Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Research Articles

Colouring solutions for building integrated photovoltaic modules: A review

As global decarbonisation requires the widespread adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity, addressing challenges related to land use has become relevant. The conflict between PV installations and other land uses, such as forestry or agriculture, highlights the urgency for alternative solutions. Integrating PV technology into the built environment is a compelling strategy to mitigate these challenges, enabling electricity generation precisely where it is needed. In the context of buildings integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), PV modules serve a dual purpose, functioning both as electricity generators and integral components of the architectural design. Therefore, the architecture requirements — specifically in terms of shape, size, and colour— become relevant for BIPV modules. This paper offers a general overview of the diverse colouring technologies employed for BIPV modules, describing their functioning, challenges, and advantages. An examination of the current landscape of coloured PV products involving considerations of pricing and power output is presented. Additionally, this work addresses the critical topics of reliability and stability in colour solutions, outlining methodologies for quantitative colour characterization. It provides foresight into the potential challenges facing installations in the future and explores the multifaceted social, economic, and environmental implications of this evolving technology.

Farm electricity system simulator (FESS): A platform for simulating electricity utilisation on dairy farms

The objective of this paper was to define, validate and demonstrate a model capable of accurately simulating dairy farm electricity consumption across varying herd and parlour sizes, to facilitate research investigating renewable energy systems (RES) and demand side management (DSM). The Farm Electricity System Simulator (FESS) was developed using grey-box modelling techniques utilizing empirical data for parameter tuning. Empirical data were gathered from nine spring calving, pasture based dairy farms located in the Republic of Ireland. A k-means clustering analysis was conducted, separating the farms into three, near homogenous groups, from which representative farms were selected. FESS was trained using 12 months of data from three representative farms using the repeat hold out method for data partitioning with 75 % of data used for training and 25 % used for validation. An optimisation algorithm was used to minimize the error during model training. Through cross-validation, FESS achieved a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 7.65 kWh, mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 7.10 %, mean percentage error (MPE) of −0.86 % and a relative prediction error (RPE) of 7.56 % for total daily electricity consumption. Across the three farms, the simulated outputs of FESS achieved an average R2 value of 0.72, demonstrating good agreement with observed data. FESS’s utility was demonstrated by analysing the effects of different electricity pricing structures and on-site solar photovoltaic electricity generation on total farm energy costs. We concluded that FESS simulated on-farm electricity consumption with sufficient accuracy for the intended application. FESS accurately simulated dairy farm electricity consumption across three dairy farms of different herd and parlour sizes while evaluating the effects of demand side management and renewable generation on farm electricity consumption and costs.

Green Hydrogen Production at the Gigawatt Scale in Portugal: A Technical and Economic Evaluation

The European Union has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and green hydrogen has been chosen as a priority vector for reaching that goal. Accordingly, Portugal has drafted a National Hydrogen Strategy laying out the various steps for the development of a green hydrogen economy. One element of this strategy is the development of a gigawatt-scale hydrogen production facility powered by dedicated renewable electricity sources. This work presents an analysis of the technical and economic feasibility of a facility consisting of a gigawatt-scale polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyser powered by solar photovoltaic and wind electricity, using the energy analysis model EnergyPLAN. Different capacities and modes of operation of the electrolyser are considered, including the complementary use of grid electricity as well as different combinations of renewable power, resulting in a total of 72 different configurations. An economic analysis is conducted addressing the related annualised capital expenditures, maintenance, and variable costs, to allow for the determination of the levelised cost of hydrogen for the different configurations. This analysis shows the conditions required for maximising annual hydrogen production at the lowest levelised cost of hydrogen. The best options consist of an electrolyser powered by a combination of solar photovoltaic and wind, with limited exchanges with the electricity grid, and a levelised cost of hydrogen in the range 3.13–3.48 EUR/kg.

Accurate nowcasting of cloud cover at solar photovoltaic plants using geostationary satellite images

Accurate nowcasting for cloud fraction is still intractable challenge for stable solar photovoltaic electricity generation. By combining continuous radiance images measured by geostationary satellite and an advanced recurrent neural network, we develop a nowcasting algorithm for predicting cloud fraction at the leading time of 0–4 h at photovoltaic plants. Based on this algorithm, a cyclically updated prediction system is also established and tested at five photovoltaic plants and several stations with cloud fraction observations in China. The results demonstrate that the cloud fraction nowcasting is efficient, high quality and adaptable. Particularly, it shows an excellent forecast performance within the first 2-hour leading time, with an average correlation coefficient close to 0.8 between the predicted clear sky ratio and actual power generation at photovoltaic plants. Our findings highlight the benefits and potential of this technique to improve the competitiveness of solar photovoltaic energy in electricity market.

