Skala Rumah Tangga di Surabaya

Solar energy is a renewable energy source that can be used as a source of electricity using a photovoltaic (PV) system to reduce our dependence on fossil energy. This paper discusses an overview of the use of a rooftop PV system in accordance with applicable regulations in Indonesia. Computer simulation was conducted to determine the potential power and output energy of the rooftop PV system in the city of Surabaya. The simulation was carried out by SolarGIS Pvplanner software. Mathematical equations are derived to estimate the unit price of electric energy for the PV system, and the calculations are done numerically. The simulation results show that the total daily energy average generated from the 3 kWP roof solar PV system in Surabaya is about 13 kWh. Meanwhile, the unit price for PV system electricity is obtained between 0.08 USD - 0.11 USD / kWh.

Design of Off-Grid Hybrid Energy for Residential Buildings in Rural Areas: A Case Study of Arogbo Community in Ondo State

This paper developed an off-grid hybrid energy system for residential buildings in rural areas. The Arogbo community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria, was used as case study. Energy Audit of the selected residential buildings was carried out through the administration of structured questionnaires and oral interaction with occupants. Information obtained was used to evaluate the total power estimate and actual consumption over a period of 6 hours per day. The total energy demand for the study area based on the number of appliances used per day was estimated as 4981.684 kW. The energies required for three different categories of accommodation: [three-bedroom (Luxury), three-bedroom (Convenience) and room with parlour living apartment] in the area were estimated as 10.015 kWh, 3.216 kWh, and 1.736 kWh respectively. Their total photovoltaic (PV) energy system capacities were estimated as 13.53 kWh (16.91 kVA), 4.342 kWh (5 kVA), and 2.344 kWh (2.93 kVA) with power factor of 0.8 respectively. The PV solar modules for the three-bedroom (luxury), three-bedroom (convenience) and room with parlour living apartment were estimated as (3.38, 1.08 and 0.59) kW with installation areas of (31, 10 and 5.5) m2; and inverter rating of (6, 1 and 1) kVA were selected respectively. The deep cycle batteries selected were (4, 2 and 2) at 12 V of (150, 150 and100) AH. Electricity generator capacities selected were (6, 1 and 1) kVA respectively.

Design of Off-Grid Hybrid Energy for Residential Buildings in Rural Areas: A Case Study of Arogbo Community in Ondo State

This paper developed an off-grid hybrid energy system for residential buildings in rural areas. The Arogbo community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria, was used as case study. Energy Audit of the selected residential buildings was carried out through the administration of structured questionnaires and oral interaction with occupants. Information obtained was used to evaluate the total power estimate and actual consumption over a period of 6 hours per day. The total energy demand for the study area based on the number of appliances used per day was estimated as 4981.684 kW. The energies required for three different categories of accommodation: [three-bedroom (Luxury), three-bedroom (Convenience) and room with parlour living apartment] in the area were estimated as 10.015 kWh, 3.216 kWh, and 1.736 kWh respectively. Their total photovoltaic (PV) energy system capacities were estimated as 13.53 kWh (16.91 kVA), 4.342 kWh (5 kVA), and 2.344 kWh (2.93 kVA) with power factor of 0.8 respectively. The PV solar modules for the three-bedroom (luxury), three-bedroom (convenience) and room with parlour living apartment were estimated as (3.38, 1.08 and 0.59) kW with installation areas of (31, 10 and 5.5) m2; and inverter rating of (6, 1 and 1) kVA were selected respectively. The deep cycle batteries selected were (4, 2 and 2) at 12 V of (150, 150 and100) AH. Electricity generator capacities selected were (6, 1 and 1) kVA respectively.

