Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Research Articles

System Performance of a Grid Integrated Distributed Generator using ETAP

Uneconomical augmentation of the grid framework has prompted the usage of electric power toward the end users and has been demonstrated to be practical and to a degree effective. With expanded criticalness on eco-accommodating innovations the utilization of sustainable power sources, for example, small scale hydro, wind, solar, biomass and biogas is being investigated. This paper introduces the potential effects of matrix associated photovoltaic (PV) array on electrical systems demonstrated using the Electrical Transient and Analysis Program (ETAP) software by validating the system performance parameters of the Deetyakhedi Feeder in Jhalawar district, Rajasthan under different loading conditions on Grid failure and the Sub-feeder disconnection case. This paper elaborates by underlining the significance of generating power from PV panels which exhibits and explains the development in solar technology. Effects of framework associated with solar PV Electricity on Power Systems are additionally discussed in this paper pursued by the authors' synopsis from the various writing's and discoveries with respect to the greatest suitable Solar PV infiltration that can be securely incorporated into existing systems by analyzing the System performance of the Grid Integrated Distributed Generator using ETAP Software. The conclusion covers the various Loading conditions at the Grid failure case and the Sub-Feeder disconnection case evaluating various conditions under which the system again regains its stability after specific time intervals.

Canal top solar panels: A unique nexus of energy, water, and land

The calamity of energy increased over the decades due to population increase, factories, and industries most of the energy comes from the thermal power plants. Renewable energy sources are the finest or desirable energy solution for fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources are various types but solar power plays an important role in renewable energy sources because of its availability, clean safe, and pollution-free nature. The building of a solar power system takes very large areas of land. By using the canals top solar power plant system reduces the requirement of a wide area of land and decreases the water evaporation by sunlight. The cost of solar energy is decreasing very fast. Solar Thermal Electricity (STE) and Solar Photovoltaic Electricity (SPVE) are becoming competitive against conventional energy. To overcome the problems the innovative idea comes in front for installing solar power plant system on canal tops using an inter-array spacing of solar panels this reduces the evaporation of water through the inter-array spacing and increases the radiation on the solar panel so that the power output of system also increases in this paper mainly focuses on canals top solar power system with the design of reflectors and without reflectors and comparing the efficiency and cost of both systems and proposing which system is most idle for solar power plant installation.

Stochastic Energy Management of Microgrid with Nodal Pricing

This paper develops a stochastic framework for the energy management of a microgrid to minimize the energy cost from the grid. It considers the uncertainties in solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, load demand, and electricity price. Furthermore, the opportunity of flexible load demand, i.e., the effect of demand response (DR), on the test system is studied. The uncertainties are modeled by using Monte Carlo simulations and the generated scenarios are reduced to improve the computational tractability. In general, microgrid scheduling is implemented by using substation (source node) price as a reference, but that reference price is not the same at all nodes. Therefore, this paper develops the nodal price based energy management in a microgrid to improve the scheduling accuracy. The stochastic energy management framework is formulated as a mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP). Four case studies are simulated for a modified 15-node radial distribution network integrated with solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) to validate the effectiveness of the energy management framework for a microgrid with nodal pricing.

Life cycle water use of gasoline and electric light-duty vehicles in China

The cradle-to-grave life cycle water withdrawal and consumption for typical light-duty gasoline and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) produced and operated in China is estimated for the first time. The life cycle withdrawal and consumption are 275 and 137 m3 for the gasoline, and 851 and 262 m3 for the electric Ford Focus (using national average grid electricity). The life cycle water estimates are dominated by water used for fuel production (gasoline or electricity). For the current national average grid, BEVs are more water intensive than conventional gasoline vehicles although the transition towards more solar and wind power will narrow this gap. The Focus BEV, if produced and operated on solar photovoltaic electricity, will have life cycle water withdrawal and consumption of 181 and 47 m3. Using wind electricity, the water withdrawal and consumption can be further reduced to 113 and 43 m3. Life cycle water withdrawal associated with vehicle use in China is approximately a factor of 2–4 lower than in the U.S. reflecting lower water withdrawal for electricity generation in China. Life cycle water consumption of BEVs in China is 50 % higher than in the U.S., mainly reflecting a greater share of hydroelectricity in China. In addition, large regional differences in electricity generation lead to a wide range in water use of BEVs. The results highlight the importance of a transition to renewable energy, particularly solar and wind, to power future sustainable electric mobility and improved energy and water use efficiency in BEV production.