Solar insolation and PV module temperature impact on the actual grid connected solar photovoltaic system in German Malaysian Institute

German Malaysian Institute (GMi) has a great potential for utilising solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity. In this study, the performance of a 3kW grid-connected solar PV (GCSPV) system is monitored using Sunny Portal web in conjunction with Sunny SensorBox. The daily solar energy that strikes a PV array cannot be totally transformed into grid-compatible electricity. As a result of power losses, the production of solar PV systems falls short of expectations. The primary objective of this study is to examine the influence of solar insolation and PV module temperature on the actual output of the GCSPV system compared to the predicted output system by considering elements that affect the conversion of solar power to electrical power in GCSPV systems. The study prediction method based on calculations was carried out. Prediction of output system considered all losses, including efficiency of PV module, solar insolation, temperature of PV module, dirt, manufacturer’s tolerance and module mismatch, the voltage drop in DC cables to inverter, and inverter efficiency. The data indicate that the average power generation is 7.26% lower than predicted by the system. The GCSPV system’s performance efficiency is diminished by the temperature increase and somewhat enhanced by an increase in solar insolation. Temperature has a crucial impact in the energy conversion process of PV module. The effectiveness of the PV module in generating energy and power is dependent on its operating temperature.

Impact of integration of renewable energies and energy efficiency on the reliability of the national electricity grid

<p><span lang="EN-US">This article consists of studying the reliability of the Moroccan electricity grid as well as verifying the plan of production for 2030. To propose an adequate production plan for 2050, a production plan where renewable energies take a large place in the production park. Our objective is the planning and optimization of the Moroccan energy system with a strong integration of renewable energy sources or even 100% integration by guaranteeing the reliability of the electrical system. In this study, we evaluated the reliability of the Moroccan electricity grid in the presence of renewable electricity production based on the energy plan simulator supplemented by Monte Carlo simulations based on probabilistic approaches. The first part of this work consists of projecting demand for 2030-2050 and studying the impact of energy efficiency on forecasts. In the second part, we integrated the existing means of production and the projected demand on energy plan. In the third part we studied the reliability of the Moroccan electricity grid in the presence of the production of wind, solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar (CSP) electricity according to different stages of study (from 2017 to 2050).</span></p>

Techno-economic analysis of reactive power management in a solar PV microgrid: A case study of Sunyani to Becheam MV feeder, Ghana

Solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity offers a promising solution for the increasing demand for clean and sustainable energy, particularly in developing countries like Ghana. Power utility operators maintain power quality as their utmost priority per benchmarks established by regulators. Some researchers argue that increasing variable renewable sources in the grid compromises its stability, leading to poor power quality. This paper aims to evaluate the suitability of reactive power management (technical aspect) in a solar PV microgrid in meeting regulators' power quality benchmarks. It also presents the economics associated with reactive power management. The study uses Python optimisation algorithms to achieve the technical objective. The net present value (NPV), profitability index (PI) and discounted payback period (DPP) are the econometrics used to assess the economic viability of reactive power management in this study. The results show that optimising reactive power in microgrids reduces power losses, increasing the utility's energy sales. An annual energy savings of 1,985,600 MWh was made due to the reactive power optimisation, leading to significant economic returns for the microgrid. The NPV, PI and DPP calculated from the study were GHS 12,528,583,512, 10,404.3, and one year, respectively. Therefore, it suggests reactive power optimisation to microgrid and grid operators as a viable solution to meet regulators' benchmarks.

Greenhouse gas emissions embodied in the U.S. solar photovoltaic supply chain

Solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity is considered to be an important source of electricity generation in the quest for net-zero carbon emissions. However, the growth of solar electricity is creating both increased material demands and increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from silicon and PV manufacturing (also referred to as embodied GHG emissions of solar electricity). Here we analyze the silicon and solar PV supply chain for the United States (U.S.) market and find that the embodied GHG emissions of solar PV panel materials (such as silicon), manufacture, logistics, and installation in the U.S. given the current supply chain are 36 g CO2e kWh−1 of solar electricity generated. Eighty-five percent of the embodied GHG emissions are from PV panel production processes in China and other Asia–Pacific countries. Moving the silicon and PV manufacturing to the U.S. would reduce the embodied GHG emissions of solar electricity by 16% from its current level, primarily because of the lower GHG emission intensity of the U.S. electrical grid and the lower GHG emissions for aluminum electrolysis in North America. Future scenario analysis shows that by 2030, with the U.S. PV domestic supply chain and its decarbonized grid electricity and aluminum production, as well as improving PV conversion efficiency, the embodied GHG emissions of solar electricity in the U.S. will be reduced to 21 g CO2e kWh−1.

