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The importance of needing for renewable energy sources is completely clear. The sun is one of the biggest and most reliable sources and two types of major devices for extracting energy from it, are solar cells and collectors. The produced energy by these devices extremely depends on solar irradiance which means by increasing of irradiation, the out coming energy will get high. This paper is going to review some of the main models of irradiance estimation and two main approaches of detecting optimum tilt angle. In the last part of the paper these models compared and the optimum tilt angle for major cities of Iran calculated and finally four relations expressed to compare results of four common models, Perez, Hay, Gueymard and S&O (Skartveit and Olseth). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical energy becomes necessary for human being. Generation of electrical energy mostly depends on fossils fuel, they are limited in nature and also responsible for environmental pollution. Renewable energy resources provides a better alternative for future,In comparison to conventional energy resources economical aspect is a major issue of renewable energy sources with the feasibility and efficiency. These limitations are tried to overcome by deployment hybrid renewable energy resources. There are certain criteria to analyze and implement the sized, optimized and cost efficient system. This paper focus on hybrid energy systems based on solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind resources. This paper shed lights on various parameters of economic feasibility, sizing strategies with logical advancements to enhance their utilization, future prospects, and their arrangement. Strategies to develop an effective storage system is also presented here.A brief review on developments in optimization techniques, reliability index and cost analyzing techniques for hybrid renewable energy systems are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By year 2030, the world's energy demand is expected to increase by over 60% of current demand. Thus, the potential of renewable energy should be investigated. Renewable energy is the energy from natural and unnatural available forms including wind, biomass, solar, and waste heat energy generated through various human activities. Solar energy is an available and clean form of renewable energy used as an alternative to fossil fuel in generating energy. However, the maximum extraction of thermal energy from the sun is most challenging. This study focuses on energy generation using the parabolic trough collector (PTC). This review contains geometrical analysis including the thermal approach of the PTC model, heat transfer, and method of enhancing thermal efficiency on the PTC receiver. This paper also includes performance analysis, thermal efficiency, and applications of the solar-powered PTC and the history of PTC evolution. The PTC applications include desalination process, air heating system, power plants, refrigeration, and industrial heating purposes. This paper benefits researcher that focus on the solar-powered PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the barriers that inhibit the deployment of renewable energy technologies to achieve long-term reductions in carbon emissions from the use of fossil fuels is paramount to Barbados. Although there are targets towards renewable energy (solar, wind, biomass, geothermal) uptake, the share of these technologies in the energy mix does not exist in Barbados due to the total dependence on fossil fuels. In this paper, a review of potential challenges and the main problems for deployment of alternative energy sources is presented. Through interviews, questionnaires with a focus group of key personnel's, the paper documents the lack of renewable energy sources (with emphasis on solar energy) as one of the main alternatives to meet the carbon emission targets set by the country. The barriers and challenges facing the implementation of solar energy deployment have been clarified. From the results, it is evident that significant policy barriers still exist at the country level, which has reduced the effectiveness of a concerted national effort to deploy renewables. The current policy landscape which benefits from fossil fuel imports, the lack of technical know-how and the lack of research and development in the renewable energy space are amongst the key barriers identified. The paper also outlines the key policy's frameworks, regulatory environment and the lack of incentives, which encompasses the renewable energy sector, and presents a critical analysis of the barriers faced by the industry. A mitigation framework is proposed to bridge the gap of solar energy (renewable energy) deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing energy demands worldwide, the consumption of fossil fuels has increased unprecedently which are scarce in nature. This has led to environmental degradation and global warming which is a matter of concern. These factors lead to the rise in renewable energy sector in last decade. Among various renewable energy sources, solar energy is most exclusively used because of its ease of availability and least impact on the environment. Flat plate solar collector is most widely used solar collector but is less efficient (low capability to convert solar energy to thermal energy). The use of nanofluid (fluid obtained by mixing nanoparticle in base fluid) in place of base fluid has improved effect on thermophysical properties such as thermal conductivity. The use of nanofluid on flat plate solar collector (FPSC) & direct absorption solar collector (DASC) can be identified as an effective way to enhance the performance of solar collector. With the advancement in nanotechnology and growing thrust over increasing the performance of solar devices a lot of work has been done in this regard. The purpose of this literature review is to summarize the various research work done on the application of nanofluid in solar thermal devices. This review paper identifies the effect of various parameters and the optimum working condition. This paper also identifies the probable challenges we ought to face while developing thermal collector using nanofluids thus identifying the opportunities for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive review on research and developments on solar assisted compression heat pump systems, mostly reported during the last two decades. The first part of this paper provides a detailed description of the past efforts on various system configurations, system modeling, enhancement of system performance, modifications in compression heat pump cycles and environment friendly refrigerant options for solar assisted compression heat pump systems. The economical and environmental impacts of solar assisted compression heat pump systems are also described. Further research needs in this important field of solar assisted compression heat pump are listed. The outcomes of this review confirm that, there is a lot of research scope for improving the performance of the system and reducing its initial cost to make it competitive in the global market. The information presented in this paper is shall be highly beneficial for the active researchers working presently on solar assisted compression heat pumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is moving towards the reduction of dependency on fossil fuels. Various innovations are undergoing to make the use of sources of renewable energy like wind, solar, tidal etc. Among these sources, solar energy is available in enormous quantity and best option that may be used for space heating and generation of electric energy. For drying agricultural and non-agricultural products, solar energy can be used directly or indirectly. But in open sun drying the products are affected by external calamities such as rain, insects and animals. To overcome the shortcomings of open sun drying various greenhouse solar dryer had been proposed so far. Some of recent researches have been discussed in the paper. This paper provides the data of already developed greenhouses so the reader can develop new and modified the greenhouse