Solar Compass最新文献

This work investigates the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of four solar – wind off grid hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) models to provide electrification for Okorobo-Ile town in Andoni Local Government Area of River State, Nigeria using the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Electric Renewables (HOMER) software. In particular, investigation of the possible inclusion of a fuel cell (FC) system is performed. The four considered models are: pv/wind/battery (PWB); pv/wind/battery/gen-set (PWBG), pv/wind/fuel-cell (PWF) and pv/wind/battery/fuel-cell (PWBF). The best cost-effective configuration among the set of systems were examined for the electricity requirement of 677.75 kWh/day primary load with 99.1 kW peak load. Results obtained showed that the net present cost (NPC) are $615,664.95, $679,348.17, $778,834.22 and $3,534,850.54 respectively for the PWB, PWBG, PWBF and PWF. The cost of energy (COE) was lowest for the PWB with a value of $$0.158 and highest for the PWF with a value of $0.964. The renewable options—PWBF and PWF have higher long-term costs but offer cleaner emissions. In contrast, options with the Diesel-Powered Generator is cost-effective but has a high environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution. These emissions include 3,758 kg/yr CO₂, 23.7 kg/yr CO and a total of 32.67 kg/yr of unburned hydrocarbons, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. Based on the results, a stand - alone HRES that consist of 166 kW PV panels, 3 wind turbines 29 batteries and 123 kW converter is found to be the best configuration for the village, as it leads to minimum net present cost (NPC) and COE. The PWB system offers the best choice for the community by balancing financial considerations with sustainability which is crucial when making energy system choices. Results also show that while hydrogen, FC system and the electrolyzer can be used together with or without batteries, inclusion of the FC system resulted in the high NPC due to their high cost of investment.

The use of energy-efficient technologies tends to reduce the overall energy use of a country and foster the energy transition pathways. However, a change in energy can occur either due to a change in activity effect, intensity effect, or structural effect. The objective of the study is firstly to examine and measure the magnitude of change in energy use and identify the factor responsible for the change in energy use in the selected sectors. Secondly, the paper aims to analyze the impact of the Norwegian economy on the three effects of energy use. The study contributes significantly to identifying the sector that experiences a reduction in energy use due to energy efficiency and examining the impact of the economy on energy use. The overall energy use between 1990 and 2017 is decomposed into three different effects for selected energy-intensive sectors by deploying the ‘Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index’ (LMDI) method. Further, the impact of the Norwegian economy is examined on the three effects of energy use. It is observed that in each Phase, the key driver for change in energy use in all three Phases is the transport sector. Post-recession, the energy use in the transport sector was due to structural effects. Consumer behavior and limitations of sources of finance are the challenges for the deployment of electric vehicles even after technological breakthroughs in energy efficiency. Finally, the policies to enhance energy efficiency in energy-intensive sectors, such as the transport, and services sector must be undertaken to efficiently visualize energy efficiency-driven energy transition.

The operation of Distribution Networks (DNs) has been affected by the ongoing energy transition, gradually incorporating more Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), mainly Renewable Energy Sources (RES), as well as Energy Storage Systems (ESS) sustainably enhancing DN’s flexibility. In the case of the non-interconnected island of Ikaria, Greece, with high solar and wind potential, the DN includes conventional generators, Photovoltaic systems (PVs), wind farms and a hydro-pumped ESS. Scope of this study is to assess the possible impact of the PVs expansion considering either: i) fixed, ii) single-axis or iii) dual-axis tracking panels. For this purpose, CERTH’s in-house INTEMA.grid platform is used. Tracking mechanism’s effectiveness is studied considering that the expansion doubles or triples the rated power of the existing, fixed 0.4 MW PVs, following the directions of the Distribution System Operator (DSO). Additionally, a monthly analysis is presented, because Ikaria is an island with extremely higher load during summer months due to tourism. According to the results, if the current PV capacity is doubled or tripled, a dual-axis expansion yields 16.0% or 21.3% yearly production increase compared to fixed panels, respectively, with the single-axis effect though being much higher (14% or 18.7%, respectively) than the incremental effect of the second axis (further comparative 1.8% or 2.3%, respectively). The effectiveness of tracking mechanisms is highlighted during summer months and particularly early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Finally, environmental and economic indicators for the proposed installations are assessed.

