Solar Panels Research Articles

Smart solar maintenance: IoT-enabled automated cleaning for enhanced photovoltaic efficiency

This innovative project aims to increase the effectiveness and user experience of solar panel systems by introducing a state-of-the-art dust and speck removal system. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, the system demonstrates a remarkable 32% increase in power output compared to dirty solar panels. The approach is characterized by its reliance on the universe as the system controller, reducing the need for manual intervention and minimizing the workforce required for panel cleaning. The proposed timed system utilizes water and wipers, facilitated by internet of things (IoT) technology, microcontrollers, and sensor modules for efficient and automated operation. An Android application provides user control and notifications about ongoing processes. The system’s adaptability for various settings is emphasized, offering a portable solution. The smart IoT based automatic solar panel cleaning ensures reliable performance, underscoring the project’s commitment to improve scalability, cost-efficiency, performance, integrity, and consistency.

Internet of things based smart photovoltaic panel monitoring system

<p>Solar energy has the potential to meet the entire world's energy requirements. Previous study revealed that photovoltaic (PV) panel monitoring methods are far more difficult and exclusive. This study examines and proposes an automated internet of things (IoT)-based PV panel monitoring system that allows autonomous monitoring of solar panel properties such as voltage, temperature, humidity, and sun irradiation from anywhere over the internet. Excessive human demand can be reduced by collecting data from solar panels. Many data sets can be collected frequently; for example, thousands of data points can be collected each minute. Continuous monitoring is achievable by gathering real-time data. Because there is no possibility of human error, highly accurate data can be generated.</p>

Hardware implementation of type-2 fuzzy logic control for single axis solar tracker

Solar tracker widely maximizes solar energy harvesting by maintaining a perpendicular relative position between the sun and the solar panel. Single and dual-axis solar tracker controllers are the most control mechanisms that are widely implemented. The single-axis solar tracker (SAST) is preferable between those two control mechanisms due to economic and simpler control algorithm features. Many control algorithms have been proposed to improve the performance of SAST. The conventional proportional integral derivative (PID) controller has major limitations mainly corresponding to slower response. Moreover, it cannot handle the uncertainties of the sunlight. To overcome the problem, type 2-fuzzy logic control (T2-FLC) is proposed. The single-axis solar tracker controller based on T2-FLC is applied in Arduino and implemented in the hardware environment. It was monitored that the T2-FLC provides much better responses than the conventional controllers in terms of better dynamic response and more efficiency in harvesting solar energy.

The Cointegration Between Energy Subsidy and Energy Accessibility in Eastern Africa Countries

Despite the significant potential, the energy industry in East Africa remains largely underdeveloped, with minimal modern energy access, low per capita consumption, and heavy reliance on biomass energy, which makes up over 90% of the region’s energy consumption. Less than 1% of rural areas have access to electricity. Introduction of subsidies on energy influences energy accessibility. The study found it clear that subsidies slightly improved energy accessibility in Eastern African countries in the long run. This can be explained by the fact that energy subsidies often result in lower prices for energy consumers. This makes energy more affordable for households, particularly those with lower incomes. Lower energy prices reduce the financial burden of meeting energy needs, making it easier for individuals and families to access essential energy services such as electricity, heating, and cooking. Lower energy prices due to subsidies can lead to increased energy consumption. It is therefore the responsibility of each member state to encourage the adoption of renewable energy sources by providing subsidies and incentives for renewable energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and energy-efficient appliances. Subsidizing renewable energy reduces reliance on fossil fuels, mitigates environmental impacts, and promotes sustainable energy practices.

Design & Fabrication of Water Optimized - Solar Panel Cleaning Robot

Abstract: Maintaining a power capacity of solar cell is the main thing for exercising solar power system. Most common problems in solar power system are dust, beach, creature’s pollen and crops burning. These challenges have a huge impact on the power generation capacity of solar panel. The thing of the robot's conception design is to make a machine that's easy to install, adaptable in terms of configuration, and requires lower labourers and functional charges. The robot is equipped with helical comber skirmishes which are driven by dc motor so that the robot is enforced with a water sprinkle in order to clean the panels far and wide it moves through. In this design, a system contains a length dimension unit and bedded control schemes in order to drive a movement directly and to localize the positions of the robot.