structure. To accomplish this, various researches of recent years have been studied and presented in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a multi-objective model for expansion with a high share of renewable energy. The model considers three objective functions (minimizing the total cost, maximizing generation at the peak load, and maximizing the contribution of non-hydro renewable sources). The model was then applied to the Brazilian case, using the new government targets for renewable energy. The introduction of the objectives regarding peak load and non-hydro renewable generation lead to an increase of solar power generation. In many studies about Brazil, solar power was not considered, or its participation was negligible, but in this paper the results show solar energy as the main non-hydro renewable source in 2030, due to its capacity to meet the peak demand, since its daily curve coincides with the peak load period. In this study, it was possible to meet 90% of the annual load with renewable sources (with 23% being ensured by non-hydro) and the solar power increased from 21 MW to 40000 MW by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the media image of solar power in order to understand the recent technology development trends. The increase in both solar PV panels as well as concentrated solar power plants has been influenced by decrease in solar power price, as well as subsidies and general public acceptance. This paper focuses to the latter, through quantitative media analysis. This paper utilises a modern method for media sentiment analysis from both editorial and social media, learning machine based analysis including over 50 000 data points. The results indicate that sentiment toward solar power, especially in social media, has been mostly neutral or positive thus with expected positive effect on technology market deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have the greatest potential to meet the scale of sustainable energy demands, yet large surface areas beyond rooftop areas are required. One source of additional surface area that avoids conflict with food production while scaling with population density is noise barriers, which provide dual use of land area both as noise abatement and energy generation. This paper provides a method to quantify the potential of mass scale deployment of photovoltaic noise barrier (PVNB) systems in a country. Based on a feasibility analysis of the irradiation levels and noise barrier locations, the PV power potential and the energy output for the photovoltaic modules is calculated for specific locations using a tool chain of free GIS software. This method, is then demonstrated with a case study for the state of California and the results are then extrapolated for the entire U.S. The U.S. is an ideal candidate country because noise abatement mandates fall well short of World Health Organizations guidelines and PVNB technology has not been implemented on a wide scale. Using conservative assumptions, the results show that the total PVNB power potential for the U.S. ranges from 7 to 9 GW using only existing noise barriers. According to findings of the paper the installed capacity of the large scale photovoltaic system deployed on noise barriers in a single state is comparable to the installed capacities of the largest solar farms in the U.S. and yet due to the unique mounting of PVNB, such systems provide better land utilization ratios for energy production than conventional solar PV farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water and energy are the key drivers of agricultural production while the world is facing severe energy and water crisis. Increasing crop production per unit area for the increasing population of the world is dire need of time. Thus, sustainable approaches are required to ensure food security and energy security. One of the sustainable development approach is solar photovoltaic water pumping system (SPVWPS). It is a promising alternative to the conventional pumping systems and a cost-effective application especially in remote off-grid areas of developing countries. In recent years, through continuous improvement, the photovoltaic pump system has been widely used in agricultural, industrial, and domestic sectors. Present paper intends to review and summarize the recent research and development performed in SPVWPS. The study focuses on components of the photovoltaic pump system, factors affecting system efficiency, performance assessment, optimization of the system, and possibility of combination with other green technologies. An update on the research and current situation of SPVWPS is presented. SPVWPS is found to be feasible in comparison to the conventional pumping systems. Application of PV pumping in different regions of the world are also discussed. This paper aims to provide a broad outlook on SPVWPS for the researchers, engineers, manufacturers, and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laboratory for renewable energy sources of the Higher Education Technical School of Professional Studies in Novi Sad (Serbia) contains the equipment regarding solar and thermal techniques, based on the implementation of solar panels, heat pumps and a pellet stove. Photovoltaic systems include the implementation of static photovoltaic panels, trackers and inverters for power supply of autonomous consumers. In addition, the laboratory is equipped with modern systems of internal and external lighting, a wind generator with accompanying inverter, elements of smart installations and fuel cell systems for laboratory measurements. This paper presents experiences in the implementation of the photovoltaic systems in the educational process through laboratory exercises. The specification of the laboratory equipment, the methodology of work, as well as the electrical schemes of experiments of open circuits and short circuit, recording of electricity-voltage characteristics, tracking the maximum power point, serial and parallel connection and shading of photovoltaic cell are presented. The second group of the trial is performed on the "off grid" photovoltaic system set in the schoolyard and connected to the appropriate inverter with the autonomous group of consumers. The paper presents the results of laboratory measurements, issues for discussion, evaluation of the performance and conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity is the fastest-growing final form of energy. The strong growth of renewable in many countries raises their share in global power generation to one-third by 2040 [1] . Lack of access to electricity is one of the biggest troubles facing the world's poor, with over 1.6 billion left in the dark globally. The substantial majority of human beings live in rural areas of developing countries which is too far away to be reached through the national grid. For their lighting needs they depend on candles, kerosene lanterns, and firewood* This consequence in an each day rate that is high priced in the long run. Long-term, solar energy is the most practical and low-budget way of bringing power to far flung communities. Small-scale, distributed solar home systems provide an effective and affordable way to bring light to people without electricity. Egypt's electricity use has been growing swiftly as a end result of economic growth in the closing decade. However, Egypt has a massive of its populace residing in rural areas access to energy is still a challenge. The power sector is key to Egypt's monetary development and poverty decrease goals. This paper represents support sustainable livelihoods for rural communities. The paper refers to renewable energy for rural populations with no access to centralized electricity power. The focus is on solar electrical energy and its economic applications for village electrification. The Paper goals to compare between electrical energy cost (kWh) using PV panels, diesel generator and the end of result suggests the cost of 1 kWh from the PV system is less than diesel system for rural residential electricity are 0.22$/kWh and 0.5$/kWh respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional technologies of carbon capture and storage (CCS) are being focused on capturing CO 2 in