Solar Panels Research Articles

Weather as Fuel — The Wicked Problem of Renewable Energy

Abstract A key component of mitigating climate change is reducing society’s dependence on fossil fuels, which will require replacing them with clean energy sources. The key strategy being pursued in the United States (and most other countries) is to rapidly scale up our use of renewable energy sources. Electricity generation provided by wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels, in particular, has been growing rapidly, and most energy experts expect them to be the dominant forms of electricity generation in the future. Given the dependence these energy sources have on weather conditions (windiness and cloudiness, respectively), it is useful to view weather as the “fuel” for these renewables in the same way that coal or natural gas serves as the fuel in generating electricity in a fossil-fuel power plant. This paper uses a novel thought experiment to drive home this concept, while also exploring the complexity of providing reliable power on a grid dominated by renewable generation. The paper then shows how the transition to renewable energy falls into the class of problems known as “wicked problems,” and discusses approaches that will be needed to make progress. The current status of addressing these complex issues is reviewed through the lens of the wicked problem paradigm.

Fulfilling the potentials of residential solar energy in Egypt

Energy plays a very important role in Egypt’s economic development, but the country has a gap between its produced energy and the demand of its growing population. Utilization of solar power systems in Egypt could help the country to close this gap and fulfil its national and international obligations. However, since 1980, the focus in Egypt has been on large-scale industrial solar projects. Limited attention is given to smaller systems for typical residential buildings. The aim of this research, therefore, is to highlight the potential of small residential solar systems (SRSS) in Egypt. With the huge number of residential buildings accommodating more than 115 million Egyptians, SRSS could be the unearthed gem of a sustainable source of energy in Egypt. The geographical location of Egypt and climate were used to generate solar data using the Global Solar Atlas application. The amounts of monthly and annual solar irradiations were calculated and analysed to decide the best orientation of the system (facing east, west, north, and south), identify the optimum tilt angle of the system, and determine the size of the solar panels. A case study was used to illustrate the procedures of designing SRSS for a typical residential building in Egypt. The results showed that a 26 kWp SRSS oriented facing the east with an optimum tilt angle between 15° and 30° could produce an annual total output of electricity more than the annual demand of the occupants of the studied residential building. Such a system would fit easily on the roof of the building. It was concluded that the installation of SRSS in Egypt could help the country meet the demand of its ever-increasing population if properly regulated, financed, and managed. It is recommended that Egypt develop and implement policies to make installations of SRSS an attractive choice among homeowners and investors by introducing encouraging incentives and creating a competitive market with affordable SRSS.

Design and Signal-Decoding Test Verification of Dual-Channel Round Inductosyn Decoding Circuit

During the in-orbit operation of spacecraft, permanent magnet synchronous motors are commonly used as power sources in the drive mechanisms of solar panel arrays and the high-precision servo control systems based on satellites. Apart from the performance of the motors themselves and the software control algorithms, the accuracy of the entire control system is also influenced by angle sensors used to detect the rotor position of the motors. As a high-precision angular measuring instrument, the inductosyn possesses excellent environmental adaptability and long service life. Effectively utilizing the inductosyn can greatly enhance the performance of servo control systems. To address the complexity of the decoding process for dual-channel round inductosyn-to-digital converters, this paper proposes a design of the decoding circuit for dual-channel round inductosyn based on the parallel-synchronization decoding method of two AD2S1210 Resolver-to-Digital Converter (RDC) decoding chips. The decoding circuit amplifies the excitation signal outputted by the AD2S1210 for driving the round inductosyn, and processes the sine and cosine induction signals outputted by the round inductosyn through filtering, amplification, and other methods; by using analog circuitry, the output signals of the dual-channel round inductosyn are processed to meet the input requirements of the AD2S1210. Finally, through both the Multisim (circuit simulation software Version 14.1) simulation and physical experiments, it was verified that the decoding circuit designed in this paper could process the input/output signals of the dual-channel round inductosyn and AD2S1210, and successfully decoded the analog induction signal of the round inductosyn. This greatly simplifies the signal decoding process for the dual-channel round inductosyn.

Facile fabrication of hemicrystalline bio-based polycarbonate with superhydrophobic and high transmittance

Developing materials that combine superhydrophobic properties with high optical transmittance poses a significant challenge. In this study, hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (HT-PDMS) and isosorbide (ISB) were polymerized in a single step to create a covalently bonded optical polycarbonate material. By inducing the formation of micro-papillary and lotus-shaped nanoscale structures via a solvent-triggered process, we significantly enhanced the “air cushion” effect, achieving a structure scale of approximately 5–7 μm. This resulted in a water contact angle of 157° while maintaining over 90 % optical transmittance. The structures were uniformly distributed throughout the polymer matrix, leading to a 500 % increase in tensile strength at break compared to pure isosorbide polycarbonate, with a maximum strength exceeding 50 MPa. These multifunctional materials show great promise for applications in smart windows, solar panels, camera lenses, and other optoelectronic devices.