Estimating the efficacy of solar photovoltaic panels in Lebanon using a digital surface model: A geospatial approach

With the escalating need for alternative energy sources due to economic crises and fossil fuel shortages in Lebanon, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels have emerged as an attractive solution. This study examines the capacity and efficacy of rooftop-installed PV solar panels. Using geospatial technologies, including Digital Surface Models drone-based photogrammetry, the study assesses geometric and solar characteristics, seasonal solar radiation, solar duration, and power for 40 PV units installed in the study area. This research presents specific quantitative values for optimal orientations that result in high solar radiation across various seasons and identifies varying slopes influencing the performance of PV solar panels. Employing the Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) technique, PV units are systematically classified into clusters labeled as Moderate, High, Low, and Very Low solar power, offering quantitative metrics regarding the effectiveness of distinct panels. The high-efficiency Cluster exhibits an average solar power of 1868.114 kWh/m² during the summer season, whereas the Very Low Cluster, comprising panels with minimal solar power output, averages 150.578 kWh/m² in the same season. In conclusion, the most effective PV solar panels within the study area are those oriented between 195 and 225 degrees, with shallow inclination angles and larger surface areas contributing to enhanced performance in capturing solar radiation and generating power. These precise quantitative insights contribute to informed decision-making for optimizing the placement of PV panels to enhance energy generation. The study's recommendations are substantiated by specific numerical data, guiding future solar installations to maximize solar energy generation.

Carabid beetles in solar parks: assemblages under solar panels are severely impoverished compared to gaps between panel rows and edge areas

Abstract Renewable energies are a major tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Among renewables, solar parks are a key technology and their expansion will strongly increase in the future. Hence, there is a great need for research regarding their impact on biodiversity. In this study, we investigated the importance of three solar parks in northern Germany as habitat for carabid beetles. More specifically, we determined how habitat characteristics (temperature, vegetation structure), species richness, activity densities and carabid beetle assemblages vary between different locations within solar parks: areas under solar panels “UNDR”, gaps between panel rows “BTW” and areas at the edge of solar parks “EDGE”. We found that UNDR strongly differed from BTW/EDGE in terms of habitat conditions, species richness and activity densities of carabid beetles. UNDR mainly provided habitat for a species- and individual-poor subset of species already present in BTW/EDGE and made only a small contribution to the total species richness of the investigated solar parks. BTW and EDGE, on the other hand, differed only slightly. Thus, the narrow gaps between the panel rows were of similar importance as a habitat for carabid beetles as the edge areas. Overall, the investigated solar parks—and thus also the more species-rich areas EDGE and BTW—almost exclusively provided habitat for widespread and common non-threatened generalists, while species of conservation concern were extremely rare. Implications for insect conservation The low importance of UNDR for carabid beetles should be considered when assessing the biodiversity value of solar parks, since a large proportion of these facilities is covered with solar panels. Between panel rows and at the edge of solar parks, larger areas should be kept free from construction with solar panels in order to provide habitats for carabid beetles and other species groups. More research should be conducted on how to further improve solar parks for carabid beetles and overall biodiversity.

Assessing the eco-environmental aspects of fossil fuels-based units substitution of Point Aconi thermal power plant by green-based energies: a case study of Canada

AbstractCanada possesses significant potential in harnessing renewable energy from its vast and diverse geography, which can generate clean electricity. This paper presents a model that replaces fossil fuels used in a proposed thermal power plant in Point Aconi, Nova Scotia, with photovoltaic and wind turbine units based on the region’s climate conditions. The research results are based on evaluating multiple thermal power plants worldwide and examining various wind turbines and PV panels from different companies to ensure accuracy. The chosen units that best suit the location’s geographical and biological conditions, transmission, and operation costs demonstrate that the power plant currently consumes approximately 47 tons of coal and petroleum coke per hour. Replacing these materials with the proposed green units makes it possible to reduce environmental pollution by eliminating almost 165 tons of CO2 and other pollutants per hour while increasing the plant’s efficiency and independence from fossil fuel price variations. The presented structure’s ROI is approximately 20 years, which is reasonable compared to the economic and environmental benefits of utilizing such a structure and converting the thermal power plant to green units.