large-scale demonstrations, which has been proved to result in the high cost and energy penalty. Meanwhile, typical innovative measures, commonly defined as the second generation CCS technologies, elude conventional ones by integrating with solar energy and thus contributing to a more energy-efficient conversion of CO 2 . However, few reviews pay attention to thermodynamic processes and parameters of these novel technologies, and there is a lack of systematic evaluation and comparison among them. This paper firstly presents a guided tour on the state-of-art of typical and innovative CCS technologies integrated with solar energy. An overview on thermodynamic processes, including chemical reactions, operating conditions and efficiency indexes of five typical technologies is presented so that the current development level can be clarified. Since the high energy requirement and related operating cost are the main barriers to the application of existing CCS technologies, the minimum work and second-law efficiency are applied as the main indicators in the second part of this paper which relates to performance evaluation. In addition, the performance windows for innovative technologies are illustrated for the comparison of technological maturity. The results show that energy requirement of innovative CCS technologies from the flue gas is avg. 100–200 kJ/mol CO 2 and the second-law efficiency of them is only 5–12%. Therefore, the maturity and popularity of these novel technologies are still relatively low. But the well-integrated systems and diversified output of these technologies can benefit existing energy infrastructures in a long period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of carbon neutrality, renewable energy, especially wind power, solar PV and hydropower, will become the most important power sources in the future low-carbon power system. Since wind power and solar PV are specifically intermittent and space-heterogeneity, an assessment of renewable energy potential considering the variability of wind power and solar PV with high temporal resolution in different regions will facilitate more accurate identification of the decarbonization pathway of power system. In this paper, the complementary output potential of wind-solar-hydro power every 15 min in 31 Chinese provinces is evaluated by developing a multi-objective optimization model based on Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II. The results show that the total annual complementary power generation potential in China is 17.57 PWh, of which the three components account for 47.8%, 25.3% and 26.9%, respectively. Inner Mongolia and Tibet are the major renewable energy source provinces with annual complementary power generation potential of 5330 TWh and 3907 TWh, accounting for 30.3% and 13.7% of the total power generation potential, respectively. The temporal potential of wind-solar-hydro power varies greatly, with daily potential is more volatile than monthly. Seasonal and spatial heterogeneity of the complemental renewable potential makes some provinces suffer power shortage during long-hours period especially in winter. Our findings will encourage a higher penetration of renewable energy, the promotion of multi-energy complementarity, and the development of inter-provincial power transmission and energy storage infrastructure in China's future power sector. • A multi-objective wind-solar-hydro complementary optimization model is developed. • Electricity supply and demand have gaps at different temporal and spatial scales. • Wind-solar-hydro complementary potential shows great temporal and spatial variation. • Renewable complementarity can improve China's future power system stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources (including hydropower, wind, biomass, geothermal, tidal, wave and solar energy sources) can satisfy the present and future energy demands, with minor environmental impact respect to traditional sources of energy. Solar energy is the cheapest and widely available renewable energy and solar cooling systems are a green cold production technology that produce minor CO 2 emissions due to use of heat pumps. Infect, absorption refrigeration is a mature technology that has proved its applicability with the possibility to be driven by low grade solar energy. In this contest, thermal storage systems contribute to balance the disadvantages of the intermittent nature of solar energy and the variation in cooling demand, receiving more attention of researchers in the recent years. This paper presents an innovative and comprehensive literature review on solar systems integrated with environmental-friendly processes as absorption heat pumps and thermal energy storages. A study about processes regarding the renewable and sustainable energy according the European policy is carried out. Photovoltaic and photovoltaic/thermal solar systems can be used to this purpose and are the most promising technologies growing very fast in recent years. Researches show that one, half, two effect of absorption heat pumps integrated with solar systems and thermal energy storages can be an attractive alternative in cooling systems, meeting the demands for energy conservation and environmental protection. Showing various systems, a discussion about the improvement of cooling applications respecting the environment is also presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India with a fast growing demand for electricity and increasing consideration to emissions reduction is investing strongly in renewable electricity generation. Among renewables, the Central and State Governments have set aspirational targets for on-grid solar electricity and legislated several supporting policies to realise these targets. As a result of the favourable political environment, the development of on-grid solar, in terms of the rate of growth in installed capacity, has been increasing in the recent years, and it is expected to continue in the future. This paper aims to investigate the impact of historical transitions of India's electricity sector on the ongoing development of on-grid solar electricity and to explore the prospect of solar sector development in the future. First of all, we investigate how the historical transformation of governmental intervention's approach intertwined with the gradual shift of the source of generation has paved the way for the current achievements in on-grid solar electricity. Second, we envision the future challenges and opportunities for the development of solar sector by looking ahead and discussing the continuity of government's support and the prospective competitions between different sources. We conclude the paper with some required steps to be taken in order to secure the achievement of the targets in solar electricity in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years solar energy has received worldwide attention in the field of renewable energy systems. Among the various research thrusts in solar PV, the most proverbial area is extracting maximum power from solar PV system. Application dof Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) for extracting maximum power is very much appreciated and holds the key in developing efficient solar PV system. In this paper, a state of the art review on various maximum power point techniques for solar PV systems covering timeworn conventional methods and latest soft computing algorithms is presented. To date critical analysis on each of the method in terms of (1) tracking speed, (2) algorithm complexity, (3) Dynamic tracking under partial shading and (4) hardware implementation is not been carried out. In this regard the authors have attempted to compile a comprehensive review on various solar PV MPPT techniques based on the above criteria. Further, it is envisaged that the information presented in this review paper will be a valuable gathering of information for practicing engineers as well as for new researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of solar parking lots aims at coupling the development of clean solar electricity and electric mobility. Solar panels provide shade and generate electricity to charge parked electric vehicles. In a vehicle-to-grid approach, the