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The proliferation of solar power plants has begun to have an impact on utility grid operation, stability, and security. As a result, several governments have developed additional regulations for solar photovoltaic grid integration in order to solve power system stability and security concerns. With the development of modern and innovative inverter topologies, efficiency, size, weight, and reliability have all increased dramatically. This paper provides a thorough examination of all most aspects concerning photovoltaic power plant grid connection, from grid codes to inverter topologies and control. The reader is guided through a survey of recent research in order to create high-performance grid-connected equipments. Efficiency, cost, size, power quality, control robustness and accuracy, and grid coding requirements are among the features highlighted. Nine international regulations are examined and compared in depth, exposing the lack of a worldwide harmonization and a consistent communication protocol. The latest and most innovative inverter topologies that help to enhance power quality are compared. Modern control approaches are evaluated in terms of robustness, flexibility, accuracy, and disturbance rejection on both the DC and grid sides. The purpose of this review paper is to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of alternatives and performance, highlighting lacks and deficiencies of recent technologies and critically discussing and proposing new solutions paving the way for future investigations and developments. • The proliferation of solar plants have an impact on grid operation and stability. • Nine international regulations are examined and compared in depth. • PV power system architecture, topologies, and control are examined. • Cutting-edge solutions that handle all facets of PV system design are examined. • The reader obtain a comprehensive grasp of most relevant challenges and concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper reviews the state-of-the-art cooling methods of photovoltaic (PV) modules and evaluates the performance of the radiative cooling method in detail. Higher operating temperatures of PV modules cause degradation of conversion efficiency and long-term reliability. To overcome this drawback, active or passive cooling methods using heat pipe, natural/forced air flow, forced water flow, phase change material, direct liquid immersion/submerging, and passive heat sink have been studied. In this paper, the methodologies and cooling effects of various cooling methods in the literature are summarized to provide a comprehensive overview of the current cooling technologies. Then, the performance of the radiative cooling method, which is simple and passive (zero power consumption) method, is quantitatively evaluated based on a detailed heat transfer model considering sky radiation properties in four typical climate conditions. Daily heat budgets of the PV modules with different surface emissivity spectra are simulated to estimate the solar cell temperature. The results indicate that modification of the surface emissivity spectrum hardly contribute to the radiative cooling enhancement under any climate conditions, as compared to the conventional glass cover. The present findings serve as a guide for future research and development of better cooling methods. Highlights • Comprehensive literature review of PV module cooling methods. • Radiative cooling methods are simple and passive, thus attractive. • Radiative cooling performance of typical silicon PV module is evaluated for four typical climates. • Modifying surface emissivity spectrum hardly contributes to radiative cooling enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic Poverty Alleviation (PVPA) projects, which utilize the subsidies and income from PV power to alleviate poverty in rural areas, are part of a comprehensive energy policy innovation in China. It is expected that the projects will deploy at least 10 GW PV and benefit more than two million poor households in total by 2020. To achieve this goal, specific supporting policies and novel business models are necessary. In the present paper, the current status and existing supporting policies are introduced to give an overview of PVPA projects. Then representative business models in PV projects are summarized and compared to provide a reference for PVPA projects. Obstacles, such as subsidy delays, insufficient infrastructure, low quality of PV equipment, and inflexible profit allocation mechanism may reduce the revenue from PV operation and increase the costs of PV deployment. Therefore, this paper also proposes corresponding recommendations for policy makers considering the existing challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze the economic and environmental aspects of installing PV facilities for residential electricity users. This paper explores, in a conservative approach, the installation of a PV capacity to compensate the consumption with the production for each moment, never feeding electricity into the utility network and without storage. The approach proposed is illustrated by applying different power PV capacities in alternative locations (Marseille, Madrid and Seville), using the hourly demand provided for the smart meters. Combining the load curve of each user, the irradiation and PV production of each location, the cost of equipments, the hourly emission in the whole market, the variable price of electricity for residential users and the energy needs to build a PV facility. The model calculates, for each individual the optimal PV power to install and the emissions avoided. The results show that, with the current cost of the PV facilities and variable prices of electricity, the PV are, from an economic and environmental point of view, profitable in all the locations analyzed. This initiative will be more profitable for private investors and, additionally, for the environment in the next three years. A massive installation of these facilities in Spain and France will contribute to achieving their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of the Paris agreement (COP-21), fulfilling, in Spain, the current legal restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the vigorous development of the International PV Market, China's PV industry continues to show a good momentum of development. However, the financing difficulties, high financing costs and other issues seriously restrict the development of PV industry, the advent of the Internet + PV provides a new opportunity for the financing of the PV industry. Therefore, the analysis of investment and financing in the PV industry in China is of great practical significance. Firstly, this paper analyzed the development of China's PV industry status quo and the development of the Internet + PV policy. Secondly, this paper analyzed the development obstacles and opportunities of PV industry by PEST model（P politics, E economy, S society, T technology）. Finally, this paper put forward relevant policy recommendations, and establishes the investment and financing operation mode of Internet + PV to improve the financing status of PV industry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within modern power systems comprising both power-electronic converters and synchronous generators, a sufficiently high power quality and a stable operation can only be guaranteed if the fundamental mechanisms underlying converter-related issues can be thoroughly understood, properly identified and successfully mitigated. In particular, classifications are regarded as essential tools for the identification of converter-related instabilities and interactions. However, the large variety of emerging events make that proposed classifications have not always been capable of encompassing all observed problems. This paper addresses this issue and presents a bottom-up approach capable of constructing more-encompassing classifications. The approach consists in carrying out a comprehensive literature review of problematic real-life events that have been reported by the electrical power industry, and that have directly or indirectly involved power-electronic converters. The focus is set on five prominent types of systems in which such converters are used: wind farms, photovoltaic systems, electrical railways, LCC-HVDC, and VSC-HVDC/STATCOM systems. Next, patterns are identified among the real-life events in