Towards Sustainable Energy Solutions: Evaluating the Impact of Floating PV Systems in Reducing Water Evaporation and Enhancing Energy Production in Northern Cyprus

Floating photovoltaic systems (FPVSs) are gaining popularity, especially in countries with high population density and abundant solar energy resources. FPVSs provide a variety of advantages, particularly in situations where land is limited. Therefore, the main objective of the study is to evaluate the solar energy potential and investigate the techno-economic perspective of FPVSs at 15 water reservoirs in Northern Cyprus for the first time. Due to the solar radiation variations, solar power generation is uncertain; therefore, precise characterization is required to manage the grid effectively. In this paper, four distribution functions (Johnson SB, pert, Phased Bi-Weibull, and Kumaraswamy) are newly introduced to analyze the characteristics of solar irradiation, expressed by global horizontal irradiation (GHI), at the selected sites. These distribution functions are compared with common distribution functions to assess their suitability. The results demonstrated that the proposed distribution functions, with the exception of Phased Bi-Weibull, outperform the common distribution regarding fitting GHI distribution. Moreover, this work aims to evaluate the effects of floating photovoltaic systems on water evaporation rates at 15 reservoirs. To this aim, five methods were used to estimate the rate of water evaporation based on weather data. Different scenarios of covering the reservoir’s surface with an FPVS were studied and discussed. The findings showed that annual savings at 100% coverage can reach 6.21 × 105 m3 compared to 0 m3 without PV panels. Finally, technical and economic assessment of FPVSs with various scales, floating assemblies, and PV technologies was conducted to determine the optimal system. The results revealed that a floating structure (North orientation-tilt 6°) and bifacial panels produced the maximum performance for the proposed FPVSs at the selected sites. Consequently, it is observed that the percentage of reduction in electricity production from fossil fuel can be varied from 10.19% to 47.21% at 75% FPV occupancy.

Navigating urban congestion: A Comprehensive strategy based on an efficient smart IoT wireless communication for PV powered smart traffic management system.

Egypt faces extreme traffic congestion in its cities, which results in long travel times, large lines of parked cars, and increased safety hazards. Our study suggests a multi-modal approach that combines critical infrastructure improvements with cutting-edge technologies to address the ubiquitous problem of traffic congestion. Assuring vehicles owners of their timely arrival, cutting down on fuel usage, and improving communication using deep learning approach and optimization algorithm within the potential of IoT enabled 5G framework are the main goals. The traffic management system incorporates detection cameras, Raspberry Pi 3 microcontroller, an Android application, cloud connectivity, and traditional traffic lights that are powered using PV modules and batteries to secure the traffic controllers operation in case of grid outage and assure service continuity. The model examines the difficulties associated with Internet of Things (IoT) communication, highlighting possible interference from device-to-device (D2D) devices and cellular user equipment. This all-encompassing strategy aims to reduce fuel consumption, increase road safety and improve traffic efficiency. The model predicts a significant increase in Egypt's urban mobility by utilizing the possibilities of IoT and 5G technologies, which would improve Egypt's towns' livability and efficiency. The goal of this paper is to modernize Egypt's traffic management system and bring it into compliance with global guidelines for intelligent transportation networks.

Exploring rooftop solar potential through deep learning: a comparative case study of U-Net and Attention U-Net

Photovoltaic systems are increasingly gaining popularity for rooftop installations in urban areas. These devices contribute to the self-sufficiency of electricity supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in urban settings. In this study, we implement deep learning techniques and compare the U-Net and Attention U-Net architectures to detect rooftops in the city of Sidi Bel Abbes (North Africa) for the installation of solar panels. Contrary to trends observed in the literature and previous research, our results show that U-Net achieved a higher accuracy of 90.49%, while Attention U-Net achieved an accuracy of 89.96%. Using the U-Net method, we identified a 1.9-square-kilometer area of rooftops suitable for solar panel installation in the southern part of the town of Sidi Bel Abbes. This discovery represents a potential electrical capacity of 89 MVA, capable of largely satisfying the energy needs of the studied region. This work is a novelty, being the first study of its kind undertaken in Algeria.