vehicles may also feed the grid and support it with ancillary services. In this paper, we explore the potential of this solution, starting with a concise overview discussing the technical, environmental and financial issues constraining the development of solar parking lots. A comprehensive review of the literature follows, and finally open issues and prospects for future work are identified. It is intended that this paper may serve as a standalone summary of the most important work on this topic to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar home systems (SHSs) are the real hope for electrification of the off-grid areas in Bangladesh by utilizing the solar energy in renewable and sustainable basis. This paper demonstrates the solar energy prospect, the present status and dissemination schemes of SHSs in off-grid and coastal areas of Bangladesh by several government and Non-government organizations (NGOs). The country has an average daily solar radiation ranges between 4–6.5 kWh/m 2 . Currently, more than 3.8 million SHSs of capacity range 10–135 Wp (watt peak) with a total capacity of 150 MW have been disseminated in rural and isolated areas in Bangladesh. In this paper, ten case studies of capacity 20 Wp, 30 Wp and 42 Wp were investigated to evaluate economic viability at two randomly selected villages in Sirajgonj district and Jessore district, Bangladesh. The analysis showed that the SHSs for small business enterprise and household with small income generation are economically viable rather than only household lighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The penetration of photovoltaics (PV’s) in electric power generation is continually increasing. Tracking maximum power point in PV systems is an important task and represents a challenging problem. In maximum power point tracking (MPPT), the duty cycle of DC-DC converter is adjusted in a way that maximum achievable power is extracted from PV system. In this paper, the existing MPPT strategies are classified into two main categories and the strategies of each category are reviewed. Based on the conducted review, some directions for future research are recommended. The author strongly believes that this paper will be helpful for researchers and engineers in the field of PV systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contrasts the financial benefit of grants given to research and development projects with the reduction in managerial flexibility they impose, which implies a loss in the value of the project. To quantify this loss of value, real options analysis has been adopted as the most suitable framework to assess and quantify managerial flexibility. This idea is illustrated by the case of a research and development project in renewable energy, specifically Concentrated Solar Power. Our results show that the value added by the grants is less than the nominal incentives received as a result of the loss of flexibility for managers; they cannot apply certain options such as deferral, nor can they abandon the project. Therefore, a break-even grant is proposed that equals the financial incentive with the loss of managerial flexibility. Under this break-even point, the grant should be rejected. This paper will create awareness for both policy makers and private companies regarding a more accurate assessment of grants to research and development funding as well as provide insights to improve grant schemes without increasing the amount of public funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The harmful effects of carbon emissions and carbon dioxide caused by over dependence on oil is a global issue, which is currently being addressed by encouraging renewable energy (RE) resources contribution to the energy mix. Encouraging RE is important in order to solve the unsustainable nature of electricity generation especially in the sub-Saharan African countries. One of the REs that have vast potential especially in sub-Saharan Africa is the solar energy. This paper provides an overview of the solar photovoltaic (PV) developments in selected countries of sub-Saharan Africa – in terms of research, installed capacity, solar radiation level, RE policies and the percentage of solar PV in the future energy mix of these countries. Finally, this paper identified the barriers to RE deployment and proposed scaling-up solar PV as one of the solution in the development of energy mix in these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper gives a comprehensive overview about the recent advances related with the application of the nanotechnology in various kinds of the solar collectors. Papers reviewed including theoretical, numerical and experimental up to date works related with the nanotechnology applications in the flat plate, direct absorption, parabolic trough, wavy, heat pipe and another kinds of the solar collectors. A lot of literature are reviewed and summarized carefully in a useful tables ( Tables 1–7 ) to give a panoramic overview about the role of the nanotechnology in improving the various types of the solar collectors. It was found that the use of the nanofluid in the solar collector field can play a crucial role in increasing the efficiency of these devises. We think that this paper can be considered as an important link between the nanotechnology and all available kinds of the solar collectors. From the other side, further researches are required to study the effect of nanotechnology to enhance the solar collector industry over the next several coming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The installation of large scale photovoltaic power plants connected at transmission level has increased during the last years. There are some challenges that these power plants have to overcome regarding the operation and control while dealing with the solar energy variability and uncertainty. Today, few countries are aware of the importance of this source of energy as part of the utility system and how it can affect the operability. Thus, this paper discusses about the trend of large scale photovoltaic power plants around the world and the importance of the development of grid codes for its integration. Then, the paper addresses a comparison of the grid codes of Germany, US, Puerto Rico, Romania, China and South Africa considering: fault ride through capability, frequency and voltage regulation, as well as active and reactive power support. In addition, a broad discussion about the challenges that the large scale photovoltaic power plants have to overcome is presented together with the compliance technology and future trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ångström–Prescott equation defines generically the relationship between solar energy available at ground level and sunshine duration. From the very beginning in the history of the solar converters, the equation was extensively used to estimate the amount of collectable solar energy. In this paper the Ångström–Prescott equation is reviewed from three different perspectives: (1) the physical basis, (2) the accuracy of the empirical models and (3) the sensitivity to geographical and seasonal factors. A mathematical derivation of the Ångström–Prescott equation is performed, showing the approximations behind it and the physical meaning of the coefficients. A number of 33 empirical Ångström–Prescott equations of different degrees of complexity and originated from different location around the world are being analyzed and tested against data recorded at 59 European stations. No model is ranked as the best, but the specific situations when a model performs better than others are discussed. A comparative study on the influence of different parameters (latitude, altitude, season, local climatology) on the performance of the Ångström–Prescott equations is presented. It is shown that an Ångström–Prescott equation having relative sunshine, altitude and the month index as input parameters can explain roughly 90% of the variability in the data from the entire database considered in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper presents a literature review on the selected applications of renewable resource and power forecasting models to facilitate the optimal integration of renewable