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As subsidies continue to fall, the technology and cost performance of distributed photovoltaic (PV) determines the progress of its grid parity. Based on the discussion of technology and cost, this paper analyzed the economic performance of China's distributed PV industry by utilizing the two indicators of levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and internal rate of return (IRR). The results show that: firstly, the current external environment is generally conducive to the development of distributed PV, but there are still some constraints. Secondly, with the decrease of unit investment cost, distributed PV can achieve the goal of parity before 2025. Thirdly, distributed PV projects in the three types of solar energy resources all have high IRR, and the economic performance is better for the projects with high proportion of spontaneous self-use. At the end of the paper, policy recommendations are offered as references for the government. • We comprehensively analyzed the technology and cost performance of China's distributed PV. • We focused on the trend and decline path of China's distributed PV costs. • The LCOE of distributed PV in China is expected to achieve full parity in 2025. • Except 100% grid-connected mode, the IRR of distributed PV power plants in three areas is higher than 8% which has shown good economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Under the circumstances of global carbon emissions reduction, it has become a trend to promote the adoption of clean energies, such as solar energy. With the increasing maturity of photovoltaic (PV) technology, household-type distributed solar PV power generation projects are increasingly popular in China. Nevertheless, compared with conventional power generation, the initial cost of a solar PV project remains relatively high. Therefore, to mobilize the incentives of the general public, there is an urgent need for studies on how to share the costs and benefits of a solar PV power generation project between the government and users. By adopting the Shapley Game methodology, this paper has conducted a theoretical analysis of the cost-sharing among the central government, local government, and users and has built an investment cost-sharing model ( C i ′ = P (i) − V s (i) − V r i , i = 1 , 2 , 3) , which is able to coordinate the benefit of all three stakeholders. This is followed by a case study. The results show that, under China's central government subsidy of 0.42 yuan per kWh, the best strategy for the local government to encourage the public to install solar PV facilities is to provide a one-off compensation equal to 30% of the initial investment. Finally, this paper proposes relevant policy recommendations to promote the development of solar PV power generation for emissions reduction in China. Highlights • We made a cost-sharing analysis of a solar PV project using the Shapley value. • We built an investment cost-sharing model (C′i = P(i)- Vs(i)- Vri, i = 1,2,3). • Providing 30% of initial subsidy is the best strategy for China's local government. [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]

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]

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]

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]

Residential consumers in the U.S. have demonstrated a growing interest in rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems, resulting in increased adoption over the last decade. However, this has diminished utility revenues, and policymakers have expressed concerns about inequitable consumer access to publicly-funded rooftop PV adoption incentives. In response to these concerns, policymakers and utility companies are changing their policies to discourage rooftop PV adoption. Alternative renewable energy models, such as utility-provided community solar programs, offer a potential solution. However, when designing such programs, it is important to consider the potential impacts on different system stakeholders, including utilities, policymakers, and solar installers. This paper describes an agent-based model that predicts the performance of different residential distributed solar models with respect to these stakeholders' objectives. In this model, consumer agents residing in an urban utility territory decide in each time-step whether they will adopt a particular renewable energy model, and the impacts of their adoption decisions on stakeholder performance metrics are captured over time. Simulation results suggest that if community solar program premium prices are set appropriately, all stakeholders can benefit: the utility can recover part of its revenue losses even as rooftop PV adoption increases, solar installers' businesses can thrive, and increased renewable energy adoption can be achieved equitably. The proposed modeling methodology can help to inform design decisions of distributed solar energy models that avoid benefiting some stakeholders at the unnecessary expense of others. • An agent-based model is developed to study solar adoption in the residential sector. • Consumer adoption behavior is studied for multiple solar-based energy models. • System-level approach with key energy stakeholders' objectives is considered. • Results show all stakeholders can benefit within a mutually beneficial arrangement. • Empirical examples are provided in support of the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today solar power is still dominantly presented to be expensive source of electricity. However, the profitability of solar and other electricity