Design of reliable standalone utility-scale pumped hydroelectric storage powered by PV/Wind hybrid renewable system

With a target of 35 % renewable energy in the country’s energy mix by 2030, the goal of this research is to support the Libyan government’s plan to maximize the use of environmentally friendly and sustainable energy sources. This will be accomplished by making effective use of the region’s plentiful natural resources. The feasibility of wind and solar energy has been established by local research, and the presence of highlands that can store pumped hydropower (PHS) makes hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) even more feasible. These systems might offer a sizable edge over competitors in the regional energy market. In this study, PHS was utilized to stabilize electricity production in addition to storing energy. A hydropower turbine provides electricity to the load, and the PHS system is powered by a PV/wind supply. By lowering the volatility of wind and photovoltaic power generation, the suggested system could offer a more dependable renewable energy source without requiring complicated control mechanisms. This strategy could encourage a wider adoption of renewable energy, which could be especially advantageous for developing nations. Under particular load and climate conditions, the energy production of different solar PV array and wind turbine farm configurations was estimated using the System Advisor Model (SAM) software. The ideal HRES configuration consists of a 290 MW wind farm, a 154 MW solar PV field, and a 508 MW PHS system. This configuration will provide 100 % of the annual electrical demand of 513 GWh, plus a 20 % safety margin. The levelized cost of energy (LCOE), estimated at $211.65/MWh, is reduced by this configuration. It is anticipated that the $929.02 million initial investment will be recovered in 11 years, and the system will turn a profit in the following 9 years. Also, the planned HRES will stop 532.17 tons of CO2 emissions from being released each year.

Hardware and Software Complex for Power Plant Management

Today, the issues of transferring private households to independent energy sources, including solar panels and solar collectors, are relevant. The article examines software options for hardware systems that can be used to manage energy supply systems for private homes. Technologies for using independent energy sources in the energy consumption system are presented, as well as the mathematical model for their optimization for remote country houses.

Realization of a tracker for a parabolic cylindrical optical concentrator (application on a photovoltaic_thermal window

To produce more electrical energy with the same PV module, the output power of the PV module can be increased by increasing the solar radiation incident on the PV module, because the amount of electricity obtained from PV systems is directly proportional to the intensity of solar radiation projected onto the surface of the solar module. Implementing a solar concentration system can be a good solution to increase the efficiency of the PV module. This study examines the effectiveness of using a movable parabolic reflector in a window containing a photovoltaic array with a heat exchanger containing water circulating in a pipeline, to obtain a photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) module. The results demonstrate that using a movable parabolic reflector with a cooling system to absorb excess heat in a building window could increase and improve the performance of the photovoltaic array and enable optimal use of solar panels with more energy produced.

Surface Reaction Induced Compressive Strain for Stable Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells

AbstractCesium‐based inorganic perovskites have emerged as promising light‐harvesting materials for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to their promising thermal‐ and photo‐stability. However, obstacles to commercialization remain regarding their phase instability. In this work, we report a facile and effective strategy to regulate the surface compressive strain via in situ surface reaction to stabilize CsPbI3 perovskite. The use of a chelating ligand with a molecular configuration closely matching the integer multiples of the unit cell lattice parameters of CsPbI3 induces compressive strain at the surface of CsPbI3. The chemical bonding and strain modulation synergistically not only passivate film defects, but also inhibit perovskite phase degradation, thus significantly improving the intrinsic stability of inorganic perovskite. Consequently, enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.0 % and 18.6 % were respectively achieved in 0.16‐cm2 lab‐scale devices and 25.3‐cm2 solar modules. Further, surface reaction enables PSCs with enhanced thermal and operational stability; these devices retain over 95 % of their initial PCE after damp‐heat tests (i.e., in 85 °C and 85 % R. H. air) for 2000 h, and remain 99 % of their initial PCE after operating for 2000 h, representing one of the most stable inorganic PSCs reported so far.

Scalable Fabrication of High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cell Modules by Mediated Vapor Deposition.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) can enable renewable electricity generation at low levelized costs, subject to the invention of an economically feasible technology for their large-scale fabrication, like vapor deposition. This approach is effective for the fabrication of small area (<1 cm2) PSCs, but its scale-up to produce high-efficiency larger area modules has been limited by a severe imbalance between the vapor-solid reaction kinetics and the mass-transport of the volatile ammonium salt precursor. In this study, an amidine-based low-dimensional perovskite is introduced as an intermediate of the solid-vapor reaction to help resolve this limitation. This improves reaction pathway produces unique vertically monolithic grains with no detectable horizontal boundaries, which is used to produce 1.0 cm2 PSCs with an efficiency of 22.1%, as well as 12.5 and 48 cm2 modules delivering 21.1% and 20.1% efficiency, respectively. The modules retain ≈85% of their initial performance after 900 h of continuous operation (ISOS-L-1 protocol) and ≈100% after 2800 h of storage in an ambient environment (ISOS-D-1 protocol).