energy (RE) in power systems. This review is drafted on the basis of the selected high quality research publications from the past decade. Although the development of forecast models for RE generation, i.e., wind and solar energy, is a well-researched area, however, the performance of these models is usually evaluated using statistical error metrics. With regard to application, determining the optimality of accurate forecasts in terms of system economics and major planning aspects is an emerging phenomenon, that chalks out the main subject area of this survey. Specifically, the application domains include: 1) optimal power system dispatch (unit commitment, generation scheduling, economic dispatch), 2) optimal sizing of energy storage system, 3) energy market policies and profit maximization of market participants, 4) reliability assessment, and 5) optimal reserve size determination in power systems. The application-oriented review on these vital areas can be used by the power sector for familiarization with the recent trends and for analyzing the impact of forecasting improvement on optimal power system design and operation. Highlights • An application-focused literature review on the role of forecasting models in renewable power system planning and operation. • The study of forecasting in unit commitment, generation scheduling and economic dispatch problems. • Investigation of the impact of forecasting uncertainties in energy market operations. • Study of the application of forecasting in sizing problems, reserve estimation and power system reliability. • The review is drafted on the basis of the high-quality research publications from the past decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Islands' energy systems present a challenge in energy planning due to a limited amount of resources which could be used to make islands self-sufficient and sustainable. This paper presents a novel approach for defining energy system of a carbon neutral island which utilizes only intermittent renewable energy sources in combination with vehicle-to-grid concept as a demand response technology, where marine transportation has also been taken into account. Integration of power, heating, cooling and transport sectors has been modelled by using EnergyPLAN tool, i.e. its updated November 2017 version which is capable of simulating vehicle-to-grid operation in mentioned conditions. Power supply capacities have been selected not by using scenario analysis but by implementing an optimization procedure based on series of simulations in EnergyPLAN tool. In order to choose the most suitable power supply system configuration, two boundary conditions have been defined. Firstly, only solar and wind capacities must be utilized. Secondly, total electricity import and export must be balanced, i.e. the island has to be CO 2 neutral. In order to validate the approach, Croatian Island of Korčula has been used as the case study. 2011 has been selected as the base year for which final energy consumption has been calculated. The final simulation year was set to 2030 in which optimal capacities are installed. It has been shown that configuration with 40 MW of wind and 6 MW of installed solar capacities presents the least cost solution, while 22 MW of wind in combination with 30 MW of installed solar capacities provides the lowest amount of total electricity import and export. Analysis of the vehicle-to-grid share reduction has shown increase in total import and export in both cases, while transmission peak loads have not been influenced. Highlights • Optimization of supply capacities in order to achieve carbon neutrality. • Vehicle-to-grid with 100% share, including the ferry line. • Case study of Island of Korčula in Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy demand in Chile arises mostly from mining, its largest industry that accounts for about 35% of total electricity consumption. Energy generation to satisfy this demand depends completely on imported fossil fuels. As a result, the mining industry faces several energy related challenges. In particular, the cost and environmental impact of fuel sources are threatening the competitiveness of the industry and urge for new developments. In that regard, the importance of using clean and cost-competitive renewable energy sources has increased significantly in Chile and several government policies helped to increase the investment in them. The impact has been particularly large in the development of solar energy in the northern part of the country, where almost all mines are located. In fact, the country has become one of the largest solar markets in Latin America thanks to its abundant solar resources, favorable market conditions, and successful policy reforms. Solar energy then, could play a significant role as an alternative to satisfy the mining industry's energy demand offering a broad range of technological solutions. This study examines the key issues -barriers and drivers- influencing the adoption of solar technologies in the Chilean mining industry from the perspective of mining actors. As a result of the analysis the paper also provides a scope for appropriate policy interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sun is the primary energy source for all life on Earth. Solar energy is clean and is available all over the world. The total energy produced, in 2016, was 7236 MWh, while the total consumed was 6660 MWh. The average photovoltaic energy generated was 255 MWh, which accounts for 3.5% of the total production and 8.2% of the RES (3096 MWh). Investments in renewable energy in Romania began in late 2008, when Green Certificates were granted by Law no. 220. In this paper, we review the photovoltaic system development in Romania, from 2011, when the market began to develop, to the present day. The climate change and air pollution have to be slowed down and reduced by implementing renewable and sustainable solutions in order to generate electricity. The photovoltaic industry has an important role in Romania's development, both economically and environmentally and by having the “unlimited resource” advantage, it is a good alternative to fossil fuels. Now, the largest solar park in Romania, with 332,000 operational PV units, located in Ucea de Sus, Brasov County and commissioned in 2013, has an installed capacity of 82 MW, and covers a land surface of 200 ha. 178 years ago, French physicist Edmond Becquerel discovered the photoelectric effect, in 1839. At the moment, the typical power of solar PV modules is less than 500 W, depending on efficiency and temperature sensitivity. Currently, long-term research on photovoltaic cells focus on increasing the power output, increasing the efficiency and reducing the temperature sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather-driven renewable generation is characterized by being uncertain and geographically dependent. In this regard, the recent deployment of wind and solar power has had a significant impact on the operation and planning of modern electricity grids; justifying the need to model high dimensional dependence. It is a relevant topic which is starting to have a significant importance in power systems. This paper presents a general overview on different multivariate dependence modeling techniques, namely parametric, non-parametric and copula functions. In addition, approximated methods based on limited information e.g. some statistical measures or a predefined dependence structure are presented. Autoregressive moving average (ARMA) and Markov models are discussed as general frameworks to reproduce spatio-temporal processes. Moreover, different applications in power systems are discussed in detail, along with a case study exemplifying the importance of a correct dependence modeling of wind generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar and wind energy are considered as promising electrical generating sources. These renewable energies are omnipresent, with free access, and a friendly environmental impact. Their integration remains technically and economically advantageous for electrical generation in isolated areas (IS). In several cases, the separate use of solar and wind energy sources may result in considerable