generation technologies is typically evaluated with the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) approach. This paper questions the traditional investment evaluation logics of power production (LCOE) in the interesting case of rooftop PVs and based on customer value generation logics presents a new approach for evaluating the profitability of rooftop PV investments. The approach recognizes the value that PVs produce to real estate owners and utilize basic real estate investment models to evaluate the profitability of PVs. The results imply that, if PVs are considered as a part of the underlying property, rooftop PV systems are already today profitable in many European cities and can provide substantial returns on investment for property owners. More interestingly, the results imply that rooftop PV investments are most profitable in the dense urban cores instead of more remote (industrial) locations, and thus the current trend of urbanization seems to further strengthen the profitability of rooftop solar power. This paper points out that spatial locations drive the economic analysis of real estate, and thus it is likely that it will drive the economic analysis of decentralized on-site energy investments as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the rapid developments in the semiconductor and power electronics techniques, Photovoltaic energy is one of the interest area of concern in electrical power applications. Similarly, photovoltaic energy is clean, easily accessible, pollution-free and inexhaustible. It is normally important to operate the photovoltaic energy conversion systems closer to the maximum power point, to perk-up the output efficiency of the photovoltaic arrays. This paper elaborates the illustration and operating principles of twenty-seven state-of-the-art Maximum Power Point Tracking techniques that are prevalent in the photovoltaic systems. The selection of the photovoltaic system is dependent on diverse factors like cost, efficiency, complexity, technology and array dependency. Therefore, to come out with the design of a resourceful system, various aspects of different Maximum Power Point Tracking techniques have to be considered. An expressive comparative chart has been entailed at the end of this paper, which in future , will serve as a valuable reference to the photovoltaic system engineers. [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 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]

Energy is essential for economic development and growth. With the rapid growth of development and the drive to expand the economy, society demands more electricity. Coupled with the realisation that unsustainable energy production can have a detrimental effect on our environment. Solar energy is the most prolific method of energy capture in nature. The economic drive to make solar cells more cost effective and efficient has driven developments in many different deposition technologies, including dipping, plating, thick film deposition and thin film deposition. Typically, in order for solar energy to work efficiently and supply energy to a building, a very large amount of space is required, in the form of rooftops or land, in order to install solar panels; these solar panel space requirements are a large impediment to practical usage. This drawback drove researchers to come up with transparent solar cells (TSCs), which solves the problem by turning any sheet of glass into a photovoltaic solar cell. These cells provide power by absorbing and utilising unwanted light energy through windows in buildings and automobiles, which leads to an efficient use of architectural space. There are approximately nine transparent photovoltaic (TPV) technologies under development, and studies regarding these technologies aim to achieve high transparency along with electrical performance that is compatible with solar panels that are sold in the market. The main objective of this review paper is to state all the latest reported technologies from the year 2007 onwards on transparent photovoltaic technologies with at least 20% average transmission. This includes demonstrating the process used in each technology (including the materials and the methods) and explaining its advantages and disadvantages from a performance, aesthetic and financial perspective. Therefore, this study provides a crucial review on the latest developments in the field of TSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the last few decades, due to the escalating requirement of heat and electricity, the relative utilization of Photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system has enlarged as compared to the photovoltaic or solar thermal system alone due to better performance of combined PV/T systems when compared to the conventional ones. PV/T hybrid systems generate both electrical and thermal energy concurrently, giving it a broad variety of applications. Recently, different nanoparticles mixed with base fluid (Nanofluid) have been used in these hybrid systems resulting in attracting the attention of numerous researchers. Due to its improved thermal conductivity nanofluid can be used as an optical filter and proficient coolant in PV/T systems. In the last years, much research has been focused on this domain because it is crucial for the design of sustainable and environmentally friendly energy systems. The primary focus of this review is to accomplish the briefing of diverse PV/T technologies at the outset together with aspects of their efficiencies, structure, thermal governing expressions and their applications as well as the latest technologies and