Installation Of Photovoltaic Systems Research Articles

Cooling Methods for Standard and Floating PV Panels

Energy and water poverty are two main challenges of the modern world. Most developing and underdeveloped countries need more efficient electricity-producing sources to overcome the problem of potable water evaporation. At the same time, the traditional way to produce energy/electricity is also responsible for polluting the environment and damaging the ecosystem. Notably, many techniques have been used around the globe, such as a photovoltaic (PV) cooling (active, passive, and combined) process to reduce the working temperature of the PV panels (up to 60 °C) to improve the system efficiency. For floating photovoltaic (FPV), water cooling is mainly responsible for reducing the panel temperature to enhance the production capacity of the PV panels, while the system efficiency can increase up to around 30%. At the same time, due to the water surface covering, the water loss due to evaporation is also minimized, and the water evaporation could be minimized by up to 60% depending on the total area covered by the water surfaces. Therefore, it could be the right choice for generating clean and green energy, with dual positive effects. The first is to improve the efficiency of the PV panels to harness more energy and minimize water evaporation. This review article focuses mainly on various PV and FPV cooling methods and the use and advantages of FPV plants, particularly covering efficiency augmentation and reduction of water evaporation due to the installation of PV systems on the water bodies.

TransPV: Refining photovoltaic panel detection accuracy through a vision transformer-based deep learning model

The increasing need to develop renewable energy sources to combat climate change has led to a significant rise in demand for photovoltaic (PV) installations. Consequently, accurately detecting and estimating the capacity and potential for electricity generation of these installed PV systems has become crucial for effective energy management. However, due to the limitation of localized mechanism in convolution operations, traditional FCN-based methods face challenges in capturing global dependencies among remote sensing image patches. As a result, they struggle to model long-range interactions between different PV panels with diverse structures, including varying size, shape, and texture, particularly in distributed residential areas. To tackle the challenge of modeling PV panels with diverse structures, we propose a coupled U-Net and Vision Transformer model named TransPV for refining PV semantic segmentation. Specifically, Mix Transformer block is incorporated in the encoder to enhance the modeling of global context, while the U-Shaped structure enables the combination of multi-level features, resulting in enriched feature representation, which helps the model better understand objects in the images, regardless of their shape, size, and texture. In addition, we implement the PointRend module in the decoder to obtain finer segmentation boundary details, and utilize a novel refiner loss function during the training process to alleviate the problem of extremely unbalanced samples. The experimental results from the Heilbronn datasets demonstrate the remarkable performance of our proposed TransPV model in addressing intra-class diversity of PV structures, surpassing previous state-of-the-art methods with an impressive IoU and accuracy of 0.802 and 0.876, respectively. Furthermore, our model exhibits high generalization capability on the BDPV dataset with IoU of 0.745. The obtained results highlight the superiority of TransPV in improving accuracy and addressing diverse structure issues in PV segmentation, which provides valuable insights for optimizing the efficiency and sustainability of renewable energy.

A novel method for layer separation in waste crystalline silicon PV modules via combined low-temperature and thermal treatment

With the significant growth in the production and installation of photovoltaic (PV) systems, the recycling of end-of-life PV modules has become a critical concern. Thermal treatment is a promising approach to decompose all the polymer and separate different layers rapidly. However, the combustion of the backsheet can lead to the release of hazardous fluorinated compounds. This paper proposes a novel method combining low-temperature and thermal treatment to separate different layers in PV modules. This method leverages the back metallization of solar cells for PV module separation, providing a fresh separation perspective. The focus lies on investigating a low-temperature separation process, and the separation interfaces are characterized using SEM and EDS, shedding light on the separation position and physical separation mechanisms. Subsequently, the effects of different freezing temperatures, freezing times, and different laminated parts were investigated, and the processing parameters were optimized. Compared to direct thermal treatment, the proposed process eliminates the generation of hazardous fluorides and mitigates mass losses caused by thermal treatment effectively. This research provides valuable insights into the green and sustainable resource recovery of waste PV modules.