Single-Source VLCP System Based on Solar Cell Array Receiver and Right-Angled Tetrahedron Trilateration VLP (RATT-VLP) Algorithm

A significant deployment limitation for visible light communication and positioning (VLCP) systems in energy- and light-source-restricted scenarios is the reliance of photodetectors (PDs) on external power supplies, compromising sustainability and complicating receiver charging. Solar cells (SCs), capable of harvesting and converting environmental light into electrical energy, offer a promising alternative. Consequently, we first propose an indoor VLCP system that utilizes an SC array as the receiver, alongside a right-angled tetrahedron trilateration visible light positioning (RATT-VLP) algorithm based on a single light source and multiple receivers. The proposed system uses an SC array in place of PDs, utilizing binary phase shift keying (BPSK) signals for simultaneous communication and positioning. In experiments, we verified the system’s error-free communication rate of 1.21 kbps and average positioning error of 3.40 cm in a 30 cm × 30 cm area, indicating that the system can simultaneously satisfy low-speed communication and accurate positioning applications. This provides a viable foundation for further research on SC-based VLCP systems, facilitating potential applications in environments like underwater wireless communication, positioning, and storage tank inspection.

Vector-Based Advanced Computation for Photovoltaic Devices and Arrays: Numerical Reproduction of Unusual Behaviors of Curved Photovoltaic Devices

Most equations and models for photovoltaics are based on the assumption that photovoltaic (PV) devices are flat. Therefore, the actual performance of nonplanar PV devices should be investigated and developed. In this study, two algorithms were developed and defined using vector computations to describe a curved surface based on differential geometry and the interaction with non-uniform solar irradiance (i.e., non-uniform shading distribution in the sky). To validate the computational model, the power output from a commercial curved solar panel for the Toyota Prius 40 series was monitored at four orientation angles and in various climates. Then, these were compared with the calculation results obtained using the developed algorithm. The conventional calculation used for flat PV devices showed an overestimated performance due to ignorance of inherent errors due to curved surfaces. However, the new algorithms matched the measured trends, particularly on clear-sky days. The validated computation method for curved PV devices is advantageous for vehicle-integrated photovoltaic devices and PVs including building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs), drones, and agriphotovoltaics.

Comparative Study on Efficiency Analysis of Fixed and Dual-Axis Solar Tracking System

Solar energy is a crucial renewable energy source, offering sustainable solutions to address energy demands and combat climate change. Maximizing the efficiency of solar energy harvesting is essential for widespread adoption and integration into the energy landscape. Solar tracking systems play an important role in increasing the efficiency of solar panels by optimizing their orientation towards the sun throughout the day. This research presents a comparative analysis of the efficiency of dual-axis solar tracking systems using Light-Dependent Resistors (LDRs) as input devices. A closed-loop tracking technique is implemented to adjust the position of the solar panels based on real-time sensor feedback. A comparative study between LDRs demonstrates their effectiveness in detecting the sun's position, despite limitations such as susceptibility to ambient light conditions and saturation to light intensity. Through experimental evaluation and data analysis, this study provides valuable insights into the power output and assessment of efficiency variation of dual-axis solar tracking systems offering applications for optimizing solar energy harvesting in practical scenarios.

Solar Operated Car Enabled with AI

The convergence of renewable energy and artificial intelligence (AI) has spurred a transportation revolution, exemplified by the rise of solar-powered cars equipped with advanced AI capabilities. This abstract digs into the integration of solar energy and AI technology in autos, examining their synergistic potential to transform the automotive industry and pave the way for a more sustainable future.The paper presents the concept of solar-powered cars and discusses their importance in reducing environmental concerns connected with regular fossil-fuelled vehicles. Solar energy, captured by solar panels built into the vehicle's construction, provides a clean and abundant power source, minimizing reliance on non-renewable resources and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, advances in solar panel efficiency and energy storage technology have increased the practicality of solar-powered vehicles for widespread use.. Furthermore, AI-powered autonomous driving capabilities improve safety by reducing human error and allowing for proactive collision avoidance methods. The paper highlights how AI-enabled solar-powered vehicles have the potential to completely change the automotive sector and hasten the shift to a sustainable transportation network

Control strategy for trading off solar power and control input while rendezvous and docking