over-sizing, which makes the single renewable energy sources in implementation very costly. It is found that the use of one of the optimization sizing techniques could help to guarantee the maximum power reliability and the minimum system cost for the future hybrid implementation. Moreover, a remarkable interest is manifesting for the use of solar and wind renewable energy sources (RES), which provide a realistic form of electrical generation in isolated areas. This paper provides an updated literature review, of the most applied method and techniques used in sizing and optimization of PV-Wind based hybrid system (PWHS) for an isolated area aiming to reach the best compromise between power reliability and hybrid system costs. Furthermore, this work discusses a comparison of the most common topologies used for the implementation of PWHS, then, presents a mathematical model of the hybrid system components with an emphasis on the importance of power reliability and system cost, Finally, provides an extensive analysis of software tools and algorithm approach used in sizing optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent increases in the global demand for IT services have increased the power consumption, total ownership costs and environmental footprint of data centers. Recent efforts to reduce these effects have focused on either their cooling systems, or their power systems. In this paper, we have developed an integrated approach to minimize the total power demand of data centers, whilst their reliance on power imported from the grid is minimized. First, the power demand of data center has been reduced utilizing various air-side economizer-based cooling systems. Since the effectiveness of economizers significantly depends on the local weather conditions, 42 stations in major cities across the world have been considered. A more than 80% reduction in total cooling power consumption is achieved by using the most appropriate air-side economizer at each location. Second, the reliance of data centers on power imported from the grid is minimized utilizing on-site hybrid renewable power generation and energy storage. The on-site renewable power generation and capacity factors have been calculated for 1 MW wind and solar renewable power plants to identify the location with the highest renewable power generation capability. The optimal size of a hybrid renewable power plant, and associated battery energy storage system, is also determined for each data center using linear programming to minimize total levelized costs. Finally, the optimal location for constructing and operating the most energy efficient, cost-effective and sustainable data center has been identified by calculating its level of independence from the power grid. It is found that the level of grid independence increases as we move away from the equator, for example more than 50% grid independence can be achieved at Regina station located in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy crisis is the worldwide main concern since fossil fuels are facing rapid depletion and its consumption contributes to the rise in the average global temperature. Among the challenges to be embedded lately with agricultural activities is to explore clean and renewable energy resources. Electrical energy generation via solar technology, or known also as photovoltaic (PV) technology, has been the most economical viable green resource, especially in tropical-based countries. The most notable problem revealed by conventional PV in greenhouses, however, is due to the antagonistic factor lying in both photovoltaic roofs and plants. As such, the divergence subsequently decreases the growth and productivity of the cultivated crops. The Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) is thus of great importance to human as it possesses several attractive features. For instance, the fabrication of DSSC is cheap. It is also flexible, transparent, and sensitive to low light levels. Besides its easiness to be used in larger applications, makes DSSC an ideal candidate that could function greatly as energy buildings. This review article aims to explore the DSSC technology's potential and its effectiveness as a shading greenhouse. Further, in-depth understanding on the uniqueness and advantages of this technology is thoroughly assessed. In comparison to conventional PV, the DSSC technology especially on solar radiation manipulation through the optimum choice of photosensitizer is well described. This paper also consolidates all the materials employed for DSSC fabrication for greenhouse shading. Detailing photosensitizer and light harvesting within PAR wavelength for sustenance growth have been provided. This technology has the potential to improve farming productivity while contribute to a significant reduction of CO 2 emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods are becoming increasingly popular in solving energy selection problems because these problems involve multiple and often conflicting criteria. This paper presents comparative analysis of ranking renewable energy sources (RES) for electricity generation in Taiwan using four MCDM methods - WSM, VIKOR, TOPSIS, and ELECTRE. The Shannon entropy weight method is used to assess the importance of each criterion for the ranking of RES. After that, four MCDM methods are utilized for quantitative evaluation to rank all available RE alternatives. From the weights estimation results, efficiency is the first priority in all evaluation criteria, followed by job creation, operation, and maintenance cost. The purpose of this study is to rank the priorities of various RES and propose recommendations for Taiwan's RE development. The ranking results show that hydro is the best alternative in Taiwan, followed by solar, wind, biomass and geothermal. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis of the weights was conducted considering the ranking results heavily depend on the criteria weight. The results of sensitivity analysis indicated that when financial or technical aspects are focused upon, hydropower is the best RES because its technology is the most mature and the cost is the lowest in Taiwan. In addition, from an environmental perspective, wind energy is the best choice, and from the social perspective, solar PV is the best choice. The findings of this study can provide useful information to energy decision makers and serve as a reference for Taiwan's energy policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control techniques play a vital role in efficiency improvement of photovoltaic (PV) systems. It is mainly used to extract maximum possible power of the PV modules under both variable climatic and partial shaded condition (PSC). From literature, various types of MPPT techniques have been developed to track the maximum power point efficiently, ranging from conventional methods to artificial intelligence and bio-inspired methods. Each technique has its own advantage and drawbacks. This paper focuses mainly on a review on advancements of global maximum power point tracking (GMPPT) techniques of photovoltaic (PV) system subjected to partial shading conditions (PSC) to help the users to make the right choice when designing their system. The most recent and selected MPPT methods are discussed and classified as optimization, hybrid, mathematical model based methods and other GMPPT methods. This study will serve as interesting guide for researchers working on PV system field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper determines a least cost electricity solution for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The power system discussed in this study is hourly resolved and based on 100% Renewable Energy (RE) technologies. Sub-Saharan Africa was subdivided into 16 sub-regions. Four different scenarios were considered involving the setup of a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission grid. An integrated scenario that considers water desalination and industrial gas production was also analyzed. This study reveals that RE is sufficient to cover 866.4 TWh estimated electricity demand for 2030 and additional electricity needed to fulfill 319 million m 3 of water desalination and 268 TWh LHV of synthetic