Perceptions of Solar Photovoltaic System Adopters in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case of Adopters in Ntchisi, Malawi

The study reported in this article aimed to deepen the understanding of the mechanisms driving the adoption and usage of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in rural Malawian households, particularly among communities that have not received prior solar energy interventions. It used a qualitative approach to investigate the experiences of solar PV system adopters in Ntchisi, Malawi. The study included fourteen participants, and data were collected through observations and interviews, which were then analysed using thematic analysis procedures. The study’s findings indicate that many individuals in rural areas have installed solar PV systems that lack adequate training, resulting in potentially hazardous installations. The installation of solar PV systems in villages is motivated by several factors, including the lack of electricity, convenience, benefits, and personal interest in learning more about solar systems. The participants have highlighted numerous benefits of using solar energy, such as reduced costs, increased convenience, improved productivity, reliable energy access, and telecommunication services. However, solar PV systems are primarily limited to household lighting, phone charging, and powering televisions and radios; however, not for cooking purposes. The findings imply that governments in sub-Saharan Africa should provide training and guidance on the safe and effective use of solar PV systems, invest more in solar PV infrastructure to enable larger solar systems for cooking, refrigeration, and irrigation, and promote the use of solar energy through education and awareness campaigns to encourage greater adoption of solar energy.

A GIS-based method for assessing the economics of utility-scale photovoltaic systems

Solar photovoltaic capacities have experienced remarkable gains worldwide. The accelerated deployment of photovoltaic (PV) systems has emphasized the need for methods and tools that can assist in planning and investment decisions of utility-scale photovoltaic systems to ensure a sustainable energy transition. This study bridges the gap between research and current solar PV project evaluation practices by proposing a geographic information system (GIS)-based approach for analyzing land eligibility and performing techno-economic assessments of utility-scale photovoltaic systems. To tackle the issue of country-specific cost elements, the model incorporates a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) breakdown often used by governmental and intergovernmental organizations. The proposed GIS-based model can assist in mapping the distribution of eligible land for utility-scale solar systems while considering exclusion constraints, estimating PV capacity and generation potentials, as well as determining the average LCOE of utility-scale solar photovoltaic systems at a spatial resolution of 100 m. The GIS-based approach is demonstrated through the case study of Poland. The model estimates that 3.61% of the total area of Poland is suitable for the installation of utility-scale solar PV systems. Implementing PV installations in these areas would result in solar capacities ranging from 394.64 to 563.77 GW. Furthermore, the findings of the case study indicate that the LCOE would range from €0.043/kWh to €0.049/kWh, with a national average of €0.045/kWh. The proposed approach can be utilized to develop national and regional strategies focused on large-scale PV installations, facilitating the attainment of renewable energy goals. The study fills a significant gap in the literature as it provides a GIS-based tool for planning the sustainable development of utility-scale PV systems at the regional scale. In addition, it is the first to comprehensively assess the capacity and generation potential of utility-scale solar photovoltaics in Poland at the NUTS-2 level.

Enhancing self-consumption for decarbonization: An optimization strategy based on a calibrated building energy model

To face the challenge of climate change and achieve the decarbonization target set by the European Union, the current trend is to electrify building services, replacing the use of fossil fuels for renewable energy sources. The installation of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems is becoming a popular strategy. However, the widespread application of PV solutions carries certain concerns about grid-network security and stability, since intermittent renewable energy excess pouring into the grid may exceed voltage limits. Therefore, an optimization of the consumption of a building's own PV production (self-consumption) to reduce the excess output is vital. The following paper performs a demand side optimization strategy of the building's thermostatic controllable loads (heating and cooling), which represent at least 50% of the total energy consumed by the building. The process is applied in a previously calibrated building energy model (BEM) that describes a fully operational building under a typical Mediterranean climate (Greece). The site contains a PV plant and a multi-split Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system dedicated to maintain indoor comfort conditions. The technology used is simple, able to perform 15 minute time-step yearly optimizations while saving a large amount of computational time. It performs a bi-dimensional optimization of both: indoor thermal-zone set-points and ventilation air supply temperature. The optimization process performed is based on 2019 data gathered from European Project SABINA, resulting in a self-consumption improvement of 11.6% for summer scenario (reaching 69.16%) and 78.7% for winter (reaching 57.47%) in comparison to a non-optimized “business as usual” base model.