order to pinpoint underlying mechanisms capable of explaining the converter-related issues. Lastly, the underlying mechanisms are discussed in regard to the events, their triggers, modeling requirements and dedicated terminology. The overview of real-life events and the set of underlying mechanisms established in this paper can support the development of new interaction and stability classifications and contribute to ensuring the correct identification and mitigation of converter-related issues in future converter-based power systems. • A comprehensive overview of real-life events helps constructing new classifications. • From analogies between events, three types of underlying mechanisms are identified. • Mechanisms types are converter limitation, power quality degradation and interaction. • Both the mechanisms and their triggers impact the choice of modeling requirements. • Used terminology is often system-specific and needs more standardized definitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CdTe thin film solar cell, as an outstanding representative of the second-generation solar cells, has been produced and applied on a large scale. However, due to the low concentration of photogenerated carriers and short lifetime of minority carriers in its absorber layer, the open-circuit voltage and filling factor of the cell is limited and the further improvement of the cell power conversion efficiency is hindered. Various strategies and techniques such as doping, passivation, adding buffer and electron reflecting layers are commonly used to improve the defects and deficiencies of the CdTe absorber layer. In this paper, the relationship between p-type doping and non-p-type doping (passivation, buffer layer and electron reflection) is analyzed. An attempt is made to summarize the mechanism and pathway of efficient doping of CdTe from a large amount of published literature. After reviewing the recently CdTe absorber layer doping research in terms of doping mechanism, precursor selection, quantification and distribution, and doping process. It obtained that the qualitative and quantitative studies of key impurity elements, optimization of doping precursors, and new non-p-type doping elements are the future directions of doping research. Finally, this paper prospects for CdTe absorber layer doping in regard to the synthesis of absorber layer composites. [Display omitted] • An attempt is made to summarize the mechanism and pathway of efficient doping of CdTe. • Qualitative and quantitative studies of key impurity elements are the future directions of doping research. • This paper prospects for CdTe absorber layer doping in regard to the synthesis of absorber layer composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The so-called energy transition has been associated with decreasing dependence on fossil fuel energy and low environmental impacts. Additionally, several communities worldwide still face energy poverty, with no or limited access to energy services. This paper evaluates the environmental and economic aspects related to replacing diesel-based power systems with photovoltaic and battery storage systems in a small indigenous community in northern Brazil. Nine environmental categories were analyzed for the life cycle perspective, from which it was established that the benefits of the photovoltaic system outperformed the diesel-based system in seven of the nine categories i.e., climate change (by a difference of 189.8 t CO 2 -eq over the system's lifetime, i.e., 300 MWh generated over 25 years), fossil depletion (by 66.7 t oil-eq), environmental toxicity (by 1.4 t 1,4-DCB-eq), particulate matter formation (by 1.5 t PM10-eq), photochemical oxidant formation (by 4.8 t NMVOC), terrestrial acidification (by 2.5 t SO 2 -eq), and eutrophication (by 1.7 t nutrients-eq). On the other hand, metal depletion showed similar values for both cases, while the diesel-based system was associated with lower human toxicity (by 14.8 t 1,4-DCB-eq) given the high usage of toxic metals when manufacturing the battery systems. Regarding the economic aspects, from stochastic analysis, the results for replacing diesel-based systems result in average savings of around 9 thousand USD over 25 years. Hopefully, these positive results might stimulate policy efforts that lead to mitigating energy poverty in Brazilian indigenous communities. • LCA and economic analysis of a PV and battery system compared to a diesel-based one. • The PV and battery system is superior in seven out of nine environmental categories. • The PV and battery system leads to savings of around 9 thousand USD over 25 years. • Social benefits are highlighted with a loss of power supply probability of only 0.2%. • The results of the paper might stimulate policy efforts to mitigate energy poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development of methods and mathematical models to determine the DC/AC average efficiency of inverters that allow to optimize estimates of electricity generation of photovoltaic systems. The adaptive hybrid mathematical model of DC/AC average efficiency of inverters of photovoltaic systems proposed in this paper may be composed of three function settings–Linear, Lognormal, and Polynomial–considering the influence of the relative power, which varies with the sizing factor inverter and the DC input voltage. Determining of the average efficiency with a high degree of accuracy guarantees greater reliability in estimating electricity generation of photovoltaic systems. Depending on the specific behavior of each model and topology of inverter, the adaptive hybrid mathematical model determines the fit functions with highest coefficient R 2 , and estimates with accuracy the DC/AC average efficiency that represents the operation and dynamic behavior of the inverters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faults in any components (modules, connection lines, converters, inverters, etc.) of photovoltaic (PV) systems (stand-alone, grid-connected or hybrid PV systems) can seriously affect the efficiency, energy yield as well as the security and reliability of the entire PV plant, if not detected and corrected quickly. In addition, if some faults persist (e.g. arc fault, ground fault and line-to-line fault) they can lead to risk of fire. Fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) methods are indispensable for the system reliability, operation at high efficiency, and safety of the PV plant. In this paper, the types and causes of PV systems (PVS) failures are presented, then different methods proposed in literature for FDD of PVS are reviewed and discussed; particularly faults occurring in PV arrays (PVA). Special attention is paid to methods that can accurately detect, localise and classify possible faults occurring in a PVA. The advantages and limits of FDD methods in terms of feasibility, complexity, cost-effectiveness and generalisation capability for large-scale integration are highlighted. Based on the reviewed papers, challenges and recommendations for future research direction are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the exponential growth in global photovoltaic (PV) power capacity, protection of PV systems has gained prodigious importance in last few decades. Even with the use of standard protection devices in a PV system, faults occurring in a PV array may remain undetected. Inspired by the ever increasing demand for a reliable fault detection technique, several advanced techniques have been proposed in literature; especially in the last few years. Hence, this paper carries out an in depth analysis of various fault occurrences, protection challenges and ramifications due to undetected faults in PV systems. Furthermore, with a widespread literature, the paper critically reviews numerous fault detection algorithms/techniques available for PV systems which are proven to be effective and feasible to implement. The proposed study is not only limited to surveying the existing techniques but also analyzes the performance of each technique with an emphasis on its: 1) Approach, 2) Sensor requirements, 3) Ability to diagnose and localize faults, 4) Integration complexity, 5) Accuracy, 6) Applicability and 7) Implementation cost. Overall, this paper is envisioned to avail the researchers working in the field of PV systems with a valuable resource, which will assist them to enrich their research works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of renewable energy including solar energy is growing faster than ever before. Solar energy supplies more than 1.3% of global power, and it is predicted to become the largest electricity source by 2050 with about 11% of global power consumption. However, the improper installation, non-frequently scheduled maintenance, and aging effect can accelerate the deterioration of PV system components, which directly increase the possibility of arc fault occurrence. The undetected arc faults pose a severe fire hazard to residential, commercial, and utility-scaled PV systems. To deliver electricity in a safe and reliable manner, such a dangerous event must be detected at early stage. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the-state-of-art techniques for DC arc faults detection in photovoltaic systems (PV). Different methods and the features used for detection are discussed and compared in detail. This paper also emphasizes the importance of DC arc fault simulation for characteristics study and fault diagnosis purpose. Several DC arc fault models have been reviewed and compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels are believed to be the main factor for alarming rise in global temperatures. Conference of Parties 21 held at Paris in the year 2015 strictly warned and asked the nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emission level. This makes the nations to adopt renewable energy technology to substitute burning fossil fuels. Solar energy due to its accessibility and affordability leads the renewable energy application race. Even though Photovoltaic (PV) technology is mature but the effect of temperature on its efficiency is considerable, which opens up new front of research where combination of PV and thermal absorber is focussed to harness thermal energy which otherwise negatively affect the PV electrical efficiency. In the proposed study starting from the effect temperature on PV electrical efficiency, construction of Photovoltaic-Thermal (PV/T) module, historical development of PV/T, about different types of PV/T's developed around the globe along with performance of developed PV/T's, effect of operating parameters and methods of thermodynamic management are reviewed and presented. The study emphasised on the use of nano fluid and phase change material to harness maximum thermal energy from the system, also includes an insight into commercially available PV/T modules across the globe. This paper presents enviro-economic evaluation of PV/T systems developed by various researchers and also enumerated thermodynamic methods for evaluating system efficiency, which includes both energy and exergy analysis. This paper also provides the necessary information about the requirement of future research in PV/T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy has been one of the environmental friendly sources of energy. The low cost solution with minimal maintenance motivates towards photovoltaic (PV) cells based energy harnessing methods to meet energy demands. However, majority of conventional PV systems suffer from low energy conversion ratio (ECR) due to improper selection of the PV parameters and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm. Even ECR is adversely affected under varying environmental conditions. Therefore, accurate estimation of PV parameter can be of paramount significance for efficient PV model design. In addition, the development of a robust MPPT algorithm in conjunction with the effective PV design parameter can enable optimal ECR achievement. In this review paper, a number of literatures pertaining to PV parameter estimation and MPPT algorithms are discussed. Different methods including analytical, iterative and evolutionary computing algorithms are assessed for their efficacy towards PV parameter estimation. This review paper revealed that the analytical approaches suffer from singularity problem as well as limited mathematical calculation that confine its efficacy for optimal PV parameter estimation under dynamic irradiation pattern. The iterative approaches too are limited due to dynamic environment conditions. Our study has revealed that the evolutionary computing approaches, such as genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), differential evolution (DE), etc. have played vital role in PV design parameter estimation and classical approaches suffer from local minima and convergence issues. This manuscript reveals that to enable an optimal PV design parameter estimation there is an inevitable need to incorporate either evolutionary computation schemes or apply an efficient multi-objective optimization measures. This as a result can not only alleviate local minima and convergence issues but can also enable swift and precise parameter estimation to assist optimal PV design and augmented ECR performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic system is widely installed to increase the share of renewable energy as well as to reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuel based energy. Photovoltaic (PV) is one of the most potential renewable energy based power generation systems. Monitoring of PV system is very important to send information that allows owners to maintain, operate and control these systems to reduce maintenance costs and to avoid unwanted electric power disruptions. Different monitoring systems have been introduced with the time following different requirements. Circuit complexity, availability of friendly graphical user interface, easy to understand system architecture, maintenance facility and customization ability for end user differ from system to system along with cost issues. This paper provides an overview of architectures and features of various PV monitoring systems based on different methods. There are various technologies for PV monitoring and control, developed as for commercial use or research tasks. It has been seen that a large portion of the work is done on classifications, for example, Internet based Monitoring using Servers, TCP/IP, GPRS and so forth. There are various methodologies for data acquisition, for example, PLC (Power Line Communication), PIC, Reference cell, National Instruments etc. Various requirements are considered while selecting a proper monitoring system for an application. Review of various monitoring technologies with system attributes and working structures have been discussed to get a clear view of merits and demerits of existing PV monitoring systems. All the systems discussed in this paper have pros and cons, and these systems were developed following different requirements. In the end, a particular cost effective monitoring system using Arduino microcontroller has been proposed considering both research and user level requirements from perspectives of cost, availability of parts/modules and features, compatibility with sensors and end-devices etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of multilevel inverter with renewable energy source power generation is paid more attention among the researchers, because multilevel inverters are widely accepted power converters in for high-power applications. The conventional multilevel inverters are highly implemented in industries, and the success of this has motivated to create newer topologies with the reduced overall power electronics components. In this paper, recent multilevel inverter topologies with reduced number of switches are taken into account and to find a suitable topology for photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy applications. Finally, this paper gives a pathway for the upcoming researchers to consider the design issues and challenges in the development of new multilevel inverter topologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to demonstrate the usefulness of Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) for tracking Maximum Power Point (MPP) in stand-alone photovoltaic system. Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is one of approaches which boost efficiency of PhotoVoltaic (PV) cells by the load matching between the PV cells and the load. The key problem is that maximum power is not achieved because PV cells power is affected by weather conditions such as the solar irradiation and the temperature, thus, the MPP is changed during daylight hours and year seasons. Therefore, it is necessary to design an appropriate controller based on one of techniques to track MPP. These techniques are based on true or estimated searching mechanism to MPP. True searching mechanism based techniques like incremental conductance method and perturb and observe method are efficient but they are less stable, more oscillatory about MPP and sensitive to a high frequency noise. Generally, estimated searching mechanism based techniques like constant voltage method and fractional open circuit voltage method are less efficient, but they are stable and no sensitive to a high frequency noise. In this paper, the ANFIS-reference model method in addition to the incremental conductance method and constant voltage method have been studied, designed and implemented using Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) board to compare the performance of each method. The proposed ANFIS-reference model controller is efficient since it has been trained offline using Matlab tool with practical data sets. Based on our knowledge, this paper is the first paper which introduces practical implementation of ANFIS-reference model based MPPT for photovoltaic system using FPGA board. The results reveal that the ANFIS-reference model controller has more efficient and better dynamic response than the incremental conductance method and constant voltage method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy problem is one of the most important and serious problems that humanity is faced with it and this is while the fossil fuels are running out, so finding new sources of energy is one of the challenges of modern man. Solar energy is an available, newable and almost eternal energy which can be converted directly to electrical energy by photovoltaic (PV) cells. Although the use of sunlight costs nothing but PV cells are relatively expensive so it's necessary to extract maximum power from these cells because of economic reasons. To achieve the maximum power point, there are many techniques and also many review papers but just few papers have compared these techniques from economical and technical point of view. This paper presents a review of MPPT techniques using of comprehensive and relatively new classification with emphasizing on comparison of methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sunlight is often deemed as the only abundant and truly “free” energy resource. Among all the different techniques available to harness solar energy, the most popular and mature technology is the photovoltaic conversion of sunlight into electricity. Despite its merits, solar PV technology has issues with the land requirement (especially in urban areas), capture efficiency and public perception (due to the absence of pleasing aesthetics). The concept of a solar tree is capable of addressing these problems effectively with elegance. In this paper an attempt is made to review the components of the solar tree and its design. The various commercial designs are also discussed along with applications of the solar tree. The paper also addresses the challenges involved with this technology and suggests future research direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar technology development in recent years has facilitated access to solar PV systems at increasingly competitive costs. This paper analyses the influence of solar technology on the economic performance of different topologies of PV power plants. An economic model is proposed and used to identify the most suitable type of installation for a wide range of input parameters. One of the main input parameters of the model developed is the location of the power plant in one of the seven EU countries with the largest PV growth. Location affects not only the solar irradiation received by the solar modules but also the costs associated with both the installation and the operation of the power plants. A detailed review of the costs related to PV power plants is presented. The size of the power plant as well as the PV technology and tracking system implemented are additional inputs of the economic model. This paper reviews the technological evolution of the PV sector, focusing not only on improvements in solar cell efficiency but also on the types of installed technology around the world. The three most widespread specific PV technologies are further analysed to find the type of installation most suited to a given country. In addition to the traditional financial indices commonly used to evaluate the economic performance of a project, the minimum feed-in tariff remuneration indicator is proposed and estimated in this work. Results are thus of great interest to investors, policy makers, and other stakeholders interested in the development of PV power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The output of solar photovoltaic (SPV) system depends on various factors like bypass diode configuration, array size, array configuration, shade intensity, etc. besides the environmental conditions. Further, partial shaded conditions increase the mismatch losses and reduce the output of the photovoltaic (PV) array significantly. The size of the PV array is to be increased under such circumstances to meet the desired specifications. This, in turn, increases the return of investment period that makes power generation by PV systems less attractive. This paper focuses on the various techniques that could negate the impact of partial shading and enhance the output under such conditions. In order to improve the power extraction under partial shaded conditions, various solutions modifying either the power processing architecture or the PV generator architecture have already been proposed. This paper reviews the latter approach and proposes a static architecture to negate the impact of partial shading and enhance the energy yield under non-uniform irradiation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to rapid depletion of fossil fuels and environmental hazard, different non-conventional sources of energy like wind, geothermal, nuclear, photovoltaic etc, have been taken into consideration for power generation. Environmental familiarness, reduced installation cost, improved power quality, abundant availability of source makes photovoltaic based distributed generation as one of the most popular alternative source of energy production. Improvement in power electronics technology makes synchronization of PV system with grid more viable. Power output from the PV module changes continuously with time depending upon the climatic condition. In order to get maximum output from the PV system different types of MPPT algorithm present in literature are studied and improvement proposed are described in this paper. Furthermore, different types of inverter topologies along with different grid synchronization technique and PWM topologies used to connect the PV system with the 3-phase AC grid are presented. In order to minimize the harmonic content of the inverter output, different types of filters used are presented in the proceeding section. Nextly different commonly used advanced islanding detection techniques for the safety purpose of PV based distribution generation system have been addressed and based on advantages and limitation of anti-islanding techniques, a comparison table has been presented. Afterward based on parameters like input, output voltage & current, MPP range, used standards etc, a comparison table between different commercially available grid tied PV inverters are presented in this paper. Finally, drawbacks of the prevailing grid connected PV system have been discussed. [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]