parameters which profoundly affect the PV/T collector performance. We have also reviewed the various positive and adverse effects on the environment safety level by applying these solar techniques for the energy production as compared to the conventional energy sources techniques. As the solar techniques are tremendously helpful for the environment in several ways but at the same deployment of these resources on the wide-scale may lead to adverse implications for the environment. Moreover, the variations in the performance efficiency of the PV/T system using nanofluids, and finally, the suggestions for future research directions are presented. The outcome of this review paper would give an overview of further enhancements in solar PV/T systems with high practicability for extensive relevance in energy supply at all levels in the vicinity of future. [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]

Solar energy is the most important energy resource that has become an efficient solution to the world's energy challenges. Accurate knowledge of global solar radiation and cell temperature are required for solar photovoltaic power forecasting. In this paper, a comprehensive literature review of methods used for estimation of global solar radiation, cell temperature and solar power generation forecasting are presented. In addition, a comparative analysis is presented using the actual data, which is collected from a home placed in Anadolu University İki Eylül Campus in Eskişehir as a comprehensive case study. Within the scope of this analysis, hourly global solar radiation values on horizontal surface are estimated from the measured daily global solar radiation values by using eleven different models. By using the selected model, estimated hourly global solar radiation values for horizontal surface are converted to values for inclined surface. Cell temperature of the photovoltaic modules is estimated with various known models in the literature. Based on the estimated cell temperature and global solar radiation values on inclined surface, power generation values of the on-grid and off-grid systems are forecasted. Therefore, based on the statistical analysis, the most accurate models are recommended to be carried out in any location that has similar climatic conditions with the considered city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfilled gap of prolonged energy demand by conventional energy sources and consent of global warming as its vulnerable outcome provides a vent to search compatible option. Augmentation in use of solar energy reveled through last 3 decades portrays its heterogeneous rewards in the prevailing energy scenario. Nevertheless solar PV system arises as viable option in the critical power system era its low efficiency energy conversion attribute necessitates an efficient power conversion system. The nonlinearity of I – V (current–voltage) characteristic and its alteration for an assorted insolation and temperature values may enable the alteration in terminal voltage. This may deviates maximum power point due to which the available maximum power delivery to load can be differed. Literature of this field reiterated that the uniform insolation and partial shading condition demands undeniable need of maximum power point tracking. Nonetheless through investigation in this direction furnishes the availability of a bunch of such techniques; each of them posses its own pros and cones. This ubiquitous trait of available maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques unfolds the complexity in its precise selection. To diminish such complexity this paper offers a state of art of various MPPT technique and their comprehensive comparative analysis based on 110 standard research articles. The focus of this paper is to offer a better commencement and to furnish valued information for investigators of this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing incentives for building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) generation at local/major grid levels established it as a viable decentralized option promising large growth potential. BIPV systems – comprising photovoltaic (PV) modules installed on available building surfaces and downstream energy conversion devices – afford improvement of energy efficiency of buildings and partially or fully dispenses with the supply of centralized grid power. This paper presents a comprehensive techno-economic review, covering the technical as well as commercial aspects of microinverter technology. Advantages of microinverters over conventional inverters are detailed along with a discussion on economics of its installation in distributed solar generation systems. Different power converter topologies reported in the available literature are presented. The paper also reports the historical development of commercial microinverters and their present status in the Photovoltaic (PV) market. Survey of the available products from some of the technology leaders in the market has been done and their specifications are tabulated. The paper concludes with a discussion on the necessities of the next generation microinverters for increased penetration in the PV market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitigations of global energy demands, climate change and energy related greenhouse gas effects are the most important factors in the modern days. However, renewable energy is one of the alternative sources which has the capacity to mitigate all the above. Among all the renewable energy sources, solar energy is one of the most abundant and the cleanest energy source. Different laboratories