Economic Feasibility Investigation of On-Grid and Off-Grid Solar Photovoltaic System Installation in Central Java

Economic Feasibility Investigation of On-Grid and Off-Grid Solar Photovoltaic System Installation in Central Java

Energy and Stochastic Economic Assessments of Photovoltaic Systems in the East Midlands

This study implements techno-economic evaluations of different photovoltaic (PV) systems in the East Midlands of the UK. Three application case studies, including an office building, a domestic building, and a poultry shed, are achieved. The building electricity consumption is obtained according to hourly automatic meter readings, and the PV electricity production is predicted based on the Engineering Equation Solver 8.4 software. Meanwhile, the 25-years’ complete economic profitability investigations of the three PV systems are conducted on the basis of the Monte Carlo method; the sensitivity analyses of payback period and net present value are also carried out by using the @RISK 8 software. Furthermore, the payback period and yearly savings are investigated and compared between the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) and feed-in tariff (FiT) schemes. Technical investigation outcomes conclude that the three PV systems are able to satisfy electrical energy requirements in summer, and the additional electricity could be exported to the grid in this period. In winter, however, the systems have less electricity output resulting in power shortage and input from the grid. Economic study results exhibit that the net present values of the office building, domestic building, and poultry shed are £9108.4, £1717.91, and £7275.86, respectively, corresponding to the payback periods of 6.15 years, 9.12 years, and 9.41 years. This implies that there is an acceptable payback period (<10 years) for the PV system installation; meanwhile, the FiT scheme has the shorter payback period compared with the SGE scheme.

Seismic and Tsunami Risk Analysis for Installing Resilient Power Systems Based on Isolated Microgrids on Buildings: The Case of Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Due to their geographical condition and worldwide environmental protection policies, the Galapagos Islands must opt for implementing clean energy infrastructure considering natural hazard effects that can directly affect the resilience of community residents. Santa Cruz Island is part of this archipelago, with rich biodiversity in flora and unique fauna. This study proposes identifying earthquake and tsunami risk assessment components on the island, such as the infrastructure vulnerability of Puerto Ayora, the central city of Santa Cruz Island. The FEMA P-154 and FEMA P-646 methodologies are used to classify buildings for technically installing microgrids based on photovoltaic generation systems. For this purpose, maps and data from state entities are used in combination with catalogs from development and land use planning, Software for Geoprocesses and virtual tours, and cadastral information provided by the Decentralized Autonomous Government (GAD) of Santa Cruz to develop techniques that offer a risk index to identify buildings that could sustain seismic and tsunamic loads. The study exposes alarming results that would prevent the installation of photovoltaic generation systems on the buildings’ roofs. Consequently, a more detailed field study is recommended to contrast the reported analysis to implement mitigation strategies accordingly. Finally, geoprocesseced maps are presented, in addition to general installing recommendations for the photovoltaic system’s infrastructure.

Grid abandonment potential of photovoltaic and storage-based system in China

Nowadays, owing to the price and technological advantages, photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) have rapidly developed in China. The self-production and consumption of PV and BESS are causing consumers to abandon the power grid. However, this potential of grid abandonment in China's power sector remains unclear. Therefore, this paper deeply investigates the interaction between grid abandonment and the distribution price of utility, namely the utility death spiral to explore the potential in China. A method based on the innovation diffusion theory is proposed to reveal the causal loop of the death spiral. The Bass diffusion model, an approach of innovation diffusion theory, is applied to estimate the installations of rooftop PV systems and hybrid PV-BESS. After that, the distribution price, grid utilization level, and utility recovery cost based on China’s price structure are evaluated. Sensitivity analyses are conducted to investigate several significant inner drivers of the rooftop PV systems and hybrid PV-BESS expansions. Results indicate that the utility death spiral is unlikely to occur in China with low-solar radiation, while it will occur in a high-solar radiation scenario with 57% penetration of rooftop PV systems. Compared with the return rates of the utility requirement, the cost reduction of PV and BESS, and even a 1% growth in the retail price cause the death spiral. When the death spiral occurs, the permeations of PV and BESS in the cost reduction scenario are 51% and 56%, while the permeations are 52% and 51% in the scenario of 1% growth of the retail price. Additionally, several possible solutions to avoid the death spiral are discussed, such as discriminatory prices, business models, price mechanisms, and support mechanisms.

