Solar Compass最新文献

Renewable energy sources (RES) are rapidly expanding as a result of energy security and environmental concerns. Despite their numerous benefits, they pose significant challenges to power grid operation. Ghana is dedicated to reaching a 10 % renewable energy mix target by 2030 to promote low-emission development. Ghana has the first hybrid power plant made up of 400MW hydropower plant and 50 MW solar PV plant supplying power to the national grid. The study designs a hydro-solar hybrid system configuration for Ghana's Bui generation unit, using data from the 50 MW ground-mounted solar PV and 133.33 MW hydropower units to assess the performance and challenges of the hydro-solar hybrid system at the Bui Generating Station. Methodology involves modeling and simulation in the DIgSILENT power factory software environment. Utilizing quasi-dynamic simulations, the study investigates variations in active power generation, voltage fluctuations, grid losses, and reactive power generation. Results highlight technical challenges such as voltage fluctuations and power loss, and propose mitigation measures. Comparisons between simulated and field data reveal discrepancies attributed to factors such as temperature effects, dust accumulation, and conductor resistance. Mitigation strategies are proposed, including energy storage expansion, smart grid implementation, advanced control techniques, FACTS device deployment and grid monitoring improvements. Despite limitations in data availability and simulation accuracy, the study underscores the system's reliability and provides insights for enhancing renewable energy integration in the region. Generally, the study contributes to advancing renewable energy integration efforts, with implications for sustainable development and climate action in Ghana and West Africa at large.

As a country situated in a region with abundant solar resources, Albania has enormous potential for using solar energy through photovoltaic (PV) systems. With the energy crisis repeating itself over the years, now more than ever is the moment to assess and fully use this opportunity. This paper studies the current state of PV usage in Albania's energy sector and the opportunities and challenges coming together with this technology. Economic, social, and environmental benefits are discussed, as well as existing policies for renewable energy. It evaluates PV technology's role in the country's sustainable energy transition and analyzes various integration models like net-metering and feed-in tariffs. Successful projects and case studies are highlighted, while challenges such as regulatory complexities and public awareness are discussed. The study also assesses large-scale PV feasibility and emphasizes the need for integrated energy planning. This research aims to offer relevant information to Albanian policymakers, energy stakeholders, and investors to support the effective implementation of PV systems for a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. Furthermore, there is a lack of studies about renewables in Albania's reality. Enhancing the country's energy sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is important.

Transition to a sustainable energy supply is essential for addressing the challenges of climate change and achieving a low-carbon future. Green hydrogen produced from solar photovoltaic (PV) systems presents a promising solution in Ghana, where energy demands are increasing rapidly. The levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is considered a critical metric to evaluate hydrogen production techniques, cost competitiveness, and economic viability. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of LCOH from solar PV systems. The study considered a 5 MW green hydrogen production plant in Ghana's capital, Accra, as a proposed system. The results indicate that the LCOH is about $9.49/kg, which is comparable to other findings obtained within the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The study also forecasted that the LCOH for solar PV-based hydrogen produced will decrease to $5–6.5/kg by 2030 and $2–2.5/kg by 2050 or lower, making it competitive with fossil fuel-based hydrogen. The findings of this study highlight the potential of green hydrogen as a sustainable energy solution and its role in driving the country's net-zero emissions agenda in relation to its energy transition targets. The study's outcomes are relevant to policymakers, researchers, investors, and energy stakeholders in making informed decisions regarding deploying decentralised green hydrogen technologies in Ghana and similar contexts worldwide.

Countries should reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency in alignment with the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal. The adoption of environmentally friendly and low-energy systems, such as passive heating and cooling technologies, can significantly contribute to achieving this goal. The study covers the examination of new technologies ready for commercialization, economic developments to increase accessibility, scale-up of production to reduce costs, and notable case studies comparing ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems to solar building systems powered by earth-to-air heat exchangers (EAHE).

The efficiency of solar energy farms requires detailed analytics and information on each inverter regarding voltage, current, temperature, and power. Monitoring inverters from a solar energy farm was shown to minimize the cost of maintenance, increase production and help optimize the performance of the inverters under various conditions. Machine learning algorithms are techniques to analyze data, classify and predict variables according to historic values and combination of different variables. The 140 kWp photovoltaic plant contains 300 modules of 255 W and 294 modules of 250 W with smart monitoring devices. In total the inverters are of type SMA Tripower of 25 kW and 10 kW. The 590 kWp photovoltaic plant contains 1312 Trina solar 450 W modules. In total the four inverters are SMA Sunny Tripower type of 110–60 CORE 2 with rated power of 440 kW were analyzed and several supervised learning algorithms were applied, and the accuracy was determined. The facility enables networked data and a machine learning algorithm for fault classification and monitoring was developed, energy efficiency was calculated and solutions to increase energy production and monitoring were developed for better reliability of components according to the monitorization and optimization of inverters.