of the world have achieved different solar cell efficiencies, which are also discussed in the present paper. This paper presents the global solar PV developments, per capita values, government supportive invectives and policies of the top ten solar power producing countries. This paper also presents the investments of the global solar energy among the countries. Finally, through the study, it is found that these top ten leading countries are following fulfilment of their projections, supportive tariff rates, net metering, green certificates and government incentive policies as their instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Solar energy sources, having the potential to provide energy services with zero emissions of air pollutants, have become more economically attractive with technological improvements. Organic Solar cells promise to be a significant contributor to our future energy system with suitable efficiencies and low cost. The foundation, basic principles, material requirements and device operation mechanism of organic solar cells has been already reviewed by various authors. This paper highlights the use of Schiff bases and their metal complexes as Photovoltaic materials. Schiff bases having potential Photovoltaic characteristics are also discussed in this paper. Major developments in this field over the past few years and recent research have also been briefly discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The efficiency of the photovoltaic (PV) system is directly proportional to the solar energy. The maximum efficiency from the PV systems can be achieved if the panel is kept perpendicular to the direction of the radiations of sun. Hence, in order to achieve maximum concentration, radiation and efficiency of the PV cell, tracking of the position of the sun with accuracy is extremely important. The various methods of sun tracking system have been discussed which includes two axes, one axis, polar axis, open loop, closed loop, hybrid model, azimuth and tilt roll mechanism. The comparison of existing solar tracking systems and methods has also been discussed. In this paper, various existing solar tracking systems in terms of the controller used like PLC, microcontroller, FPGA to design the system and their economic assessment have been studied. It is concluded that two axis solar tracking systems has more power gain with respect to fixed systems. The microcontroller based tracking system with same size, capacity and location as of PLC based systems are more economic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India receives sun's energy over 300 days a year most of the time. About 5000 trillion kWh per year sun's energy is incident over India's land area. Theoretically, a small fraction of total incident solar energy can meet the entire country's power requirements. There are many government schemes to promote solar power generation. The government of India initiated solar PV/BIPV policies to encourage industries and individuals to use solar energy powered systems for electricity generations. This article provides an overview of the solar energy status and application of BIPV system in India. It includes an assessment of the region's solar energy potential and solar PV/BIPV installed capacity. This paper gives a brief description barriers and challenges facing solar BIPV development in India. This study also provides the solar PV/BIPV policies and recommendations with reference to the Indian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor air quality from coal combustion adversely impacts human health including mortality and morbidity effects on respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, urinary, and digestive systems. However, the continued use of coal are no longer necessary to provide for society's electrical needs because of advances in solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. In order to inform health policy this paper reviews the data for quantifying the lives saved by a replacement of U.S. coal-fired electricity with solar PV systems. First the geospatial correlation with coal fired power plants and mortality is determined for the U.S. at the state level. Then, current life cycle mortality rates due to coal combustion are calculated and current energy generation data is collated. Deaths/kWh/year of coal and PV are calculated, and the results showed that 51,999 American lives/year could be saved by transitioning from coal to PV-powered electrical generation in the U.S. To accomplish this, 755 GW of U.S. PV installations are needed. The first costs for the approach was found to be roughly $1.45 trillion. Over the 25 year warranty on the PV modules the first cost per life saved is approximately $1.1 million, which is comparable to the value of a human life used in other studies. However, as the solar electricity has value, the cost per life is determined while including the revenue of the solar electric generation using a sensitivity analysis on the value of the electricity. These results found that for most estimations of the value, saving a life by offsetting coal with PV actually saved money as well, in some cases several million dollars per life. It is concluded that it is profitable to save lives in the U.S. with the substitution of coal-fired electricity with solar power and that the conversion is a substantial health and environmental benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents and analyzes Qatar's long-term solar resource potential to assess the power generation prospects of diverse solar plants in the country. Solar resource potential is obtained by