Simulation of the optimal plant size to produce renewable hydrogen based on the available electricity

Renewable hydrogen is emerging as a valid energy alternative to the fossil fuels currently in use. Governments are developing hydrogen-based energy strategies as a tool to decarbonise the transport, industrial, energy, and residential sectors. It is estimated that by 2050, hydrogen could cover 34% of the energy demand in these sectors in Europe according to the European Commission. However, for this to happen, green hydrogen must be produced on a large scale and in an economically feasible way.The aim of this project is to model any given renewable electricity generation system so that resources are optimized to achieve the highest and most cost-effective hydrogen production possible. Based on the green energy available data available and the characteristics of the electrolysers considered, the model minimises the cost per kilogram of hydrogen produced by optimising the size of the electrolyser.Once boundary conditions were set for two renewable energy generation cases and hydrogen production was determined for an average year, the profitability was calculated as a function of two variables: electrolysis plant size and hydrogen selling price. In the case of offshore wind power, it becomes profitable to produce hydrogen starting at a selling price of $5.5/kg H2, with a minimum plant size of 55 MW.With solar photovoltaic electricity as the input of the electrolysis plant in the second scenario, for plant size range of 1 MW–300 MW, the economic balance becomes positive selling at $3.5 to $7 per kg of hydrogen produced. The results are discussed more in depth throughout the article based on the simplified calculus model presented.

Assessing the environmental footprint of recycled plastic pellets: A life-cycle assessment perspective

Plastic production has significant environmental impacts, including water pollution, global warming, resource depletion, and microplastic pollution. To address this, it is crucial to reduce plastic production and find more sustainable alternatives. While recycling plastic waste can help mitigate environmental impacts, it requires careful assessment. This study evaluates the environmental impact of producing polymer pellets from recycled polyolefin-based plastic waste using life-cycle assessment with Gabi software. Xylene is used as a solvent and later recovered. Two scenarios with different xylene recovery levels are assessed. The results show that 100% xylene recovery consumes more energy but reduces the carbon footprint. Additionally, carbon emissions during pellet production from plastic waste are 22.6%, and other impacts are in the range of 11%–40% lower compared to virgin polypropylene PP. The use of solar photovoltaic electricity demonstrates potential in reducing overall environmental impacts, except for human toxicity. The carbon emissions are found to be 41.8% lower than that of virgin PP. The study emphasizes the importance of sustainable techniques in mitigating plastic waste effects and offers insights for policymakers and stakeholders interested in a circular economy.

Decarbonizing a solar PV and gas turbine microgrid with hydrogen and batteries

Challenges associated with incorporating the technical potential of photovoltaic (PV) power generation into an existing university microgrid system are investigated with the goal of achieving complete decarbonization. Three energy storage integration pathways are established: sending excess solar PV electricity to 1) battery energy storage systems (BESS) for daily energy shifting, 2) an electrolyzer to produce hydrogen for conversion in a gas turbine power plant (P2G-GT), and 3) an electrolyzer to produce hydrogen for conversion in a fuel cell system (P2G-FC). Installing the maximum geospatially limited amount of solar PV results in directly meeting 20% of the electric load. 58% of PV electric production is curtailed unless energy storage is implemented. The P2G-FC and BESS strategies result in similarly high 64% renewable energy supply (RES) despite having different roundtrip efficiencies. BESS are found to be better than hydrogen storage and fuel cell systems for continuous run times of a day or less. Somewhere between one to three days of continuous power, the hydrogen storage plus fuel cell option is better. To fully decarbonize the microgrid, a significant portion of the RES percentage must come from procured biogas, or from an off-campus resource.

AN INTEROPERABLE DIGITAL TWIN TO SIMULATE SPATIO-TEMPORAL PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER OUTPUT AND GRID CONGESTION AT NEIGHBOURHOOD AND CITY LEVELS IN LUXEMBOURG

Abstract. This paper focuses on the importance of Geographical Digital Twins to increase renewable energy production in urban areas and cities for decarbonization and reduction of climate change impacts. The study demonstrates the role of interoperable geographical digital twins based on Free and Open-Source software and geospatial software technologies in the simulation, monitoring, and management of renewable-based energy systems. We simulated the potential for building-integrated and building-attached solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation for the use case in cities to allow at a later stage for scale up to a nationwide level. The platform provides a tool for estimating PV power generation at high resolution across entire neighbourhoods and districts. Tools for the identification of cost-efficient PV placement or integration in buildings on roof-tops and facades were implemented to allow for interactive selection of optimal PV placement. The developed platform serves multiple beneficiaries, including municipalities, urban planners, developers, citizens, investors, and energy communities. Overall, the study highlights the advantage of an interoperable geographical urban digital twin, which provides the flexibility necessary to simulate and test scenarios for rapid, integrated urban planning for decarbonization under climate change. The platform is based on open-source, open standards and APIs, using open 3D city models, and allowing seamless integration of simulation and assessment methods and tools to provide a 3D real-world environment to assess and develop energy transition approaches.