LCOE distribution of PV for single-family dwellings in Sweden

In Sweden, the installations of solar photovoltaic systems are growing rapidly, and especially the market segment of small-scale distributed systems is experiencing positive growth. The current installation volumes exceed the expectations of the Swedish authorities. This study presents an up-to-date assessment of the levelized cost of electricity to be used for both agencies in their long-term scenario work of PV development and for private investors for estimating the upfront and future costs and risks associated with photovoltaic systems. The analysis is based on the turnkey system cost of 6,098 single-family dwelling photovoltaic systems commissioned in Sweden between the 1st of January 2019 and 1st of July 2020. The statistics of system investments costs are complemented by literature studies and by interviews of relevant stakeholders for the other input parameters needed to calculate the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). A Monte Carlo analysis was applied on all the input parameters provides relevant insight into the range of LCOE values. The unsubsidized levelized cost of electricity for most systems ranged from 0.85 SEK/kWh (25th percentile) to 1.15 SEK/kWh (75th percentile), with a mean at 1.02 SEK/kWh at reasonable real discount rate of 2%, but that extreme values can reach 0.30 SEK/kWh at a 0% discount rate and 5.70 SEK/kWh at a 5% discount rate. Taking into account the current (2023) Swedish tax reduction for investment in green technologies that amounts to an effective deduction of 19.4% of the total system investment costs lowers the LCOE to mean at 0.82 SEK/kWh at real discount rate of 2%. The LCOE for single-family dwelling photovoltaic systems are generally lower than the assumed LCOE in long-term scenario studies of the Swedish electricity system. This finding helps to explain to the authorities the unexpected fast deployment of distributed photovoltaic systems in Sweden.

Performance enhancement of photovoltaic modules with passive cooling multidirectional tapered fin heat sinks (MTFHS)

The electrical output of photovoltaic (PV) modules degrades with continued exposure to extreme temperatures caused by solar radiation. The uniqueness of this research lies in the utilization of multidirectional fins with varying heights, which effectively accelerate heat transfer in PV cooling systems by inducing a transition in the boundary layer within the confined zone of the fins. The research aims to investigate the effect of using Multidirectional Tapered Fin Heat Sinks (MTFHS) to improve the efficiency of PV modules by utilizing aluminum alloy material as heatsinks. The proposed multidirectional design aims to facilitate enhanced heat transfer by promoting airflow in the central area of the PV module. The experimental procedures in our study differ from previous research as we utilized the latest generation of PV modules (405 Wp, PERC Half-cut cells) to fill the discrepancy between laboratory-based investigations and practical applications. Two PV modules were tested for an outdoor parametric analysis under outdoor operating conditions, with solar irradiance recorded from 200 to 1000 W/m2 and ambient temperatures ranging from 26° to 38 °C. Findings indicated that the proposed MTFHS could lower PV module temperatures by 12 ⁰C. Reduced temperature boosts PV module efficiency by 1.53%. Cooling advancements proved vital in contributing to sustainability in PV system installations.