This study proposes and utilizes a modified multi-objective particle swarm optimization (M-MOPSO) algorithm for the optimal sizing of a solar-wind-battery hybrid renewable energy system for a rural community in Rivers State, Nigeria. Unlike previous studies that primarily focused on minimizing total economic cost (TEC) and total annual cost (TAC), this research emphasizes minimizing the loss of power supply probability (LPSP) and levelized cost of energy (LCOE). The M-MOPSO algorithm introduces a dynamic inertia weight, a unique repository update mechanism, and a dominance-based personal best update strategy, which collectively enhance its performance. Comparative analysis with PSO, NSGA-II, MOPSO and hybrid GA-PSO demonstrates that M-MOPSO consistently achieves a lower LPSP, although its LCOE remains higher. The M-MOPSO optimal configuration when simulated under various climatic scenarios was able to meet the energy needs of the community irrespective of ambient condition.

Thin films of Ni:ZnO were successfully synthesized by sol-gel spin coating system for 0.5 % and 2.5 % Ni doping concentration on FTO coated substrate. The synthesized films were annealed at 540 °C for 4 h. The annealed thin films were characterized for its electrical, optical and chemical characteristics using UV–Vis, Micro Raman, and FTIR spectroscopy, respectively. The UV–Vis spectra analysis reveals that the energy band gap of deposited films found to be 3.58 eV and 3.51 eV for 0.5 % and 2.5 % Ni:ZnO thin films, respectively. Two significant characteristic peaks identified at 424 cm⁻¹ and 563 cm⁻¹ in Raman spectra. These peaks are attributed to $E_2^{high}$ and LO(A₁ and E₁) modes, which confirms the hexagonal wurtzite phase of Ni:ZnO thin films. Furthermore, the absorption peaks observed at 530 cm⁻¹ and 635 cm⁻¹ in the FTIR spectra are attributed to the characteristic stretching vibrational modes of Zn-O and Ni-O bonds, respectively.

This investigation provides the design and optical analysis of an innovative solar beam-down configuration, which can be a promising passive solution for indoor solar-based cooking, offering an eco-friendly and sustainable approach. The system uses a beam-down parabolic dish concentrator to concentrate the solar radiation onto a ground-mounted receiver module, which has a secondary optical module consisting of a secondary reflector-light pipe system. The receiver module is a well-insulated tank consisting of a receiver in contact with a primary heat transfer fluid. The thermal energy stored in the receiver module is transported via a secondary heat transfer fluid to and from the cooktop via a tube-in-tube arrangement, which induces a thermosyphon effect. A multi-variable optical analysis through an efficient ray tracing methodology has been adopted to identify optimal design values of optical components such as parabolic dish concentrators, secondary reflectors, and light pipe-receiver assemblies. The optimal optical design parameters and their corresponding ray trace analysis results are elaborated. It was found that the designed beam-down parabolic dish concentrator system provides an ideal thermal energy of 10.3 kWh per day at an average DNI of 650 W/m². Further, this investigation provides a design for a beam-down parabolic dish concentrating system that may be used for efficient and sustainable solar energy solutions.