applying kriging techniques to satellite-derived data to produce maps of monthly and yearly averages of global horizontal and direct normal irradiation. This analysis is based on eleven years of hourly satellite-derived solar radiation data calculated through a modified version of the Heliosat-3 model, where the satellite estimations have been improved and adapted to site using bias removal methods through a comparison with ground radiometric measurements. Solar resource data are then used in combination with local meteorological data as input to the System Advisor Model (SAM) in TMY3 format to simulate the solar plant operational prospects of various concentrating solar systems (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) reference plants over eleven years. The ensuing simulation results show that parabolic troughs, molten salt tower plant with large thermal storage systems, and large grid-connected PV systems offer the best solutions in terms of interannual variability and long-term stability of the electricity produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper surveys economic assessments of concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies and finds two dominant assessment methods. A majority of studies reported in the literature are based on the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), while a small subset of studies consider time-varying meteorological and electricity market conditions. Several studies argue that LCOE undervalues dynamic flexibility provided by thermal energy storage and does not consider revenue opportunities provided by electricity markets at different time scales. As a result, some studies find that both LCOE and revenue can in fact be conflicting metrics for certain designs and market conditions. This review finds strong variations in LCOE and revenue estimates in the literature. As comparisons between CSP and other generation technologies (e.g., fossil, wind, and photovoltaic) are dictated by the chosen economic metric, it is imperative that policy and investment decisions should carefully consider time-varying effects and flexibility. Finally, research directions are proposed to increasing the fidelity of economic assessments and to mitigate discrepancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equality between economic progress and environmental sustainability is essential for a developing country like India. In the present time, the economy of India is growing rapidly in a vibrant mode and an efficient way, which in turn demands huge uninterrupted energy supplies. The country's energy needs are met mostly by the usage of fossil fuels and nearly 70% of electricity is generated from coal based power plants. In India, nearly 840 million people depend on traditional biomass to satisfy their energy necessities. Approximately 74 million rural people do not have access to modern lighting systems and around 81 million households do not have access to electricity, which is a major challenge to India's energy security. In order to achieve stable sustainable energy in the long-run, significant progress in renewable energy sectors is needed. Favorably, due to India's geographic location, the country is blessed with abundant renewable energy resources, which has not yet been exploited completely. So the central and state governments of the country have framed various policies and are providing subsidies to encourage the utilization of solar photovoltaic systems. In this paper, a comprehensive review of the potential, current developmental status and prospects of solar energy of India is briefed. The various applications of solar energy such as water heaters, desalination units, pasteurizers, food drying units, water purifier, space heating systems, air-conditioning units, cookers, water pumps, aerators, solar-wind hybrid systems and grid connected photovoltaic systems are explained. The study also mentions the current renewable energy policies, the barriers blocking the progress of the solar manufacturing units and some possible future recommendations that might speed up renewable energy developments in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preservation of the environment has become the main motivation to integrate more renewable energy sources (RESs) in electrical networks. However, several technical issues are prevalent at high level RES penetration. The most important technical issue is the difficulty in achieving the frequency stability of these new systems, as they contain less generation units that provide reserve power. Moreover, new power systems have small inertia constant due to the decoupling of the RESs from the AC grid using power converters. Therefore, the RESs in normal operation cannot participate with other conventional generation sources in frequency regulation. This paper reviews several inertia and frequency control techniques proposed for variable speed wind turbines and solar PV generators. Generally, the inertia and frequency regulation techniques were divided into two main groups. The first group includes the deloading technique, which allow the RESs to keep a certain amount of reserve power, while the second group includes inertia emulation, fast power reserve, and droop techniques, which is used to release the RESs reserve power at under frequency events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting global energy transitions while stimulating domestic industrialization requires national policymaking that shapes technological innovation towards specific outcomes. Although this is inherently difficult, historical case studies may bring a better