Achieving sustainable energy planning and development involves complex decision-making processes. The energy planning decision-making (EPDM) field relies on a plethora of decision analysis methods that offered many solutions to process a variety of energy management and strategic decision-making problems. However, current EPDM solutions are unable to overcome the increasing complexity of strategic energy planning situations involving a large number of stakeholders in uncertain, dynamic, and distributed environments. This raises significant new challenges for researchers in both decision sciences and renewable and sustainable energy planning. On the basis of a representative assortment of peer-reviewed related literature selected by querying multiple electronic databases and indexed in Scopus and Web of Science databases domain journals over the last 12 years, this paper exhaustively highlights and discusses limitations of existing strategic EPDM solutions. The analysis is based on a classification specially developed by holistically harmonizing important domain concepts to categorize the considered representative sample of the field of interest. Additionally, this paper integrates results and conclusions from some recent and most cited literature reviews to (i) formulate essential evidence as well as practical and conclusive literature's support– alongside with the formulated representative sample –to this paper's subsequent insights and statements, and (ii) guarantee that no relevant articles have been excluded. A total of 78 related works is gathered and analyzed to provide a general view and discussion on major complexities found in classical/traditional strategic EPDM solutions and challenges for next-generation EPDM solutions. Moreover, a comparative analysis of the two solutions and a set of “quality indexes” of a next-generation EPDM solution were identified and some proposals were made to improve future applicative research. As an original result coming from the “quality indexes” identified through the review process, an intelligent expert-based framework for next-generation EPDM solutions is developed for enhanced renewable and sustainable energy planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a concise and an organized review of various maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms implemented in the photovoltaic (PV) generation system useable under partial shading condition. Various algorithms, PV modeling techniques, PV array configurations and controller topologies have been widely explored till date. But, every technique always has its advantages as well as disadvantages simultaneously; as a result, a proper literature review is essential while designing a PV generation system (PGS) under partial shading condition. In this paper, the detailed review of MPPT algorithms has been done. The review on MPPT techniques has been classified into mainly four essential groups. The first among them includes all the new MPPT optimization algorithms, the second group includes the hybrid MPPT algorithms, the third category includes new modeling approach, and the fourth category includes the various converter topologies. This paper provides an accessible reference to undertake mass research works in PV systems in the near future under partial shading condition. [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]

Cooling the operating surface is a key operational factor to take into consideration to achieve higher efficiency when operating solar photovoltaic systems. Proper cooling can improve the electrical efficiency, and decrease the rate of cell degradation with time, resulting in maximisation of the life span of photovoltaic modules. The excessive heat removed by the cooling system can be used in domestic, commercial or industrial applications. This paper presents a review of various methods that can be used to minimize the negative impacts of the increased temperature while making an attempt to enhance the efficiency of photovoltaic solar panels operating beyond the recommended temperature of the Standard Test Conditions (STC). Different cooling technologies are reviewed, namely Floating tracking concentrating cooling system (FTCC); Hybrid solar Photovoltaic/Thermal system cooled by water spraying; Hybrid solar Photovoltaic/ Thermoelectric PV/TE system cooled by heat sink; Hybrid solar Photovoltaic/Thermal (PV/T) cooled by forced water circulation; Improving the performance of solar panels through the use of phase-change materials; Solar panel with water immersion cooling technique; Solar PV panel cooled by transparent coating (photonic crystal cooling); Hybrid solar Photovoltaic/Thermal system cooled by forced air circulation, and Solar panel with Thermoelectric cooling. Several research papers are reviewed and classified based on their focus, contribution and the type of technology used to achieve the cooling of photovoltaic panels. The discussion of the results has been done based on the advantages, disadvantages, area of application as well as techno-economic character of each technology reviewed. The purpose of this review is to provide an understanding for each of the above-mentioned technologies to reduce the surface temperature of the PV module. The study will focus on the surface temperature reduction array bound by each of the cooling technologies. The performance of each cooling technology will also be highlighted. In addition to this study, this review will include a discussion comparing the performance of each cooling technology. The outcomes of this study are detailed in the conclusion section. This paper has revealed that any adequate technology selected to cool photovoltaic panels should be used to keep the operating surface temperature low and stable, be simple and reliable and, if possible, enable the use of extracted thermal heat to enhance the overall conversion efficiency. The presented detailed review can be used by engineers working on theory, design and/or application of photovoltaic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is to determine which voltage regulation strategies best allow grid-tied Photovoltaic (PV) Systems to be integrated into distribution networks. More particularly, this involves performing a literature review on the negative impacts of grid-tied PV systems on distribution networks, and also the current and proposed voltage regulation methods available. The next step is to assess, through simulation, which strategies allow the greatest amount of PV to be integrated with minimal effect on power quality. This will be done by simulating various Medium Voltage (MV) and Low Voltage (LV) radial feeders under varying load conditions and changing solar irradiance levels. Real network data will be incorporated with an accurate model for PV output power to accurately model high penetrations of PV. Our research highlights the necessity of reducing peak loadings through strategies such as energy storage, off-peak loading methods, and reactive power control of inverters to decrease the voltage deviations. It has been shown that voltage rise and reverse power-flows can and should be avoided on distribution feeders. Voltage unbalances can also be easily avoided by following the simple steps outlined in this paper. Now, a proactive approach should be taken by Governments, Distribution Networks System Providers, and customers with PV to ensure that as penetrations increase, Power Quality is not diminished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a review on the up to date scientific achievements in applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques in Photovoltaic (PV) systems. It surveys the role of AI algorithms in modeling, sizing, control, fault diagnosis and output estimation of PV systems. It also summaries more than 100 research articles in the applications of AI techniques in PV research. A complete comparison between conventional and AI methods is carried out to prove the important role of the AI algorithms play PV systems. The paper compares between the reviewed works and outlines their contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality assurance procedures associated with the financing of large PV plants are becoming increasingly more relevant to the PV scene in general. In this context, PV performance modelling is required in order to predict the energy yield and to rate the operating plant performance. Despite the availability of PV performance models since the early days of photovoltaics, the emergence of new proposals and the current debate on the development of an energy rating standard means that this can still be considered an open question. In the specific context of Quality Assurance Procedures, PV performance models must not only be accurate but must also be based on features specifically supported by manufacturers (datasheet information), in order to maintain the chain of responsibility in the event of failure. This paper reviews the currently available PV performance models with regard to accuracy and also compliance with datasheet specifications and guarantees. Accuracy is assessed through a meticulous measurement campaign conducted on PV arrays of four different technologies at a PV plant located in Navarra (northern Spain). The models reviewed are classified into physical models, based on the full I-V curve, and empirical models, which are solely based on the maximum power point (MPP). Despite the fact that physical models