The Effect of Dust on Solar PV System Energy Output Under Urban Climate of Surabaya, Indonesia

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) electricity is one of the most effective, eco-friendly, and sustainable source of energy. The amount of electricity produced by a PV system is directly affected by the level of solar irradiation incident to the PV panels. In the real operation, the dust from the surrounding environment falls and accumulates on PV panels. The accumulation of dust causes a decrease in the energy output of the PV system. This study was aimed to investigate the impact of dust on PV operation to its energy output under the urban climate of Surabaya, Indonesia. The study was conducted by comparing two identical PV panel systems, each of 300 Wp. For one system, the PV panels were manually cleaned regularly for the dust, while for another system is remained without any cleaning. Both systems were measured for their energy output, and the results are compared. The results showed that, during the dry season in Surabaya, the energy output from the cleaned PV panels system is higher by 20% in comparison with the uncleaned PV panels system. While, during the rainy season, both systems produce the same amount of energy. In total throughout the year, cleaning of PV panels system would increase the energy output of about 8%.

A comprehensive assessment of solar and wind energy potential at the University of Lethbridge campus, a medium-sized western Canadian university

ABSTRACTSolar photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine technologies play a significant role in the world energy future. However, lack of awareness of the potential and relative value of renewables is a significant challenge in sustainable energy development. The potential of solar and wind energy sources in producing electricity to meet the electrical demands of the University of Lethbridge has been evaluated. Utilizing Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data and aerial photography to assess the solar photovoltaic electricity potential and wind turbine power curve concept to estimate the wind turbine electricity potential, a feasibility assessment for campus solar PV and wind turbine installations has been conducted. A comparison of the resulting solar PV and wind turbine generation over 5 years with the university electrical demand revealed that wind turbine and solar PV systems together could generate more than 3.6 times of the annual electricity consumption of the university on average. There is 1,015,808 m2 of suitable area available for placing a 46 MW solar PV system on the campus which would produce about 2.8 times of the university annual electricity usage on average. In addition, the proposed wind system could cover about 84% of the university electricity demand annually on average. Employing this system, the annual electricity cost of the university could decrease more than 90%. By installing renewable systems, the university can achieve a sustainable energy future.

Nexus approach to solar technology for energy and water supply for sustainable rural development in Egypt: a review

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their interactions in developing countries in general, and in Egypt specifically, form the basis of our review. Issues of energy and water supply, linked to agriculture in rural areas, combine several of the SDGs. The current status and the challenges for solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity production and water supply technologies in rural areas are critically described and an outlook on future developments is provided. The framework of the water–energy–food nexus approach and its relation to the SDGs globally in the MENA region and in Egypt is presented and recommendations are given on institutional governance and research and development to overcome the silo mentality and enhance sector collaboration on all levels as prerequisite to achieving the SDGs. The latest technical developments in PV and water technologies and their opportunities for rural development are outlined. Combined technical solutions are highlighted with examples from Egypt. Specifically, installed systems in various rural locations are presented, and their advantages and shortcomings are discussed. The review provides a context for the studies presented in the Special Section on Solar Energy Solutions for Electricity and Water Supply in Rural Areas, Journal of Photonics for Energy , Volume 9, Issue 4.

Numerical study of residential Smart Dual Fuel Switching System (SDFSS) with on-site solar photovoltaic system

Building energy consumption accounts for approximately 36% of total energy consumption in the world. Since buildings are capable of on-site electricity generation and exhibiting predictive pattern of heating and cooling, the focus of this study is to investigate the Smart Dual Fuel Switching System (SDFSS), comprising a natural gas furnace and an air-source heat pump (ASHP), working in conjunction with on-site solar photovoltaic system. Base-case scenario using 1.5-ton rated capacity ASHP with 8.5 heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) yielded only 4% cost savings and 15% greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction when compared to natural gas furnace space heating scenario. With an ASHP of 2-ton rated capacity and HSPF of 10 working in conjunction with solar photovoltaic (PV) system of 4.08 kWp, the cost savings of SDFSS increased to 12% and the GHG emissions reduction of 45%. SDFSS integrated with the grid is expected to yield significant benefits. It can help avoid situation of buildings drawing electricity all at once and reduce the overload on the grid. Also, it can redirect electricity generated from the solar PV system of a building for which using natural gas furnace is more economical to a building whose space heating demands can be met with this excess electricity. Higher ASHP performance and capacity, higher carbon pricing, and higher solar PV electricity generation will lead to the design of a more economical and sustainable SDFSS.