The high price of energy due to the green energy policy will cause adjustments across the U.S. economy is predicted in the present computable general equilibrium with specific factors model. This includes energy input, especially electricity with capital and labor to produce manufacturing and service goods. 2022 labor, energy, and sector-specific capital input data on U.S. manufacturing, service, and agricultural sectors is applied to specific factors of the computable general equilibrium model. The model, which assumes constant returns, full employment, competitive pricing, and perfect labor mobility across industries hypothesizes a range of price changes due to project potential adjustments in factor prices and outputs. The U.S manufacturing sector is revealed to have a higher degree of noncompetitive pricing for energy factor inputs, but not on labor and capital as advocates for green energy tout by the new technology. The policy has virtually no significant impact on the service and agricultural sectors. The high price of green energy will cause an elastic decrease in all energy inputs. The output from energy-intensive manufacturing only rises in the long run by 4 % while service and agriculture fall. Clear winners are the owners of energy resources through their price-searching behavior. This includes the government, which owns a large share of hydrocarbon reserves.

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technology has emerged as a promising renewable energy solution, offering a sustainable and efficient means of electricity generation and thermal energy storage. India, endowed with abundant solar irradiance, has made significant strides in promoting CSP technology as part of its renewable energy portfolio. With a growing focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing energy security, the Indian government has initiated numerous policies, incentives, and projects to encourage CSP adoption. Parabolic trough collectors, a type of linear concentrating system, are currently in widespread use. Power or solar towers are the most common type of point concentrating CSP technology currently in use. India aims to achieve a renewable energy capacity of 175 GW by 2022, with solar power constituting 100 GW of the overall target. Concentrated solar power technology is slated to grow 87% during 2018–2023, 32% faster than in the previous five-year period 2012–2017 and reach 4.3 GW in 2023. In future, present review paper can be regarded as a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers and industry professionals seeking to comprehend the present condition of concentrated solar power in India. It can aid in the development of strategies to address obstacles and advance sustainable and efficient solar energy solutions.

Developing countries, including Ghana, face challenges ensuring access to clean and reliable cooking fuels and technologies. Traditional biomass sources mainly used in most developing countries for cooking contribute to deforestation and indoor air pollution, necessitating a shift towards environmentally friendly alternatives. The study's primary objective is to evaluate the economic viability of using solar PV-based green hydrogen as a sustainable fuel for cooking in Ghana. The study adopted well-established equations to investigate the economic performance of the proposed system. The findings revealed that the levelized cost of hydrogen using the discounted cash flow approach is about 89 %, 155 %, and 190 % more than electricity, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and charcoal. This implies that using the hydrogen produced for cooking fuel is not cost-competitive compared to LPG, charcoal, and electricity. However, with sufficient capital subsidies to lower the upfront costs, the analysis suggests solar PV-based hydrogen could become an attractive alternative cooking fuel. In addition, switching from firewood to solar PV-based hydrogen for cooking yields the highest carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions savings across the cities analysed. Likewise, replacing charcoal with hydrogen also offers substantial CO₂ emissions savings, though lower than switching from firewood. Correspondingly, switching from LPG to hydrogen produces lower CO₂ emissions savings than firewood and charcoal. The study findings could contribute to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable energy solutions, offering practical insights for policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders seeking to promote clean cooking adoption in developing economies.

Two-step thermochemical fuel production cycles powered using concentrating solar systems offer a route to convert solar energy to chemical fuels. In this work, we offer a critical assessment of the state of the art, a detailed technical analysis of this technology in terms of theoretical limitations and potential performance, and potential paths forward in the development of these processes. The state of the art for demonstrated reactor systems is analyzed using key performance indicators including energy efficiency, feedstock conversion extent, power output, and volumetric power density. The technical analysis first looks into the theoretical limitations on the cycles’ process conditions and the role of the redox material. This is followed by a detailed thermodynamic analysis of the state-of-the-art ${\text{CeO}}_2$-based cycle, based on fixed bed mixed flow reactors, which closely represent the reactor designs used in demonstrations. Finally, a scale-up analysis is performed for the ${\text{CeO}}_2$-based cycle. The results from the theoretical analysis agree well with trends seen in experimental demonstrations of the concept. From the analysis, the low power density of the ${\text{CeO}}_2$-based cycle is highlighted as a critical design limitation that will seriously restrict further scale-up of this technology. We share perspective on this and other issues, and offer some outlook for future development.