The future is bright for hydrogen as a clean, mobile energy source to replace petroleum products. This paper examines new and emerging technologies for hydrogen production, storage and conversion and highlights recent commercialization efforts to realize its potential. Also, the paper presents selected notable patents issued within the last few years. There is no shortage of inventions and innovations in hydrogen technologies in both academia and industry. While metal hydrides and functionalized carbon-based materials have improved tremendously as hydrogen storage materials over the years, storing gaseous hydrogen in underground salt caverns has also become feasible in many commercial projects. Production of “blue hydrogen” is rising as a method of producing hydrogen in large quantities economically. Although electric/battery powered vehicles are dominating the green transport today, innovative hydrogen fuel cell technologies are knocking at the door, because of their lower refueling time compared to EV charging time. However, the highest impact of hydrogen technologies in transportation might be seen in the aviation industry. Hydrogen is expected to play a key role and provides hope in transforming aviation into a zero-carbon emission transportation over the next few decades.

For the Indian cement sector, a simple approach is presented to evaluate the potential of solar industrial process heating (SIPH) and the resulting decrease in CO₂ emissions. The first step was to identify the locations of cement plants with their annual installed capacity and their annual actual cement production. After that, the yearly process heating requirement for the calcination process at each cement plant has been estimated using the actual annual cement production value. Finally, using the concept of a top-of-tower (TT) solar plant design, the total thermal energy that could be saved has been estimated as 771.35 Petajoule (PJ) /annum. Finally, the adoption of the SIPH system with storage is expected to mitigate CO₂ emissions by 45.2 MT (Megatons) annually. By utilizing renewable energy sources in the cement manufacturing process, energy consumption and CO₂ emissions will be reduced.

The world is increasingly focusing its attention on the rapid growth in electricity consumption, a concern shared by both industrialized and emerging nations. Meeting this escalating demand has become crucial, necessitating a shift towards sustainable energy use. Renewable energy sources have emerged as a popular choice for both off-grid and grid-connected installations as a means to bridge the efficiency gap. In this context, the present paper explores the potential of supplying electricity to a neighborhood in Cameroon comprising 100 homes through the integration of solar photovoltaic cells and electrolyzers. It is worth noting that Cameroon as a whole continues to grapple with severe social, economic, and physical challenges. Some regions within the country face significant obstacles in accessing quality healthcare, particularly for conditions like respiratory illnesses. This study employs an intelligent energy management method to design an optimal power flow control system, aimed at enhancing system stability during power outages and load fluctuations by effectively utilizing available storage capacity. The analysis was conducted using the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) program. Our calculations reveal that a daily output of 0.123 kg mass of oxygen is produced, with renewable factor (RF) values indicating an 85.1 % integration of renewable sources, and the crucial parameter of Loss of Power Supply Probability (LPSP) reaching 0 %. These findings demonstrate that it is feasible for 100 homes to reliably generate and connect to the grid for electricity. Moreover, this research can serve as a solid foundation for the development of hybrid renewable energy systems to address the challenge of treating respiratory disorders such as COVID-19. These results underscore the significance of this study for various stakeholders, including decision-makers, policymakers, and investors in Cameroon and beyond. The ultimate goal is to promote national growth by improving socio-medical conditions.

South Africa's industrial sector relies primarily on coal and gas to meet process heat requirements (700–750 petajoules per annum). Much of this energy is used to fire steam boilers operated at less than 200 °C. This study determines the viability of solar thermal technologies as a replacement for fossil fuels for the supply of steam in large beverage facilities in South Africa. The Gauteng and Western Cape provinces are considered, which account for two-thirds of South Africa's beverage production. The sizing of collector fields and potential solar fractions are determined using typical ready-to-drink beverage packaging hall energy requirements. The cost of heat from parabolic trough collector systems is modelled using quasi-dynamic simulations in Polysun, and heat storage configurations are optimised. This study demonstrates that solar thermal projects would be viable alternatives to heavy fuel oil, diesel, gas, and even coal - should the cost of coal remain above US$250 /tonne (2020 real-term values). Transition to solar thermal energy for process heat in this sector is thus strongly recommended.