A new hybrid CBSA-GA optimization method and MRMI-LSTM forecasting algorithm for PV-ESS planning in distribution networks

Renewable energy sources have gained significant attention as a priority option for cost reduction and emissions reduction from fossil fuels. However, their utilization introduces uncertainty and decreases reliability in distribution networks. To effectively harness these resources and mitigate their uncertainties, this paper proposes a model for determining the optimal size and location of photovoltaic (PV) systems and energy storage systems (ESS) in electrical energy distribution networks. The objective is to minimize network power losses, voltage deviations, customer interruption cost, PV system installation cost, and ESS installation cost. To achieve this, the study employs a hybrid forecasting model based on MRMI feature selection and LSTM deep neural network to forecast daily solar power and electrical load for 12 different days across various months of the year, considering the desired electrical energy distribution system. Subsequently, these predicted values serve as 12 scenarios to determine the optimal location and size of PV systems and ESSs. The optimization problem is tackled using a novel hybrid optimization method known as the Coot Bird Search Algorithm-Genetic Algorithm (CBSA-GA). The efficiency of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by comparing its results with GA, PSO, and CBSA algorithms. Among the optimization methods discussed in this paper, CBSA-GA excels in reducing the objective function by accurately determining the capacities of PV resources and ESS. Compared to scenarios where distributed generation (DG) is not integrated into the distribution network, the implementation of CBSA-GA algorithm results in significant improvements in the objective function for Cases 1 to 3. The reductions achieved in the objective function are 9.10 %, 11.88 %, and 24.39 % for Cases 1, 2, and 3, respectively. These findings highlight the effectiveness of CBSA-GA in optimizing the integration of DG resources, specifically in terms of reducing the objective function and improving system performance.

Effects of wind speed and temperature on economics and environmental impact assessment of different solar PV systems in Malaysia

This study aims to analyse the effect of temperature and wind speed on the performance of different types of photovoltaic (PV) systems at a different state in Malaysia and how it affects the economics and environmental impact assessment in the present year of 2018 as well as future years in 2030 and 2040. Three types of grid-connected solar PV modules namely Mono-Crystalline, Poly-crystalline, and Thin Film were selected to be implemented in different cities of Shah Alam, Chuping, Alor Setar, Ipoh and Kota Kinabalu. A mathematical model was adopted to estimate the performance characteristics of the solar PV modules. Based on the data in the present year, the highest power output produced by the Mc-Si module for Alor Setar city is given by 33.40 MWh/year while the lowest amount of power output provided by this PV panel is about 28.18 MWh/year in Shah Alam. Furthermore, an area of 144 m2 for the Mono-Crystalline PV module can satisfy the total energy requirement by the resident as it was the most profitable to be implemented compared to Poly-crystalline and Thin Film. The findings of this study can serve as important information on the economic viability of installing PV systems in the selected cities in Malaysia.

Does the Pro-Environmental Behavior of Household PV Installation Contribute to the Shaping of Users' Green Purchasing Behavior?-Evidence from China.

In order to achieve the "dual carbon goal", the Chinese government is actively encouraging the adoption of household photovoltaic (PV) systems. While there has been considerable research on residents' inclination to install PV, limited attention has been given to understanding how the installation and utilization of PV systems influence pro-environmental behaviors. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the potential impact of pro-environmental behavior resulting from household PV installation on users' green purchasing behavior. Based on the "learning by doing" theory, a survey was conducted with 1249 participants, and the generalized structural equation model was employed as our analytical approach. The findings of this research indicate that the adoption and utilization of household photovoltaic (PV) systems have a positive impact on green consumption. The test results demonstrate that the overall effect coefficient is 0.03, indicating that current PV promotion policies have an indirect impact on green consumption. Moreover, economic incentive policies have a more substantial influence than environmental publicity policies, with total indirect effect coefficients of 0.005 and 0.002, respectively. Based on the findings above, the following recommendations are proposed: (1) It is recommended to maintain stable economic incentives to promote the adoption of household PV systems. (2) Emphasizing the dissemination of knowledge and skills for promoting environmental protection should be prioritized. (3) Efforts should be made to align personal interests and societal interests with low-carbon policies.