A new non-isolated high-gain DC-DC converter for the PV application

Small, distributed types of generation like solar photovoltaic (PV) played a significant part in shifting to a clean energy future due to economic factors and governmental laws. DC-DC converters are essential in the generation of solar PV electricity because they regulate the output voltage relying on the input voltage. The conventional boost converter (CBC) has minimal output voltage gain, and voltage stress at a switch is typically equivalent to the output voltage. The voltage produced by distribution generation (DG) sources is minimal, necessitating the use of high-gain boost converters. This proposed study is concerned with the development of an improved architecture of non-isolated high-gain DC-DC converters for PV applications, which provides quadratic output voltage gain and reduced voltage stress across a switch. The proposed configuration of the converter is comprised of a conventional quadratic boost converter with a voltage lift cell, which provides a high gain. The topological benefit is the use of a single switch with a lower number of inductors which reduces the circuit bulkiness. The developed topology was contrasted in terms of voltage gain, number of passive components used, and other parameters with other recently presented topologies. The simulation was performed using MATLAB/SIMULINK, and the output voltage gain was verified by prototype experimental results employing the simulation data.

Transmission Expansion Planning using Binary Differential Evolution considering forecasted solar Photovoltaic generation

Transmission Expansion Planning (TEP) can be essentially affected by solar Photovoltaic (PV) penetration because its generation is uncertain depending on weather and the environment at a specific time. This uncertainty can impact transmission expansion planning because the uncertain generation of solar PV causes difficulty to expand transmission lines with secure system operations. The aim of the proposed TEP method is to construct transmission lines to handle the increase in solar PV sources and electricity demand while ensuring that the power system constraints are not violated. The goal of the objective function is to minimize the total cost of the system, which comprises both the investment cost and the operating cost of generation. Hourly resolution values of solar PV generation and electricity demand are considered in the planning. Moreover, to obtain accurate values of solar PV generation for planning a system with secure operations, this paper proposes a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) for forecasting solar PV generation. The Binary Differential Evolution (BDE) algorithm is applied to solve the TEP problem. The proposed TEP method is tested through an IEEE 24 bus test system. The results from the proposed method show that the obtained expansion plan provides the minimum total system cost without system violations.

Dense station-based potential assessment for solar photovoltaic generation in China

To achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, China is vigorously promoting the development of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to replace traditional power supplies dominated by fossil fuels. A detailed potential assessment for solar PV generation will contribute to constructing and integrating a new power system with a high proportion of solar energy. In this study, we combined high-density and high-accuracy station-based solar radiation data from more than 2400 stations and a solar PV electricity generation model to map the technical potential for solar PV generation in China, while simultaneously considering land constraints through geographic information system technology. We found that the total installable capacity is at least 44,614.6 GW for China as a whole, resulting in an annual electricity generation potential of 72.7 PWh. However, the spatial distribution of solar PV potential does not match the electricity demand in China. Northwest China accounts for more than 95% of the total PV technical potential of China, but the power load centers are mainly located in eastern, southern, and central China, accounting for more than 70% of the total electricity consumption of the country. The challenges of solar PV development in China include grid integration and transmission from resource centers to load centers. The establishment and planning of new power systems based mainly on clean energy should facilitate the integration of fluctuating solar resources in China. This study will contribute to the planning and construction of solar PV systems in China.

Application of solar photovoltaic electricity in unravelling the effects of coating defects on cathodic protection parameters of buried pipeline

Corrosion management in some remote locations such as Niger Delta region of Nigeria, is at risk of uncertainty of constant power supply. Thus, solar photovoltaic (PV) presents a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil energy in mitigating pipeline failure, associated human and material harzards and other environmental exposures. Coating defects takes place when the surface of the structure is cathodically exposed. An epoxy coating was applied on the X65 carbon pipeline powered with four (4) solar PV modules to charge a 200Ah battery to generate a direct current (DC) and to detect defects initiated on the coated pipe. Linear Polarization Resistance (LPR) technique was adopted in assessing cathodic protection (CP) parameters of the coated pipe. The result shows that current flow decreased with an increase in the size of the defect. Resistance to CP was found to be 12354263.07 Ohm.cm2 compared with no CP of 87174 Ohm.cm2 at 0.1 cm2 scratch size. By implication, the application of coating with CP in the absence of defects was observed to significantly increase cathodic current. This is otherwise known as overprotection, a situation that enhances hydrogen embrittlement and coating disbondment.