and MPP models with more than three parameters are currently widely used, this paper shows that empirical models with just three independent parameters suffice to accurately describe the relationship between PV array performance and operating conditions and are more easily derived from standard datasheet information. This result suggests that 3-parameter empirical models are the best option for PV performance modelling in the context of technical quality assurance procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power generated by photovoltaic (PV) system depends on environment irradiance and temperature parameters. Hence, PV panels have nonlinear characteristics. In uniform condition, there is only one maxima point called maximum power point (MPP) where the PV system operates in maximum efficiency. However, in non-uniform condition such as partial shading effects, the PV system presents multiple maxima points on the correspondence P-V curve due to bypass diodes which makes more difficult to estimate global MPP. That is why it makes maximum power point tracking (MPPT) more important for PV systems to operate in maximum efficiency. In the literature, various types of MPPT technique and alternative solutions are used to detect true global MPP point among the other local MPPs. In addition, different PV array topologies, architectures and configurations are proposed to remove local maxima on the P-V curve. In this paper, most popular and used MPPT techniques, PV array configurations, system architectures and circuit topologies are discussed. In this context, this paper provides an overview of the operating principles discusses advantages and disadvantages and makes a general comparison between different solutions of each method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy demand across the globe has increased in many folds due to technological advancement, rapid growth in industries and increase in household energy demand. This led the engineers and planners to think and find the means to harvest the alternative energy sources other than the fossil fuel. Solar, wind, biomass, mini hydro are some of the resources used worldwide to generate energy as per the availability of resources. This paper presents a comparative performances of various stand alone solar photovoltaic(PV), grid connected PV and hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) studied across the globe. The standalone PV system is used to supply electricity to a small habitats/hamlets or to a single household. Hybrid energy system consists of two or more energy sources for generation of power for rural electrification in off grid locations and in grid connected PV systems, excess electricity produced is injected to the grid thereby generating additional income. The research works carried out by various researchers around the globe on renewable energy sources particularly for rural electrification is discussed in this paper. Besides this the utilisation of renewable electricity for Plug-in-Electric Vehicles (PEV) studied across the globe were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns over environment and increased demand of energy have led the world to think about alternate energy sources such as wind, hydro, solar and fuel cells. Out of these, photovoltaic (PV) power generation systems have become increasingly important all over the world due its availability, cleanness, low maintenance cost and inexhaustible nature. But power produced by the photovoltaic system is stochastic in nature due to the variation of solar irradiation and cell temperature throughout the day. In order to track the varying power, a DC-DC converter with maximum power point tracker (MPPT) is used. Different MPPT algorithms have been proposed for tracking peak power from the PV panel. Selection of adequate DC-DC converter is also an important factor since it has an influence on overall performance of the PV system. This paper presents a comparative study on the characteristics of different non-isolated DC-DC converters and highlights the various research works that has been done on DC-DC converters based MPPT PV system. Study shows that selection of converter also has an impact on the overall performance of the PV system. Based on the survey and comparative study, selection criteria to choose DC-DC converter for PV system is described in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric Vehicles (EV) are emerging due to ever increasing concerns on the energy issues and greenhouse gas effects. Also, due to the depletion of fossil fuels, electricity generated from Renewable Energy Sources (RES) like Photovoltaic (PV) arrays and Wind Turbine Generators (WTG) are used for charging the EV batteries which reduces the utility grid overload. A review on different power converter topologies which can be used in PV-EV and WTG-EV battery chargers are presented in this paper. Also, this paper reviews the various power converters which can be employed for interfacing RES-EV battery charger with the utility grid. This paper enlightens the researchers in the selection of appropriate power converters suitable for the stand-alone and grid-connected RES-EV battery charging systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) is considered to be one of the most promising renewable energy components that could lead to a reduction on the dependence on fossil fuels. The aim of CPV technology is to lower the cost of the system by reducing the semiconductor material, and replacing it by cheap optical devices that concentrate the light received from the sun on a small-size solar cell. The electrical characterization of devices based on this technology however, is inherently different and more complex than that of the traditional PV devices. Due to the advantages offered by the Artificial Neuron Networks (ANNs) to solve complex and non-linear problems, and the great level of complexity of electrical modelling of CPV devices, in recent years, several authors have applied a variety of ANNs to solve issues related to CPV technology. In this paper, a review of the ANNs developed to address various topics related with both, low and high concentrator photovoltaics, is presented. Moreover, a review of the ANN-based models to predict the main environmental parameters that affect the performance of CPV systems operating outdoors is also provided. Published papers presented show the potential of the ANNs as a powerful tool for modelling the CPV technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft Computing (SC) methods are emerged as an alternative approach to conventional techniques for Grid connected Photovoltaic (PV) system because of their ability to solve the complex non-linearity problems. Soft Computing (SC) techniques are developed to handle the adverse environmental conditions such as sudden change in temperature and irradiation which are not addressed by conventional methods. The main focus of this paper is to summarize the application of various SC techniques which apply to different stages of a grid connected PV system such as panel reconfiguration, Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique in the converter, Harmonic elimination in inverter and islanding detections. Furthermore, the comparison is made on the performance of SC methods based on several conditions, namely convergence, algorithm complexity, real time implementation, System dependency, Periodic tuning and Oscillations around the operating point. It is envisioned that the information provided in this paper is intended to serve as a valuable reference for future research in grid connected PV system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar electricity that is produced from photovoltaic solar systems has the potential to deliver clean sustainable energy. Positive steps are being undertaken to minimise greenhouse gas emissions in Australia and photovoltaic solar systems are contributing towards sustainability. The current amount of installed photovoltaic solar systems cannot address the global warming issues in whole, however renewable energy production is contributing towards minimising carbon emissions. One of the main concerns for the residential householders is the economic issue on the use of photovoltaic solar systems. This paper examines life cycle cost effectiveness in using photovoltaic solar systems with capacities ranging from 1.5 kW to 5 kW in relation to the number of occupants and consumption for residential