This paper presents a novel strategy for decoupling the attitude and orbit equations of a CubeSat for rendezvous and docking with an uncontrollable cooperative target. For computing a safe trajectory, the proposed control algorithm takes into account the solar energy received by the CubeSat. The CubeSat is equipped with a thruster for orbit maneuvers, magnetic coils for attitude control, and four fixed single-sided rectangular solar panels. The coupled dynamics arising from the dynamical model of the spacecraft is solved using a novel weighted vector-based approach. This paper presents a linearized nonlinear optimal control problem arising in small spacecrafts while trying to maximize solar energy input in the rendezvous and docking process. An intermediate orbit is defined and used to divide the problem into two different optimal control problems: rendezvous optimization and docking optimization problems. A geometrical approach based on the shape of the chaser and the target is contemplated for collision avoidance while docking. The proposed controller design is modified whenever the sunlight is obstructed by the Earth, and the maneuvering controls are redesigned accordingly for optimal rendezvous and docking. Numerical simulations have been carried out to show the efficacy of the proposed concept for steering the trade-off between solar energy and control input during the rendezvous and docking of CubeSat with a tumbling target.

LCA analysis of a roof mounted PV system: a Romanian case study

Using solar photovoltaic power sources has become a discussed topic in the construction and energy industry. The pressing need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, increasing costs of traditional electricity generation, and affording photovoltaic modules has sparked a growing interest in solar photovoltaics. This study aims to optimis e the layout of solar photovoltaic systems to minimise environmental impact and building load, comparing the performing south-oriented panels with east-west-oriented panels. The comprehensive analysis performed hinges on a diverse array of determinative factors that demand thoughtful consideration before embarking upon implementing any photovoltaic installation. These salient factors, including but not limited to structural integrity, incorporating ballast for stability enhancement, integrating requisite electrical components, selecting solar panels, quantifying energy production capabilities, assessing carbon emissions, and discerning associated benefits, require thoughtful consideration before implementing any photovoltaic installation. The findings derived from this study underscore that, within the context of the given geographical location, the solar photovoltaic system configured with an East-West orientation represents the optimal choice to reduce both emissions and structural load. This study provides a scientific basis for the construction industry and the energy field and guides the future development of photovoltaic installation projects in a more economic and environmentally friendly direction.

Recycling of silicon solar panels through a salt-etching approach

Recycling of silicon solar panels through a salt-etching approach

Water Resistance of Acrylic Adhesive Tapes for Rooftop Fastening

Rooftop solar modules are usually held in place by racks or frames that are mechanically attached to a roof structure and/or by heavyweight, ballasted footing mounts. These mounts ensure that the panel system remains in position against wind load. However, mechanical connectors create penetrations into the water-resistant layer of the roof, whereas ballasted footing mounts cause a significant additional load on the load-bearing structure of roof. For these reasons, adhesive connection seems to be a beneficial solution. Acrylic adhesive tapes, marked as VHBTM, may provide sufficient strength, and they have no need for mechanical fasteners or ballast. Acrylic adhesive tapes also provide a comfortable, fast, and efficient bonding process with no curing compared to liquid adhesives. On the other hand, resistance to water at load-bearing joints has not been sufficiently studied yet and could be critical for connections exposed to the outdoor environment. The present study aims at the determination of water resistance and durability of the VHBTM tapes from the GPH series, which are typically used to bond a variety of substrates including many metals. The mechanical properties and failure modes are compared for the specimens before and after a 21-day immersion in water. A significant reduction in strength was observed, depending on the substrate material. The study of chemical changes in the acrylic tape and in its leachate through infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray fluorescence, and X-ray diffraction analyses clarified the reduction in mechanical properties. The selected VHBTM tape demonstrated strong resistance to the effects of water. However, the overall strength of the joint after immersion was significantly impacted by the decrease in adhesion to a specific substrate.