Levelized cost estimates of solar photovoltaic electricity in the United Kingdom until 2035

Solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity represents one of the most promising sources of clean and affordable energy; however, the share of solar power in electricity production remains low, primarily because of the high installation costs. By conducting a large-scale analysis of electricity pricing, we show that solar PV systems are quickly becoming one of the most competitive sources of electricity. Collecting a contemporary UK dataset of 2010-2021, we analyze the historical levelized cost of electricity for several PV system sizes, project until 2035, and conduct a sensitivity analysis. The cost of PV electricity is currently at about 149 ₤/MWh for the smallest-scale and 51 ₤/MWh for large-scale PV systems, already lower than the wholesale price of electricity, with PV systems predicted to get cheaper by 40%-50% until 2035. The government should focus on supporting solar PV system developers with benefits such as simpler land purchases for PV farms or preferential loans with low interest rates.

An Evaluation of ASEAN Renewable Energy Path to Carbon Neutrality

Maintaining our standard of living and keeping the economy running smoothly is heavily reliant on a consistent supply of energy. Renewable energy systems create abundant energy by utilizing resources such as the sun, wind, earth, and plants. The demand for renewable energy is increasing, despite power scarcity, pollution, and climate change posing challenges to long-term development in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which has seen significant social and economic growth in recent years. To achieve its 23% renewable energy (RE) target, ASEAN can develop solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity. Members of the ASEAN have established regulations and incentives to encourage individuals and businesses to use renewable energy in the future. This paper explores Southeast Asian countries’ comprehensive fossil-free energy options, the region’s renewable energy potential, current capacity, goals, and energy needs. Through the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016–2025 and the ASEAN Declaration on Renewable Energy, ASEAN is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable development aligning with the Paris Agreement’s aim to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Results show that decarbonizing the region’s energy system is possible, but current policies and actions must be altered to reach that target level. Further research is necessary to optimize the ASEAN region’s renewable resource technical potential and commercial viability with available technology.

The European Solar Communication—Will It Pave the Road to Achieve 1 TW of Photovoltaic System Capacity in the European Union by 2030?

The urgency of a clean energy transition in the European Union is now not only driven by concerns about climate change, but also by using local renewable energy resources to reduce the dependency on foreign energy imports. Solar photovoltaic electricity generation is acknowledged as one of the pillars of this transition and various policy measures were implemented over the last two years to not only accelerate the deployment of solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems, but also to rebuild a competitive solar value chain in Europe to hedge against solar photovoltaic component supply chain disruptions. However, the current political ambitions still do not pay sufficient attention to the importance of solar photovoltaics as a major contributor to the necessary future renewable energy supply. According to the market trend between 2017 and 2022, the currently average EU installed capacity of 474.55 Wp/capita will not reach the necessary 2246 Wp/capita or 1 TWp target by 2030. At the moment, only seven member states have an installed capacity per capita higher than the average EU value.

A correct perspective for hydrogen from engineered diagenesis

Wind and solar photovoltaic electricity production have already reached very low levels of levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Electrolyzers have already reached high efficiencies which are further improving, while costs are dramatically reducing. They are commercial products. Green hydrogen (H2) is the product of excess wind and solar electricity, specifically electricity that will be otherwise wasted, without the huge energy storage needed presently almost completely missing. By growing the installed capacity of wind and solar power plants, there will be a non-dispatchable production by wind and solar more often in excess, but sometimes also in defect, of the grid demand, in presence of limited energy storage. H2 is one of the key energy storage technologies needed to ensure grid stability. Production of H2 above what is needed to stabilize the grid significantly helps in applications such as land, and sea but especially air transport where the storage of energy onboard in a fuel is preferable to the storage of energy as electricity into a battery. The engineered diagenesis for H2 is unlikely better than green hH2. Apart from being a nice idea to be proven workable, with a technology readiness level (TRL) presently of zero, and thus impossible to be objectively compared with commercial products, the engineered diagenesis for H2, even if possible, also does not help with non-dispatchable renewable energy production. The concept may also have negative environmental aspects similar to fracking which have not been considered yet, and also bear huge economic costs in addition to environmental. Here we review the pros and cons of this novel technology, which once proven workable, which is not the case yet, should be considered as a possible way to complement rather than replace green H2 production.