Thermodynamic and economic comparison of photovoltaic electricity generation with and without self-cleaning photovoltaic panels

In this study, thermodynamic and economic analysis of a photovoltaic electricity generation system (PVEGS) with and without self-cleaning panels is reported. In the first part, thermodynamic analyses are used to characterize the performance of the system. In the second part, the economic comparison of photovoltaic electricity generation with and without self-cleaning panels is carried out for all climate zones of Iran. A computer simulation program using EES software is developed to model the solar photovoltaic electricity generation system in four different climates of Iran. The solar photovoltaic system provides electricity during the year. Our goal is to point out the potential of electricity production using conventional panels compared to self-cleaning panels under the same condition. The analysis involves the specification of the effects of varying solar radiation intensity (SRI) on the electricity generation rate of the photovoltaic electricity generation system. The average output power values for the solar photovoltaic system with self-cleaning panels and the solar photovoltaic system without self-cleaning panels are found to be 50767 and 48120 kWh/year, respectively, which means that the solar photovoltaic system with self-cleaning panels has the higher performance than the solar photovoltaic system without self-cleaning panels in all climate zones of Iran.

City-level analysis of subsidy-free solar photovoltaic electricity price, profits and grid parity in China

In recent years, China has become not just a large producer but a major market for solar photovoltaics (PV), increasing interest in solar electricity prices in China. The cost of solar PV electricity generation is affected by many local factors, making it a challenge to understand whether China has reached the threshold at which a grid-connected solar PV system supplies electricity to the end user at the same price as grid-supplied power or the price of desulfurized coal electricity, or even lower. Here, we analyse the net costs and net profits associated with building and operating a distributed solar PV project over its lifetime, taking into consideration total project investments, electricity outputs and trading prices in 344 prefecture-level Chinese cities. We reveal that all of these cities can achieve—without subsidies—solar PV electricity prices lower than grid-supplied prices, and around 22% of the cities’ solar generation electricity prices can compete with desulfurized coal benchmark electricity prices. Although solar photovoltaic use grows rapidly in China, comparison with grid prices is difficult as photovoltaic electricity prices depend on local factors. Using prefecture-level data, Yan et al. find that 100% of user-side systems can achieve grid parity, while 22% can produce electricity cheaper than coal-based power plants.

Air pollution hurts solar energy production in China

China has the largest solar energy production capacity in the world. But a new study by European and Chinese scientists shows that capacity is greatly hindered by air pollution (Nat. Energy 2019, DOI: 10.1038/s41560-019-0412-4). As of 2017, China has the capacity to produce 130 GW of solar photovoltaic electricity, and it plans to increase that to 400 GW by 2030. However, human-caused aerosol emissions and changes in cloud cover have reduced surface radiation levels by 10–15% between 1960 and 2015, the researchers found. If China introduced strict pollution controls for sulfur dioxide and black carbon and limited fossil-fuel consumption, it could return to 1960s solar radiation levels, which would increase solar electricity generation by 12–13%. That increase, applied to China’s 2016 solar photovoltaic capacity, translates to an economic benefit worth $1.9 billion in increased solar production. China is already making progress toward reducing its air pollution, so the “findings should

Estimation of losses in solar energy production from air pollution in China since 1960 using surface radiation data

China is the largest worldwide consumer of solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity, with 130 GW of installed capacity as of 2017. China’s PV capacity is expected to reach at least 400 GW by 2030, to provide 10% of its primary energy. However, anthropogenic aerosol emissions and changes in cloud cover affect solar radiation in China. Here, we use observational radiation data from 119 stations across China to show that the PV potential decreased on average by 11–15% between 1960 and 2015. The relationship between observed surface radiation and emissions of sulfur dioxide and black carbon suggests that strict air pollution control measures, combined with reduced fossil fuel consumption, would allow surface radiation to increase. We find that reverting back to 1960s radiation levels in China could yield a 12–13% increase in electricity generation, equivalent to an additional 14 TWh produced with 2016 PV capacities, and 51–74 TWh with the expected 2030 capacities. The corresponding economic benefits could amount to US$1.9 billion in 2016 and US$4.6–6.7 billion in 2030. Air pollution has significant effects on human health and well-being, but also on the ability of solar panels to produce energy. Sweerts et al. find that the loss in potential solar electricity generation in China, due to increased pollution from industrialization from the 1960s onwards, could amount to 14 TWh in 2016 and 51–74 TWh by 2030.

Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Generation: A Lifeline for the European Coal Regions in Transition

The use of coal for electricity generation is the main emitter of Greenhous Gas Emissions worldwide. According to the International Energy Agency, these emissions have to be reduced by more than 70% by 2040 to stay on track for the 1.5–2 °C scenario suggested by the Paris Agreement. To ensure a socially fair transition towards the phase-out of coal, the European Commission introduced the Coal Regions in Transition initiative in late 2017. The present paper analyses to what extent the use of photovoltaic electricity generation systems can help with this transition in the coal regions of the European Union (EU). A spatially explicit methodology was developed to assess the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential in selected regions where open-cast coal mines are planned to cease operation in the near future. Different types of solar PV systems were considered including ground-mounted systems developed either on mining land or its surroundings. Furthermore, the installation of rooftop solar PV systems on the existing building stock was also analysed. The obtained results show that the available area in those regions is abundant and that solar PV systems could fully substitute the current electricity generation of coal-fired power plants in the analysed regions.

Impacts and opportunities from large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation on agricultural production

Impacts and opportunities from large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation on agricultural production

Electricity sector planning for the Philippine islands: Considering centralized and decentralized supply options

For archipelagic states such as the Philippines, it is important to evaluate centralized and decentralized approaches to electricity supply to ensure that the many and far-flung islands receive affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity. This study compares the feasibility of (I) submarine cable interconnection and (II) renewable energy based hybrid system development for 132 islands. For (I), we conduct a geospatial analysis and use an algorithm to compute the optimized grid outline, taking into account bathymetric models. For (II) we apply an optimization tool that computes for each island the least-cost power generation option, taking into account diesel generator, solar photovoltaic systems, battery storage, and electricity demand. The results indicate that a grid extension of 2239 km submarine cable and 1752 km land cable would be required to connect all of the islands considered. The overall investment under the given cost assumptions amounts to more than 3 billion USD for submarine cable interconnection and more than 700 million USD for a hybridized system development. Nevertheless, submarine cable interconnection is the most economically feasible option for 35 islands and can reduce power generation costs by up to 0.21 USD/kWh. A sensitivity analysis reveals that submarine cable interconnection remains the cost-effective option for most of the identified islands, even with costs increasing by 90%. This study gives an initial assessment of centralized and decentralized electricity supply strategies, and finds renewable energy based hybrid systems most feasible for the majority of islands, and submarine cable interconnection more promising for a few larger islands.

Impact of uncertainty and correlation on operation of micro-integrated energy system

The uncertainty and correlation of energy sources and loads bring challenges to the operation of integrated energy system (IES). In this article, a two-stage stochastic day-ahead scheduling problem on a micro-IES (MIES) is analyzed, and the correlation model of electricity and heat loads is presented as a constraint. Most importantly, for the new MIES with less or no historical data, a combined scenario and Monte-Carlo (MC) method is presented to manage the uncertainties of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, electricity and heat loads, as well as the correlation between stochastic electricity and heat loads. The impact of uncertainty and correlation on the performance and optimal operation of the MIES are investigated under a two-stage stochastic day-ahead scheduling model. Case studies show that the proposed combined scenario and MC method is suitable for scenario generation with the consideration of uncertainty and correlation in the new MIES. The varying range of the total cost of the MIES is influenced by the MC sampling and scenario reduction number, which reflect the impact of various uncertainties. It is also demonstrated that considering correlation between the electricity and the heat loads can evaluate various cost in the MIES more accurately.

Optimal sizing ratio of a solar PV inverter for minimizing the levelized cost of electricity in Finnish irradiation conditions