Failures and performance of different aged PV modules operated under northern Algerian climate conditions: Analysis, assessment, and recommended solutions

This paper analyzes, assesses, and compares the failures and performance of various PV module types deployed at six PV installations located in different regions of northern Algeria, under Mediterranean climatic conditions. Qualitative data has been considered by selecting the best and worst-performing PV module samples for each of the six PV module types, along with other PV samples exhibiting specific permanent failures. Subsequently, the following IEC 61215 inspections were conducted: visual failures inspection, electrical performance inspection, thermal failures inspection, and insulation failures inspection. The results of these failure inspections indicate that different types of PV modules exhibit varying performance. Interestingly, the disparities are more pronounced between the PV module types than among the PV module samples within the same PV module type. This gap is at least ten times higher in terms of yearly degradation rates. However, some of the PV module types with high failure occurrence, severity, and exposure duration exhibit high performance compared to other types that have low failure occurrence, severity, and exposure duration. Meanwhile, there is no obvious and clear correlation between the different PV inspections, especially for PV module types. Thus, our analysis of the obtained results leads us to conclude that the significant disparity in failures and performance among the tested PV module types is primarily attributable to differences in their quality rather than the influence of local climate conditions or working conditions. Out of the six PV module types, only one will meet the 25-year warranty provided by the manufacturer, providing valuable insights into the prevalence of poor-quality PV modules in PV installations and those available in Algeria. Finally, a list of recommended solutions has been proposed to the Algerian government and other countries facing similar challenges to integrate into their national infrastructures and frameworks (quality, technical, qualification, and policies). These solutions aim to ensure the high quality, performance, and long lifespan of PV modules and PV installations.

Comparative analysis of single-axis solar tracker performance with and without reflector under various weather conditions

This research explores a sun tracking system for solar panels that affects the power output of the panels. To address this, a unidirectional sun tracking system is implemented to ensure the solar panels are perpendicular to the sun, thus optimizing solar radiation. Additionally, reflectors are integrated to capture more sunlight. This research aims to design the system of unidirectional sun tracking to enhance the power output generated by solar panels and compare its performance with stationary (static) solar panels. The results demonstrate that the system of sun tracking improves the power output of solar panels. However, when reflectors are used in conjunction with the sun tracking system, no significant increase in power output is observed. Moreover, solar panels equipped with the unidirectional sun tracking system exhibit a power increase of 52.06 Watts compared to stationary solar panels. This research indicates that employing a unidirectional sun tracking system with the addition of reflectors does not enhance power output but instead reduces it due to the increased temperature effect caused by the sunlight reflection from the added reflectors.

Optimizing photovoltaic systems performance under partial shading using an advanced cuckoo search algorithm

Partial shading negatively impacts power output in photovoltaic systems (PVs), causing multiple local maximum power points (LMPP) instead of a single global maximum power point (GMPP). The cuckoo search (CS) technique utilizes the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique to extract the global maximum power (GMP) from shaded PVs. CS is a metaheuristic technique that has gained widespread recognition. Moreover, the CS algorithm is associated with several challenges, including a failure rate, long response time, and noticeable oscillations during steady-state operation. To address these limitations, our proposed advanced cuckoo search (ACS) algorithm is designed to overcome the shortcomings of the standard CS algorithm. The algorithm iteratively evaluates individual solar panels and collectively explores the solution space using levy flight operations. Persistent variables are used to store and track the current state and previous iterations. Where the duty cycles of the solar panels are optimally set to enhance the overall power generation efficiency. We also evaluate and analyze the results obtained from the performance of our proposed technique and compare them to the performance of the four most recent CS optimization techniques. for all test cases, the tracking efficiency was improved to 99.98% with a fast-settling time of <44 ms.

Multi-microgrids system’s resilience enhancement

Nowadays, electricity consumption is increasing rapidly which leads to conventional power systems exhaustion. Therefore, micro-grids (MGs) implantation can enhance the resilience of power systems by implication of new resources, such as renewable energy sources (solar panel and wind power systems), electric vehicles (EV), and energy storage systems (ESS). This paper proposes a new strategy for optimal power consumption inside one microgrid; then, the approach will be extended to optimize the power consumption to enhance the resilience in the case of multi-MGs systems. The system controller of each microgrid has been implemented using ESP32 microcontroller and Raspberry IP4. The proposed approach intends to enhance the resilience of the system to react to any contingency in the system such as loss of power linkage between MG and the network in case of any natural disaster, especially in the rural area. Two controllers are implemented; the first one ensures MG autonomy by the efficient use of its own sources. The second one handles the system resilience cases by demanding/delivering power from/into neighbor microgrids. Hence, this work enhances the system resilience with an optimal cost. Thus, the MG can offer ancillary services for the neighboring MGs.