dwellings over a 25-year period. Eight major cities in Australia, including Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart, Adelaide, Darwin and Perth, are investigated. Life cycle cost comparisons among different types of electricity grid connected systems, including a gross-feed-in-tariff (GFIT) scheme, a net-feed-in-tariff (NFIT) scheme and a buy-back scheme, are also explored. It is found that all major cities can receive life cycle cost saving in installing photovoltaic solar systems in their residential dwellings. The life cycle cost saving is between $273 and $53,021 and the percentage of cost saving is between 0.35% and 123.83% in a 15-year period. It appears that the GFIT and NFIT schemes offer better benefits than the buy-back scheme in installing photovoltaic solar systems. It is also found that the higher the capacity of the photovoltaic solar systems, the higher the life cycle cost saving can be received. This paper contributes to prove the cost effectiveness of using photovoltaic solar systems with the example from Australian residential dwellings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part One in this two part paper identified Monte Carlo analysis as an improved approach over traditional deterministic techno-economic methods for solar PV prosumers in deregulated markets. In this paper a novel Monte Carlo methodology is described and demonstrated through a case study for the Swedish residential sector, which includes a review of relevant market, climate, and policy conditions, their use in determining inputs, and the probabilistic results. The probability of profitability (PoP) is introduced as an indicator in conjunction with result distributions. The results show that under current policy conditions, Swedish PV investors with well positioned buildings have a 71% chance of making a 3% real return on investment, and virtually no chance of losing their original investment. Without subsidies the PoP drops to 8%. In none of the simulated cases was any of the original investment lost. The PoP is most sensitive to the capital subsidy and the uncertainty of market based, long-term support is less critical to the chances of a successful investment. Given the current market conditions, Swedish PV prosumers can expect a return on investment. The decision to install will also depend on the probability of achieving their desired profitability, which Monte Carlo analysis quantifies well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, photovoltaic (PV) plants are receiving a significant attention due to their intrinsic ability to directly transform solar energy in electrical energy. However, electricity generated from PV plants can rarely provide immediate response to load demand, as these sources do not deliver a regular supply immediately compatible with consumers’ needs. Recently, an important attention has been devoted to the use of energy storage in grid-connected PV plants, with the objective of adding flexibility in load management and overcoming some important power quality problems of real distribution grids. This makes PV plants more useful and attractive. Several battery management techniques have been underlying as a way to create more price-responsive demand and as a way to integrate PV plants more effectively into power grid. However, the development of energy policies constraint the wider deployment of PV systems. In this paper, various sizing, modelling, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) methods have been reviewed for the efficient operation of grid-connected PV systems. Dispatch strategies for stored energy that maximize the financial value of battery-PV systems along with several optimization techniques are discussed. Power quality and control technology issues of grid-connected PV systems are also covered. The economic and environmental benefits of grid-connected PV systems are underlined and operational and maintenance issues of PV-battery power systems have been included. The present paper aims at reviewing some technical challenges on the current state of PV systems based on energy policies, various cell technologies, MPPT and converter/inverter technology, energy management and scheduling techniques, reliability, power quality and control systems issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast charger for electric vehicle (EV) is a complex system that incorporates numerous interconnected subsystems. The interactions among these subsystems require a holistic understanding of the system architecture, control, power electronics, and their overall interaction with the electrical grid system. This review paper presents important aspects of a PV-grid integrated dc fast charger—with a special focus on the charging system components, architecture, operational modes, and control. These include the interaction between the PV power source, grid electricity, energy storage unit (ESU) and power electronics for the chargers. A considerable amount of discussion is also dedicated to battery management systems (BMS) and their mutual interactions in the control processes. For the power electronics, the paper evaluates soft switching non-isolated dc-to-dc power converter topologies that can be possibly used as future EV chargers. In addition to these, a brief discussion on the impact of the PV-grid charging on the ac grid and distribution system and their remedial measures are presented. Furthermore, the challenges in regard to the vehicle to grid (V2G) concept are also described. It is envisaged that the information provided in this paper would be useful as a one-stop document for engineers, researchers and others who require information related to the dc fast charging of EV that incorporates a renewable energy source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the forecasting model for a new and renewable energy supply utilized in the Fourth Basic Plan for New and Renewable Energy of South Korea in 2014 and presents the estimated results. The Korean government formulated a plan for raising the new and renewable energy deployment rate to 11% by 2035, and this paper presents the development of the corresponding plan. The proposed model essentially uses a bottom-up method to reflect the characteristics of each renewable source. In addition, a competitive diffusion model, a logistic growth model, a linear regression model, and data from government planning and companies’ planned projects are used. The forecasts are classified and presented by renewable source and output type (i.e., electricity, heat, and transportation fuels). The results show that Korean new and renewable energy production will reach about 37 million tonnes of oil equivalent by 2035. In addition, the renewable electricity sector has become mainstream since the 2012 implementation of Renewable Portfolio Standard policy, and is expected to account for 60% of total new and renewable energy supply in 2035. Furthermore, wind, solar photovoltaic, and bioenergy are projected to replace current waste-oriented sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, two new Artificial Neural Network MPPT controllers based on fixed and variable step size have been proposed and investigated. The data required to generate the ANN model are generated using the classical Perturbation and Observation algorithm. The neural network MPPT controller is developed in two steps: the offline step required for training of different neural networks parameters in order to find the optimal neural network MPPT controller (structure, activation function and training algorithm) and the Online step where the optimal neural network MPPT controller is used in PV system. The performance of the proposed variable step size and fixed step size ANN-MPPT methods are analyzed under different operating conditions using Matlab/Simulink. To validate the simulated system hardware implementation of the proposed algorithms was carried out using experimental prototype MPPT based on Flyback converter connected to Solarex MSX-60 (4 panels) and dsPIC30F4011 control circuit. Analysis and comparative study between the proposed fixed and variable step size ANN-MPPT controllers have been presented, showing a real contributions in term of tracking accuracy, response time, overshoot and steady state ripple. In addition, this paper can be considered as a review study on ANN-MPPT methods for PV systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the concept of power tracking for PV systems is