A GIS Open-Data Co-Simulation Platform for Photovoltaic Integration in Residential Urban Areas

• Advanced co-simulation of rooftop PV production and households electricity demand. • Urban Energy Systems design and RES integration in the context of future smart cities. • Enabling considerations on Demand Side Management and Demand Response strategies. • High spatio-temporal resolution (25 cm and 10 minutes respectively) • Integration in a GIS environment of open-data and models. The rising awareness of environmental issues and the increase of renewable energy sources (RES) has led to a shift in energy production toward RES, such as photovoltaic (PV) systems, and toward a distributed generation (DG) model of energy production that requires systems in which energy is generated, stored, and consumed locally. In this work, we present a methodology that integrates geographic information system (GIS)-based PV potential assessment procedures with models for the estimation of both energy generation and consumption profiles. In particular, we have created an innovative infrastructure that co-simulates PV integration on building rooftops together with an analysis of households’ electricity demand. Our model relies on high spatiotemporal resolution and considers both shadowing effects and real-sky conditions for solar radiation estimation. It integrates methodologies to estimate energy demand with a high temporal resolution, accounting for realistic populations with realistic consumption profiles. Such a solution enables concrete recommendations to be drawn in order to promote an understanding of urban energy systems and the integration of RES in the context of future smart cities. The proposed methodology is tested and validated within the municipality of Turin, Italy. For the whole municipality, we estimate both the electricity absorbed from the residential sector (simulating a realistic population) and the electrical energy that could be produced by installing PV systems on buildings’ rooftops (considering two different scenarios, with the former using only the rooftops of residential buildings and the latter using all available rooftops). The capabilities of the platform are explored through an in-depth analysis of the obtained results. Generated power and energy profiles are presented, emphasizing the flexibility of the resolution of the spatial and temporal results. Additional energy indicators are presented for the self-consumption of produced energy and the avoidance of CO 2 emissions.

Use of GIS Tools for Decision-Making Support in Sustainable Energy Generation on the Example of the Solar Photovoltaic Technology

The study proposes a simple procedure for evaluating the suitability of various locations for the installation of micro-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The main aim of the study was to determine the applicability of GIS tools for assessing the suitability of different locations for solar energy generation. The applicability of open-source databases in geoinformation analyses was emphasized. The study was conducted in the urban municipality of Mrągowo in the Region of Warmia and Mazury, Poland. Mrągowo is characterized by considerable physiographic diversity, which influenced the results of the study. The evaluation focused on rooftops which are most widely used for the installation of micro-scale solar PV systems. For the purpose of generalization, the results of the evaluation were presented for the districts of Mrągowo, so as to assist state agencies, local governments, and non-public institutions in implementing local policies that support renewable energy generation. The average amount of energy (MWh) that can be generated per building and the total amount of energy (MWh) that can be generated in cadastral districts were calculated to determine the solar energy potential of the study site

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PANEL MOUNTED ON SLOPED CORRUGATED METAL SHEET ROOF IN KANO STATE NORTHWEST NIGERIA

Installation of solar photovoltaic system on roof has advantages of proper utilization of space, help in avoiding shading effects and reduction of dust accumulation on the panels. However, electrical efficiency and lifespan of solar photovoltaic panel tends to decrease due to the increase in surface temperature above the operation temperature of the panels due to its contact with the roofing sheets. The performance of solar photovoltaic panels was experimentally investigated on corrugated metal sheet (CMS) roof at four different heights (0, 100, 200, and 300mm). Four polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic panels of 10 watts each were selected from the same manufacturer. The temperatures on the roof and on the photovoltaic panels’ surfaces were measured at different solar hours. Also, the outputs of the solar panels together with the irradiance available were measured at same hours using an electronic data logger and imported to an Excel software. Irradiance variation, gap between roof and photovoltaic panels, and heating effect on panels were found to be the parameters affecting the photovoltaic system’s performance. The highest temperature attained by the photovoltaic panel is when it was directly mounted on the roof as 76.5°C while the other photovoltaic panels mounted at a gap height of 100mm, 200mm and 300mm attained the highest temperature of 71.8oC, 69,6oC and 68.0oC respectively. The panels’ extra heat was originating from CMS roof vicinity. Output powers from the panels were unequal throughout the experiment whilst exhibited similar behavior. The panels’ temperature dropped...