Exploring energy storage methods for grid-connected clean power plants in case of repetitive outages

Inadequate access and unstable grid service are among the most severe difficulties developing communities face. As a result, these communities depend on fossil fuel-based technology to supply their electrical demands, which has significant socioeconomic consequences for society. The objective of this paper was to investigate greener, more sustainable technologies, such as solar battery storage systems. This research proposed a sizing technique for grid-connected photovoltaic systems with different battery technologies through techno-economic feasibility analysis. In the suggested method, the techno-economic performance of photovoltaic energy systems with five different battery technologies was compared: lead-acid battery, lithium-ion battery, vanadium redox battery, and nickel-iron battery. For different grid outage frequencies, this investigation was conducted (0 to 500 interruptions per year. The key comparison indices considered are the investment cost, renewable energy fraction, and surplus electricity. The grid-connected photovoltaic/nickel-iron battery system was shown to be the most efficient at high main grid failure frequencies.

Photovoltaic Energy Systems Implemented in Public Buildings Located in the City of São Paulo

With the increase of energy consumption and the environmental changes caused by energy generation, it is essential that different sectors of society seek alternative, sustainable and efficient ways to develop their activities. In this context, renewable energies generate less environmental pollution when compared to fossil sources. Among the renewable energy alternatives, solar energy has grown all over the world, thanks to new technologies, easy installation and energy collection, since it is powered by an abundant source with an inexhaustible impact on the earth's surface. Large buildings are considered potential polluters, as they can cause damage to the environment due to the amount of energy they use. The present study aims to analyze the photovoltaic solar system installed in a public building located in the city of São Paulo, specifically the project implemented in the Fazenda do Carmo Municipal Natural Park (PNMFC). A qualitative, single-case study, was the adopted methodology. Data collection was via the analysis of documents and semi-structured interviews with managers and those responsible for the PNMFC projects. The results showed that the generation of energy close to the place of consumption (distributed generation) is a determining factor for energy savings and minimization of environmental impacts. We conclude that public policies of fiscal and regulatory incentives are fundamental for the growth of the use of photovoltaic energy in urban centers

Musical chairs algorithm for parameters estimation of PV cells

Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems are representing the most attractive source of energy, especially with the continuous reduction of manufacturing costs. The new systems' sizing and cost estimation depend mainly on the accurate modeling of the PV cells. The modeling of the PV cells is based on one-diode modeling with five unknown parameters or the more accurate modeling based on two-diode modeling that have seven unknown parameters, or with a higher number of shunt diodes modeling with a higher number of unknown parameters. An accurate and fast estimation of the PV cell parameters will help designers to build their decision based on accurate results, where any small variation of these parameters can spoil the results obtained from the modeling and can produce an unwise decision. A high number of studies are introduced in the literature to estimate these parameters. These studies are different in the accuracy of results and the time consumed to get these results. Some of these studies used metaheuristic algorithms which are characterized by slow convergence and may cause inaccurate results. For this reason, a recent optimization algorithm called the musical chairs algorithm (MCA) is introduced in this paper to estimate these parameters faster and more accurately than many metaheuristic algorithms. The idea behind the use of MCA is to have a high number of search agents in the beginning to enhance the exploration and continuously reduce this number to enhance exploitation at the end of optimization and reduce the convergence time. The results obtained from using 10 optimization algorithms showed that the error associated with MCA is 20% of the average error of the other optimization algorithms. Moreover, the MCA never misses the global minimum of error which was not the case in other optimization algorithms. The MCA obtained these results in 40% of the time consumed by other optimization algorithms. These results of the MCA showed its superiority compared to other optimization algorithms.