Self-powered wireless sensor system utilizing a thermoelectric generator for photovoltaic module monitoring application

In this work, we demonstrate a self-powered wireless PV module monitoring system that utilizes a thermoelectric generator (TEG) to convert residual thermal energy from the PV module into electrical power. We investigated the TEG performance with and without the heat sink. Results show that the temperature difference between the hot and cold sides of the TEG increased to 7.2 °C with the heat sink, compared to only 1 °C without it, at a hot side temperature of 50 °C. We integrated the TEG/heat sink with the PV module, which served as the heat source, achieving a maximum output power of 0.981 mW at a voltage of 0.06 V under a temperature gradient of 3.6 °C in a 1 sun condition. We successfully demonstrated a self-powered wireless PV monitoring sensor system by integrating a step-up voltage converter, microcontroller, IR thermometer, Bluetooth communication module, and the TEG/heat sink, which generated sufficient power for the monitoring system operation. The findings introduce a novel solution for wireless PV module monitoring that operates independently of grid connections or battery power. This innovation not only signifies advancements in renewable energy management but also opens new opportunities in the Internet of Things (IoT) sector.

Ideal Photothermal Materials Based on Ge Subwavelength Structure

Photothermal materials often prioritize solar absorption while neglecting thermal radiation losses, which diminishes thermal radiation conversion efficiency. This study addresses this gap by introducing a germanium (Ge) subwavelength structure (SWS) designed to optimize both solar absorption and infrared emissivity. Using a self-masked reactive ion etching (RIE) technique, we achieved a peak absorption of 98.8% within the 300 nm to 1800 nm range, with an infrared emissivity as low as 0.32. Under solar illumination of 1000 W/m2, the structure’s temperature increased by 50 °C, generating a heating power of 800 W/m2. Additionally, it demonstrated good mechanical and thermal stability at high temperatures and possessed a hydrophobic angle of 132°, ensuring effective self-cleaning. These characteristics make the Ge SWS suitable for application in solar panels, displays, sensors, and other optoelectronic devices.

Nanoporous Structure Fabrication on Glass Surfaces for Enhanced Glass Adhesion Using Hydrogen Fluoride Gas.

The bonding between glass and other materials plays a crucial role when glass is used in industrial products. In this study, we propose a new approach to enhance the bonding strength of glass with other materials by fabricating nanoscale porous structures on glass surfaces via a chemical reaction with hydrogen fluoride gas. Herein, we present a methodology for controlling the thickness of the porous structure, clarify the relationship between the thickness and adhesion strength, investigate the shape of the formed porous structure, and propose a method to control its shape. Our findings reveal that the fabricated porous structure greatly improves the adhesion strength of the adhesive owing to the microscopic anchoring effect induced by the penetration of the adhesive into the porous structure. This approach is expected to be applied to architectural and automobile window glasses, solar panels, sensor cover glasses of autonomous vehicles, display devices (including smartphones), and wearable devices.

Key influences on residential photovoltaic solar panel adoption in the United States

ABSTRACT The prevalence of low-density residential development to host solar PV, the ubiquity of solar irradiation, and incentivizing policies have created substantial opportunities for homeowners in the United States. Federal, state, and municipal governments implement regulatory policies and financial incentives to promote photovoltaic solar systems in residential buildings with limited resources. Thus, understanding the main factors and their spatial variations is vital for expanding the accessibility of renewable energy benefits to specific socio-economic groups and submarkets. Our research includes linear regression, principal component regression, and spatial error models to provide empirical evidence for the relationship between the adoption rates and socio-economic, geographical, and technical factors while identifying characteristics of adopter groups. The results suggest that the relative advantage factors – electricity prices and solar irradiation – play the most significant role across all regions and market segmentations. Statewide policy indicators are the second most significant factor, followed by socio-economic variables on employment status, remote working, car ownership, and property value. Our results indicate that homeowners do not only differ in their circumstances but also in their motivations. This highlights a need for policy-makers and the solar industry to place greater emphasis on distinct characteristics of consumers motivated by ideology and consumers motivated by economic benefits.