The amount of installed solar power in Finland is increasing as a result of decreasing photovoltaic (PV) system component prices. The growth is especially noticeable in residential systems, and ways to make PV electricity a more competitive choice for Finnish residents are studied. One of these ways is to decrease the solar PV electricity production costs by decreasing the investment costs by undersizing the inverter of the PV system. The objective of undersizing is to find the optimal array-to-inverter sizing ratio (AISR) where the ratio of the economic loss from the clipped energy to the economic gain from the decreased system investment achieved by an undersized inverter is lowest.In this paper, the economically most optimal AISRs are determined for different residential array sizes, orientations, and inclinations when operating in Finnish locations and conditions. Calculations for each inverter size are carried out by using recorded Finnish meteorological data and the current Finnish PV system cost distribution, and by analyzing existing 1-s resolution production measurement data of a Finnish PV system. It is concluded that it is necessary to use 1-s resolution data as the use of 1-h resolution production data would lead to more significant undersizing caused by the power clipping occurring within an hour.The optimal AISRs presented in this study are higher than the optimal ratios reported in previous studies for locations further south than Finland. This can be explained by the northern location of Finland, where the irradiance above Standard Test Conditions (STC) is lower than in central Europe, for example. This allows more significant undersizing as less energy is clipped even at higher ratios. In the case of south-oriented arrays in a 30° installation angle, the optimal AISRs for the 10 kW, 6 kW, and 3 kW inverters were 1.6, 1.8, and 2.08, respectively. Again, the AISRs for the southwest-southeast facade installations were 1.8, 1.9, and 2.17 for the inverters under study. They do not clip the produced energy as much as rooftop systems because their production is more evenly distributed throughout the day, yet they do not achieve as low production costs either. It is pointed out that if the PV self-consumption is optimized by using PV to heat water or batteries as a storage, limitation of the PV generation might not be the correct solution.

A regime in the making? Examining the geographies of solar PV electricity in Southern Africa

The rapid global deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies since the early 2000s has attracted sustained attention. Solar PV has become an increasingly established, widespread and flexible form of electricity generation. In the research language of socio-technical or energy transitions, solar PV can reasonably be viewed as acquiring the characteristics of a 'socio-technical regime.' Such regimes are found where a co-evolving set of social and technical developments have built sufficient momentum for a particular technology to become accepted as an established part of the energy provision system. As solar PV becomes integrated into the project of providing secure, affordable and sustainable energy for development, this momentum is now spreading across sub-Saharan Africa.In this article, we examine the emergence and adoption of solar PV in Mozambique and South Africa. While solar PV has gained ground in both cases, it has done so in different ways and with varying consequences. Our analysis suggests that even as niche technologies reach maturity and transcend the contexts from which they have emerged, they remain constituted through multiple sets of relations that are continually remade, such that the geographies, histories and politics of transitions are an ongoing project. Such a perspective, drawing on energy geographies and landscape studies, can enrich the sustainability transitions literature, enhancing our understanding of different ways of developing and adopting solar PV in particular places.

Economic analysis of residential solar photovoltaic electricity production in Canada

This paper presents the results of a comparative economic analysis of residential solar photovoltaic systems throughout the provinces of Canada in 2013 and 2016. The study was conducted using the discounted cash flow method. Basic economic theory involving the concepts of net present value, payback period, and internal rate of return was used, based on data from 2013 and 2016. The solar photovoltaic market is dependent on supporting policies and incentives. Thus, the relevant federal and provincial supporting policies for building implementation are briefly described and considered in the calculations. Results are presented in the form of summary tables showing selected major cities, classified into different categories, in terms of financial viability. The results show that in 2013 there were 9 cities out of 13 for which the payback period was expected to be higher than 30 years but in 2016, only Montreal PV projects remain infeasible. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses were conducted to establish new values for the selling price of electricity, initial cost of the proposed project, and percentage of subsidy required to ensure project attractiveness, that is, a short payback period of only 5 years for residential buildings.

A Systematic Literature Review on big data for solar photovoltaic electricity generation forecasting

Solar power is expected to play a substantial role globally, due to it being one of the leading renewable electricity sources for future use. Even though the use of solar irradiation to generate electricity is currently at a fast deployment pace and technological evolution, its natural variability still presents an important barrier to overcome. Machine learning and data mining techniques arise as alternatives to aid solar electricity generation forecast reducing the impacts of its natural inconstant power supply. This paper presents a literature review on big data models for solar photovoltaic electricity generation forecasts, aiming to evaluate the most applicable and accurate state-of-art techniques to the problem, including the motivation behind each project proposal, the characteristics and quality of data used to address the problem, among other issues. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method was used, in which research questions were defined and translated into search strings. The search returned 38 papers for final evaluation, affirming that the use of these models to predict solar electricity generation is currently an ongoing academic research question. Machine learning is widely used, and neural networks is considered the most accurate algorithm. Extreme learning machine learning has reduced time and raised precision.