Marmara Bölgesindeki Bir Konteyner Limanı İçin Fotovoltaik Enerji Sistem Kurulumunun Tekno-Ekonomik ve Çevresel Analizi

Dünyada 1960’lı yıllardan itibaren gelişen konteyner gemileri ve konteyner limanlarının, ülkemizin dış ticaret, kabotaj ve transit yüklerinin taşınmasında önemli bir rolü bulunmaktadır. Özellikle Marmara Bölgesinde yer alan konteyner limanlarının ülkemizin toplam konteyner elleçleme kapasitesinde önemli bir payı vardır. Diğer taraftan, güneş enerjisinden faydalanarak elektrik üretimi, dünya genelinde olduğu gibi ülkemizde de yaygınlaşmakta olup konteyner limanlarında da bu teknolojiden azami ölçüde faydalanılması gerekmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı; Marmara (Kocaeli) Bölgesinde bulunan büyük ölçekli bir konteyner limanında fotovoltaik yenilenebilir enerji sistemi kurulumunun tekno-ekonomik ve çevresel analizini gerçekleştirmektir. Bu amaçla, büyük ölçekli bir konteyner limanı incelenmiş, yıllık elektrik ihtiyacı tespit edilmiş ve Fotovoltaik Coğrafi Bilgi Sistemi yazılımı yardımıyla uygun PV sistem gücü belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca, İndirgenmiş Geri Ödeme Süresi Yöntemi kullanılarak PV sistemin ilk yatırım maliyeti ve geri ödeme süresi hesaplanmış ve RETScreen yazılımı yardımıyla PV sisteminin zararlı sera gazı salımını azaltmadaki rolü ve çevresel etkileri analiz edilmiştir. Çalışmada, konteyner limanındaki kapalı binaların çatılarına 962 k Wp gücünde PV sistem kurulabileceği ve PV sistemin bu güç ile yılda 1.061.034 kWh elektrik üretimi gerçekleşebileceği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Limana yapılacak PV sistem yatırımının geri ödeme süresi 8,33 yıl olarak belirlenmiştir. Söz konusu PV sistemin yılda 37,7 tCO2/yıl sera gazı emisyonuna engel olacağı da tespit edilmiştir. PV sistemden üretilecek elektrik ile limanının yıllık elektrik ihtiyacının %9,47’lik bir kısmı sağlanabilmektedir. Bu çalışmada, bir limana kurulacak PV sistemden en yüksek seviyede yararlanılmasına katkı sağlamak üzere bazı öneriler de sunulmuştur.

Evolution of Novel Process for Smart Inverter for High Penetration of Rooftop Solar Energy in Power Utility With Secondary Distribution Network – A Review

With the critical change of Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Energy System (RSPES) between the two different Renewable Energy Systems, the real problems, impacts and a few working qualities of the housetop sunlight based PVs with Low Power Utility Network Distribution System (DS) are currently to be examined and explored throught out the worldwide. The most vital target of review looks into about the load flow in LV Networks and searches a way for implementing high penetration PV network. The study papers discuss the implementation of the Smart Inverter-coordinated secondary distribution system with the proximity of distribution generation (DG) units. This paper reviews based on the methods which are utilized to tackle the issues and improvement of performance in the rooftop solar photovoltaic energy system in the period between 2014 to 2017.

Early detection of photovoltaic system inverter faults

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are increasingly adopted as a source of green energy. The reliability of PV systems mainly depends on the reliability of the power MOSFETs of their inverter(s). It has been shown that short and open faults are the most frequent power MOSFET faults. They may compromise the inverter reliability, with consequent significant impact on the PV system energy efficiency. It has been proven that the likelihood of such faults is related to the value of the MOSFET ON-state resistance, which may increase over time due to aging mechanisms. When the value of such a resistance reaches a critical value, the likelihood of the MOSFETs subsequently failing as open or short becomes very high. In this paper, we first evaluate the effects of the MOSFETs' ON-state resistance increase on the harmonic components of the inverter input and output currents. Then, based on the obtained results, we propose an innovative strategy for the early detection (also referred to as condition monitoring [1]) of inverter faults, which enables to generate an alarm message when the ON-state resistance of any inverter MOSFET reaches the critical value. Upon the generation of such an alarm message, proper recovery strategies can be activated, to enable the online replacement of the affected transistors before they actually become faulty. Our detection strategy does not require to interrupt the inverter normal operation in the field and can be implemented using the microcontroller typically embedded within the control circuitry of PV systems.