Optimal Sizing, Energy Balance, Load Management and Performance Analysis of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System

This work utilizes the particle swarm optimization (PSO) for optimal sizing of a solar–wind–battery hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) for a rural community in Rivers State, Nigeria (Okorobo-Ile Town). The objective is to minimize the total economic cost (TEC), the total annual system cost (TAC) and the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). A two-step approach is used. The algorithm first determines the optimal number of solar panels and wind turbines. Based on the results obtained in the first step, the optimal number of batteries and inverters is computed. The overall results obtained are then compared with results from the Non-dominant Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NGSA-II), hybrid genetic algorithm–particle swarm optimization (GA-PSO) and the proprietary derivative-free optimization algorithm. An energy management system monitors the energy balance and ensures that the load management is adequate using the battery state of charge as a control strategy. Results obtained showed that the optimal configuration consists of solar panels (151), wind turbine (3), inverter (122) and batteries (31). This results in a minimized TEC, TAC and LCOE of USD 469,200, USD 297,100 and 0.007/kWh, respectively. The optimal configuration when simulated under various climatic scenarios was able to meet the energy needs of the community irrespective of ambient conditions.

Energy Distribution and Working Characteristics of PIPVT Dual-Energy Module

The pavement integrated photovoltaic/thermal (PIPVT) system can comprehensively use solar energy to generate electricity and heat, which is an effective way to use new energy. In this study, we couple heat conduction and convection from the Optics, Electrics, and Solids Modules in the COMSOL Multiphysics Module to build a PIPVT element model to fully understand the energy distribution within the dual-energy module. The simulation results show that when circulating water is introduced into the photovoltaic panels, the temperature on the back of the photovoltaic panels is reduced by 30 °C, and the temperature of the entire dual-energy module board is reduced by 10–15 °C. The introduction of a thermal collector module (T module) can effectively dissipate heat to extend the life of PV modules, and also improve their work efficiency. PIPVT’s solar energy utilization rate is 39.4%, which is a significant improvement compared to the 14.3% solar energy utilization rate of the photovoltaic module (PV module) alone and the 18.7% solar energy utilization rate of the T module. It shows that the dual-energy module has a synergistic effect.

Improving solar panel performance using MPPT optimization algorithms

One of the primary challenges faced by solar energy systems is the issue of inconsistent lighting and uneven distribution of sunlight across the surface of solar panels. These conditions can result in a substantial reduction in the power output of the panels and, in some cases, the complete failure of certain solar cells. This paper examines the effects of shading on solar panel performance, focusing on how partial shading impacts energy production and efficiency through both experimental analysis and simulation. The findings emphasize the critical influence of shading patterns and configurations on the overall efficiency of photovoltaic systems. The study highlights the necessity of implementing shading mitigation strategies and optimization algorithms to enhance energy production and ensure the reliability of solar systems operating in environments with varying light conditions. This study showed that the use of optimization algorithms in photovoltaic systems exposed to shading increases their efficiency in terms of energy saving as well as performance stability. The simulation results shows that the GWO algorithm gives a higher performance than the other algorithms in the same partial shading conditions.

A Framework for Industry 4.0 Related Green Concept Integration of Services Component in Commercial Buildings

The effects of global warming are far-reaching and can affect and threaten every aspect of human existence. Human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation have mainly contributed to the emission of these greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Construction activities and practices are one such human activity. Building services are the aspects of a building that ensure the occupants are comfortable and secure within the building. However, building services use resources such as energy and water to create such comfort. The 4.0 era of industry has introduced dimensions to Green Building Concepts and practices of creating structures and processes that are environmentally friendly, responsible and resource efficient. This research, therefore, seeks to develop a framework for the integration of Industry 4.0-related green concepts into services in commercial buildings. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted in this research to provide information concerning integrating green concepts into building services in commercial buildings in Nigeria. Data were collected with questionnaires from 106 built environment professionals who also use commercial buildings in the study area of Abuja. Statistical tools for frequency, percentage, mean score, relative important index (RII), independent samples t test, Mann–Whitney U test and the factor reduction method based on eigen values were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that quality indoor air conditioning is the most critical satisfaction parameter for users within commercial buildings, with an average mean score of 3.81. The aesthetic effect of installed services on the building façade and high-quality building services components was ranked high, with an average mean score of 3.33 for each. The results also indicated that the lack of relevant technology and inadequate training of service personnel hindered the growth of green building concepts in Nigeria. These factors had a mean score of 4.35 each. Professionals ranked energy efficient/saving bulbs, e.g., CFLs, remote controlled, sensored lights, natural daylight, solar photovoltaic panels and building management systems, as the most effective green components that can be incorporated into commercial buildings. These factors and others were combined to create a framework for integrating green concepts for services into commercial buildings. When the construction industry and government in Nigeria adopt this framework, it can promote more integration of green concepts into commercial building services.