highlighted and an overview on 40 old and recent Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) methods, available in the literature, is presented and classified. These methods are mathematically modeled and presented in such a way the reader can select the most appropriate method for his own application. A comparative table is presented at the end of the paper to simplify the classification of the different methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Photovoltaic (PV) monitoring system collects and analyzes number of parameters being measured in a PV plant to monitor and/or evaluate its performance. In order to ensure the reliable and stable operation of any PV system, an effective monitoring system is essential. Moreover, the monitoring system keeps track on various electricity generation indices and fault occurrences. The cost and complexity of existing PV monitoring systems restricts their use to large scale PV plants. Over the past decade, different aspects of PV monitoring systems were reported in wide range of literature. In this paper, a comprehensive review of various PV monitoring systems is presented for the first time. This includes the detailed overview of all the major PV monitoring evaluation techniques in terms of their relative performances. Major aspects of PV monitoring systems which examines in this paper are: sensors and their working principles, controller used in data acquisition systems, data transmission methods, and data storage and analysis. The acquaintance of all these aspects are crucial for the development of effective, low cost, and viable PV monitoring systems for small and medium scale PV plants without compromising on the desired performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is considered one of the most promising clean energy technologies. Dust accumulation on the surface of photovoltaic modules is one of the important reasons for the decline of photovoltaic system performance, and the influence of rainfall is particularly significant. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of rainwater on the output power of photovoltaic modules under different rainfall conditions. In this paper, a prediction model for dust density under different inclination angles is established based on outdoor test data, and the control variable method is used to design three different PV module performance testing schemes under different rainfall conditions, and a dimensionless model for output power is proposed. Empirical models of global solar radiation are combined, and thus output power prediction models under different rainfall conditions are developed. It is found that rainstorm conditions (Rainfall 50–100 mm) increased the peak PV module output power by 16.1%–28.2% compared to light rainfall conditions (Rainfall less than 10 mm), with the rain showing better cleaning effects for PV modules with higher dust densities. It is worth noting that PV module surface dust does not necessarily have only a negative effect on system performance. The influence mechanism of rainwater on the output power of photovoltaic modules and the prediction model established in this paper is helpful in improving the prediction accuracy of the output power of photovoltaic modules under rainfall conditions, and thus the efficient cleaning strategy is formulated. • Research on the performance of dust accumulating photovoltaic modules is summarized. • A prediction model of dust density at different inclination angles is developed. • The effect of rainfall on the performance of photovoltaic modules has been quantitatively studied. • The prediction model of output power under different rainfall conditions (ROPP model) is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we focus on understanding the rapid rise of the Chinese PV industry and its profound impact on the global PV industry. We investigate how it is possible that a nation that is still focusing on catching up in terms of industry, innovation and technology has been able to bring manufacturers from leading industrialized nations to their knees. This paper applies the framework of the Technological Innovation System (TIS), and also takes the context into account, in terms of the Chinese national innovation system (NIS) and the global PV TIS. It concludes that the rise of the Chinese PV TIS can be explained by the interaction of three context factors (the change in Chinese institutions, technology transfer, and the large European market) and specific PV TIS dynamics. The study empirically shows the importance of extending the national TIS studies by including the influences of context factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapidly evolving renewable energy generation technologies and the ever-increasing scale of renewable energy installations are driving the need for more accurate, faster, and smarter health monitoring methods. Machine learning (ML) has been widely used for defect identification and fault diagnosis (DIFD) in renewable energy systems (RES) due to its excellent data analysis and pattern recognition capabilities. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive and in-depth research to summarize the progress of ML in RES DIFD. Considering their diversity and evolution, this research systematically reviews the application of ML to DIFD in photovoltaic and wind power systems, providing a detailed analysis of key points, including defects and faults in RESs, available data for DIFD, and ML-based solutions. For each ML application, the model and structure, input and output settings, sample size, equipment technology and scale, target defects/faults, performance, and limitations are discussed. In addition, based on the statistics, analysis, and summary of representative works on RES DIFD, several commonly used ML algorithms are compared. The main trends, challenges, and prospects of applying ML to RES DIFD are extracted and presented. This research is of great significance in guiding further improvements of ML techniques to address the problems of RES DIFD. [Display omitted] • Review of papers applying ML techniques to RES DIFD. • Common defects, faults, and their severity in RESs are discussed. • Available data when applying ML to RES DIFD are summarized. • Performance and limitations of various ML applications are investigated. • Challenges and prospects for RES DIFD using ML techniques are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewables around the globe, provide fuel diversification, energy security and produce little or no emissions during the electricity generation. The unavailability of rotating masses prohibits on-grid renewable energy generation systems from providing inertia during a frequency disruption. This would be extremely unsettling and impactful when the proportion of energy in the grid due to renewables is high. India currently, has a 28.04% share of on-grid renewable energy. The grid infrastructure systems of India would face severe challenges when the share of on-grid renewables leaps past 50% in the future. Thus, this paper primarily addresses the repercussions of increasing share of on-grid renewables in terms of inertia and frequency response in India. The energy scenario of 2040 in India under 80% proliferation of on-grid renewables has been well reviewed in this paper. The novelty of this paper is the narrative literature review of the Indian Electricity Grid Code (IEGC) on frequency response which is unique and exclusive to this manuscript. It demonstrates the current strategies prevalent in the grid system of India towards frequency response and inertia support. This paper also explains the diverse control strategies and energy storage technologies required for adoption with the on-grid renewables in India for frequency response. The other novelty in this paper is the insight about the inertia lost due to an on-grid 100-kW p solar photovoltaic system to explain the readers about the impact when the integration is hundreds to thousands of kilowatts. • Share of renewables in the Indian grid network is 28.04% (113.226 GW) as of 2022. • India aspires to achieve 54% share of on-grid renewables by 2030 and 80% by 2040. • Indian Electricity Grid Code indicates need for expansion in active power reserves. • India requires diverse control strategies and energy storages for inertia support. • On-grid 100-kW p solar photovoltaic system loses inertia of 100-kW for 4.44 s. [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]