Architectural and environmental strategies towards a cost optimal deep energy retrofit for mediterranean public high schools

Deep energy retrofit of the existing public stock is a crucial strategy to promote environmental targets at national and EU private levels, as required by EU Directives. The article presents a deep energy renovation strategy focused on high school buildings. The research is carried out in a sample of school buildings in Catalonia in which their possibilities of energy rehabilitation are analysed, developing a toolkit for prioritizing the buildings to intervene and the standardization of possible energy improvement measures for high school buildings. Such methodology is specifically developed to promote the replicability of deep renovation in Mediterranean schools, the model is applied to a specific case enquiry focused on the climatic zone Cfa according to Köppen (and equivalent to the Zone D3 at the Spanish level according to Spanish Technical Building Code), in accordance with a volume and constructive characteristics replicable in large schools built at the same period (70’s). Despite being schools that are over 50 years old, their demolition is not considered appropriate but it is preferred to gradually improve their construction elements and facilities system throughout their lifespan. It is worth noticing current thermal discomfort and low air quality in schools, particularly during the summer months when overheating can be a significant issue, given the absence of an active cooling system.It should be noted that the technical aspects evaluated in this first phase are those that meet the definition of an nZEB building under the cost optimal methodological framework: (1) prioritize demand reduction (minimizing heating demand with the aim of not penalizing cooling demand decisively enough to require the new implementation of refrigeration equipment to avoid overheating), (2) followed by the energy optimization of the installations’ consumption in relation to their performance and, finally, (3) promoting the implementation of renewable energies.Next, a methodology is proposed to discriminate and prioritize the intervention measures to be carried out, in a cost optimal deep energy renovation strategy, considering environmental aspects such as the life cycle of the building. This methodology is validated and its application in a representative case study is shown. Four key strategies are followed: (1) inspection and evaluation of the reference scenario, (2) establishing the strategic vectors for deep renovation according to the official definition of nZEB, (3) Considering the life cycle analysis of the interventions carried out to assess their environmental impact beyond the use phase, and (4) evaluation of the economic performance between investment and economic benefit of the energy bill with respect to the environmental benefit, in order to guarantee a cost optimal deep energy renovation.The research aims to show that energy rehabilitation solutions, seen from an environmental impact point of view during the use phase of the building, cease to be relevant when the environmental impact of all phases of the building (LCA) is introduced. In this case we can see how the environmental impacts generated by the improvement interventions are compensated at most after 3 years of use of the building.It can be concluded that the reduction in demand reaches values around 40%, versus the slight increase in cooling demand (less than 10%). However, the study has managed to reduce the cooling demand compared to the base scenario thanks to the action on solar protection. This is the key action to minimize overheating hours and avoid the need for refrigeration equipment and guarantee indoor comfort.It is positive to note that the ratio of payback values in the different proposals falls within a range of 10–15 years, contemplating within this value the incorporation of non-existent renewable energies in this type of building. In this case, the installation of photovoltaic panel system to complement the electrical demand of the building could be more optimal if a two-level supply system is proposed during the week to school and at the weekend to nearby urban areas.

Performance Analysis of Silicon Technologies Photovoltaic Cells Using Artificial Light Source in Different Spectra

Photovoltaic devices have a spectral response that depends directly on the light spectrum wavelength, causing their performance to be significantly modified with the spectral distribution of the incident radiation. It is essential to consider that the spectrum of sunlight varies with the location, climate, season, time of day and even the angle of incident rays. Thus, it is essential to evaluate the behavior of photovoltaic technologies in different light spectrums to obtain the best conditions for the installation of photovoltaic systems and minimize performance losses. From this perspective, there is great difficulty in analyzing the efficiency of these devices in outdoor tests, taking into account specific light spectra since the solar spectrum is very broad. In order to contribute to this aspect, this work proposes the use of a device for conducting indoor experimental tests with artificial light based on power RGB LED to analyze the performance of photovoltaic cells using amorphous, polycrystalline and monocrystalline silicon technology in spectra of specific light. This analysis is performed by obtaining the characteristic curve of the current and voltage of the tested cells and their extracted electrical parameters.