natural gas demand. Existing hydro dams can be used as virtual batteries for solar PV and wind electricity storage, diminishing the role of other storage technologies. The results for total levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) decreases from 57.8 €/MWh for a highly decentralized to 54.7 €/MWh for a more centralized grid scenario. For the integrated scenario, including water desalination and synthetic natural gas demand, the levelised cost of gas and the levelised cost of water are 113.7 €/MWh LHV and 1.39 €/m 3 , respectively. A reduction of 6% in total cost and 19% in electricity generation was realized as a result of integrating desalination and power-to-gas sectors into the system. A review of studies on the energy future of Sub-Saharan Africa provides the basis for a detailed discussion of the new results presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present day scenario, the focus is reallocating towards integration of small and medium scale power plants based on renewable energy sources into the power distribution system. Solar is the fastest growing form of renewable energy and a single phase voltage source inverter is used to interface photovoltaic based plants with the distribution system. The grid integrated inverter has stringent control requirements. A current controller is employed to mitigate the harmonics in the current injected into the grid and regulate the power exchange between the plant and the grid. This paper presents a review of the current control strategies implemented for a single phase grid tied photovoltaic inverter. A comparative performance evaluation of the current control techniques is also presented through simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple, naïve, smart or clearness persistences are tools largely used as naïve predictors for the global solar irradiation forecasting. It is essential to compare the performances of sophisticated prediction approaches with that of a reference approach generally a naïve methods. In this paper, a new kind of naïve “nowcaster” is developed, a persistence model based on the stochastic aspect of measured solar energy signal denoted stochastic persistence and constructed without needing a large collection of historical data. Two versions are proposed: one based on an additive and one on a multiplicative scheme; a theoretical description and an experimental validation based on measurements realized in Ajaccio (France) and Tilos (Greece) are exposed. The results show that this approach is efficient, easy to implement and does not need historical data as the machine learning methods usually employed. This new solar irradiation predictor could become an interesting tool and become a new member of the solar forecasting family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With ever-increasing demands for energy and gradual climate changes, development and advancements of renewable energy have become a major priority of every country. The applications of renewable energy increase many folds when coupled with wireless power transfer (WPT) technology. About a century ago the advents of Tesla provided us with the principles of WPT. Since then a lot of research has been done in this field. Many efforts have been put to transmit power of renewable energy wirelessly. In this paper, the basic principles and various methods of WPT are reviewed and also discuss the recent developments in wireless transmission of renewable energy. An update for application and limitations of WPT has been presented. The possible systems produced with the coupling of WPT are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity supply in remote areas of the Russian territory is heavily dependent on diesel sources. Diesel generation imposes an important economic and social burden on the local population, besides the environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions, black carbon and oil spills. Switching to renewable energy could reduce the current economic, social and environmental cost of electricity supply in Russia׳s remote areas. The objective of this paper is to review Russia׳s off-grid renewable energy policy by focusing on the promotion of wind- and solar-diesel hybrid energy in the Russian Arctic. Taking a mainly regulatory perspective, this paper identifies existing barriers to the development of hybrid renewable-diesel investments. Building further on the international experience with the promotion of renewable energy in Arctic climates ( e.g., in Alaska and Canada), this paper tests the feasibility of alternative ‘best practice’ mechanisms to support off-grid renewable energy in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several theoretical studies have been reported in recent years which have indicated that large-scale wind farms can have an impact on local and regional meteorology, possibly on climate. Now evidence of it based on field observations has also begun to emerge. The present paper traces the evolution of this knowledge. It discusses the theoretical studies on the possibility of wind turbines effecting climate change, and summarizes the emerging confirmation of those predictions. The concluding part of the paper assesses the implications of these findings in the context of the world׳s past experience on global warming and its present thrust to meet substantial portions of its energy needs with renewables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life on Earth originated and survived millions of years as a result of the favorable climatic conditions. The climate can be considered as a renewable resource whose energy component is comprised from the solar energy, while the material component represents oceans as water tanks. Renewable energy sources (RES) can be divided into two main categories: traditional renewable energy sources such as biomass and large hydropower plants and the so called “new renewable energy sources” such as the solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, etc. This paper refers to the potential and utilization of RES in the southeastern planning region in the Republic of Macedonia. The main goal of the paper is to analyze possibilities of using the RES which naturally belong to the areas of the ten municipalities located in this part of the Republic of Macedonia. This is achieved by defining the existing potentials of RES in the region, the state of their current usage, balance and categorization based on quality, energy value, energy resources, etc. Methodology used in the research is also presented in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for electricity is increasing day by day, which cannot be fulfilled by non-renewable energy sources alone. Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are omnipresent and environmental friendly. The renewable emulnergy sources are emerging options to fulfill the energy demand, but unreliable due to the stochastic nature of their occurrence. Hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) combines two or more renewable energy sources like wind turbine and solar system. The objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of various aspects of HRES. This paper discusses prefeasibility analysis, optimum sizing, modeling, control aspects and reliability issues. The application of evolutionary technique and game theory in hybrid renewable energy is also presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that the first industrial revolution was based on Steam Engine (coal as energy source), and the second on oil and electricity, where both these revolutions are actually "high carbon" revolutions, it is logical to expect that the third industrial revolution should be based on systems of renewable energy sources (RES), in order to minimize the problems arising from climate changes and to achieve sustainable development. However, the usage of the RES technologies and daily/weekly storage of energy and their connection to smart grids is not enough for the expected third industrial revolution. The start of this revolution would require technologies that have a great potential for further development and ability to supply, at any time, the necessary energy and power to a settlement/city, as well as drinking water, meeting the peak load requirements, continuously throughout the year, and independently of external sources of energy and drinking water. This would be provided from intermittent RES energy (solar, wind, etc.) and sea or other unclean source of water as natural resources. In that context, this paper presents a radically new technological solution: Key Engine which uses only natural resources: the sun, sea and gravity, in order to continuously and simultaneously supply a consumer with energy, power and drinking water. This solution has all the essential features required to start a third industrial revolution. The basic unit of Key Engine consists of the solar thermal (ST) generator with parabolic trough collectors through which sea water flows directly, absorbing thermal energy of solar radiation. After the separation of steam from seawater, the steam drives turbines and generators and produces electricity that is delivered to Pump Storage Hydroelectric (PSH) facility with seawater, which balances the daily and seasonal surpluses and shortages of energy, thus ensuring a continuous supply of electric power and energy to a consumer. At the same time, the water that comes out of the turbine, passes through the water treatment unit and is stored in drinking water reservoir, enabling continuous supply of the same consumer with drinking water. The paper presents theoretical aspects of Key Engine, model for optimal sizing and practical formulas for the calculation of characteristic values of the system, which could be the basis for further scientific research, development and innovative solutions that would help engineers in practice for numerous and diverse applications of Key Engine. In order to verify the derived mathematical relationships and models for optimizing the Key Engine in real conditions, the case study of the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea, Croatia, has been considered, along with total annual irradiance of 1575 kW h/m 2 a, total annual electric energy consumption of 20 GW h and drinking water consumption of 453,382 m 3 . The obtained results: power of ST generator of 52 MW, working volume of the upper reservoir of 7 hm 3 , total annual electric energy production of 62 GW h/a, and drinking water production of 480,754 m 3 /a, clearly show that the new technology can fully meet the needs of the considered consumer for energy and drinking water. As the basic idea of Key Engine relies on the use of natural resources, i.e. RES energy and sea, the paper presents only the starting solution, whereby, apart from the sun, RES can be wind, or other renewable sources, that can perform separation of vapor from seawater and thus produce drinking water, as well as energy simultanously. Also, energy storage may not be performed solely by the PSH technology, but also by any other technology that can provide seasonal balancing of energy. All this suggests that the Key Engine can be understood as an open-source for RES technology development and thus bring changes in all three aspects of sustainable development: economy, society and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy is one among the freely available clean forms of renewable energy. Many technologies have been developed in India for extracting energy from assorted renewable energies, but the maximum extraction of thermal energy from solar energy is the most promising challenge. This paper focuses on the performance and efficiency of solar parabolic trough collector. It also reviews the pertinent applications of solar energy such as air heating system, desalination, refrigeration, industrial heating purposes and power plants. This paper will be useful for researchers concentrating on solar energy using parabolic trough collector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low cost, two axis tracking solar dish with flat mirror system׳s (Solarux CSP) design and its advantages are described in this paper. System is based on the Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technology. Heat energy and electricity are produced using oil and sunlight. In design stage, cost of production, constructability, automation, safety, cleaning and required energy that is required for the system have been taken into account. In this paper, it has been focusing on air-conditioning, heating, and producing electricity by using Solarux CSP. The aim of this invention is to use planar mirrors instead of parabolic mirrors in order to recuce cost and design a system that can be manufactured easily, can be constructed on every kind of terrain (rocky, plain etc.) and can be used by third world countries. For this purpose, for the development and design of solar flat system Solid Works 2012 has been used and the results are discussed and shown briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar energy generation has grown significantly in the past years. The importance of PV penetration in power system as a major element of renewable energy source has seen it being widely used on a global scale. Despite its promising success, PV penetration presents various issues and its impact on the distribution system has to address for seamless integration in the power system. In this paper, a comprehensive overview on important issues affecting the distribution system as a result of PV penetration is presented. Pertinent issues such as voltage fluctuation, voltage rise, voltage balance, and harmonics and their effect on the system are discussed in details. The islanding issues, which are of critical importance to the stability and integrity of the system, are also thoroughly reviewed. Details on different islanding techniques – remote and local techniques and their advantage and disadvantages are shown. Therefore, this paper can provide useful information and serve as a reference for researchers and utility engineers on issues to be considered with regards to PV penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balancing power is used to quickly restore the supply-demand balance in power systems. The need for this tends to be increased by the use of variable renewable energy sources (VRE) such as wind and solar power. This paper reviews three channels through which VRE and balancing systems interact: the impact of VRE forecast errors on balancing reserve requirements; the supply of balancing services by VRE generators; and the incentives to improve forecasting provided by imbalance charges. The paper reviews the literature, provides stylized facts from German market data, and suggests policy options. Surprisingly, while German wind and solar capacity has tripled since 2008, balancing reserves have been reduced by 15%, and costs by 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present global energy scenario, in which fossil fuels play a preponderant role, faces significant energy and environmental challenges. To help address these challenges, countries across the world are increasing the contribution made by renewable energy (RE) resources to their energy supplies. Feed-in Tariff (FiT) is one of the most effective incentive policies used to promote the RE sector especially at the micro-generation level. The key objective of the FiT schemes is to provide financial support to residential, industrial and commercial consumers to encourage them to become RE producers. Solar photovoltaic (PV) is one of the most promising RE technologies. This paper provides an overview of the solar PV developments in the Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) countries. It reflects upon the RE trends in the world as well as providing an introduction to the ASEAN countries. It reviews the progress of solar PV in each of the ASEAN countries especially in terms of RE policies, growth in terms of PV installations and research and development activities. Finally, the paper presents conclusions and a set of recommendations. Out of the 10 ASEAN countries, 5 have implemented FiT as a key policy incentive to stimulate the progress of RE. It is found that the ASEAN countries have great potential for solar PV in term of their annual solar insolation levels, which ranging from 1460 to 1892 kWh/m 2 per year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]