understanding of innovation dynamics and thereby guide the design of future policy interventions. The purpose of this paper is to review and analyze the emergence of Swedish photovoltaics technology from a policy perspective. Our main aim is to provide a retrospective account of historical developments, but we also derive more general insights about technological innovation and related policy challenges. The paper departs from an adapted analytical framework based on the technological innovation systems approach. Our review identifies four decades of Swedish research that has largely failed to drive domestic commercialization, the rise and fall of an industry that mainly served international markets, and a rapidly growing domestic market based on imported products. This situation is the result of mismatches and fragmentation among key innovation processes, which have not been addressed by strategic policy interventions. We suggest that policymakers should promote a full range of innovation processes and consider making innovation support subject to a payback mechanism that delivers a return on public investments even if industries and markets emerge abroad. Our study also demonstrates how the technological innovation systems approach can be extended to include the function commercialization and emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the directionality of technological innovation processes. • Swedish actors have engaged in photovoltaics research since the 1980's. • Efforts to establish and sustain a domestic module industry have failed. • The photovoltaics market has grown exponentially during the last decade. • Key innovation processes have been mismatched and fragmented. • Policymakers have failed to address problems through strategic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-surface photovoltaics (WSPVs) represent an emerging power-generation technology utilizing idle water and solar energy. Owing to their significant advantages and development potential, the use of WSPVs has increased rapidly in recent years. Many studies have been conducted on WSPVs, and they have been assessed from different perspectives. In addition to the comprehensive characteristics of WSPVs, the adaptive utilization of WSPVs has been analyzed, as well as the influence of WSPVs on water eco-environment. In this paper, the development of WSPVs is reviewed, and the achievements related to WSPVs in the past decade are comprehensively analyzed from different viewpoints. Additionally, a new classification method for WSPVs is proposed. Furthermore, challenges and future developments of WSPVs are discussed. This review provides an understanding of the current status and development trends of WSPVs and a valuable reference for the follow-up research. • A classification method for WSPVs is proposed. • The power-generation capacity and comprehensive performance of WSPVs are analyzed. • The operation and utilization of WSPVs are investigated. • The influence of WSPVs on water eco-environment is examined. • Crucial challenges and findings related to WSPVs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitigation of global energy demands and climate change are the most important factors in the modern days. Development and application of solar energy have been regarded by the government of India and common people, and they thought that solar photo voltaic energy can provide more energy in future compare to other renewable energies. In the last decade, solar photovoltaic energy research and development has supported by the central government and state governments. This paper discusses the progress of current solar photovoltaic energy in India. It highlights the renewable energy trend in India with major achievements, state wise analysis of solar parks and industrial applications. Finally, it discusses the Indian government policies and initiatives to promote solar energy in India. This review on solar photovoltaic energy will help decision makers and various stakeholders to understand the current status, barriers and challenges for better planning and management in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground-mounted large photovoltaic (PV) arrays are the least-cost design solution for installing PV, they account for the majority of the solar power installed today. With the increase of both the number and size of installations, the attention to their impacts in terms of land-use and land-transformation is growing, as well as concerns about landscape preservation and possible losses of ecosystem services. The community acceptance is often a barrier. The current design is generally straight-forward and is aimed to the maximize energy generation given a certain land area. This paper brings forward the idea that PV systems should be designed as an element of the landscape they belong to, according to an ׳inclusive׳ design approach that does not focus only on the overall energy efficiency of the system, but extends to other additional ecological and landscape objectives. An original energy-design vision for on-ground PV is advanced, rooted in an original concept of ׳photovoltaic landscape׳. An understanding of PV landscapes in terms of patterns is given, and new patterns for PV are investigated. Based on literature new patterns for PV are assessed quantitatively in terms of land use energy intensity; and qualitatively in terms of perception-esthetics related aspects. Design domain freedom and boundary restrictions have been investigated with reference to possible negative and positive overall ecological performances; the weight of each design parameter has been qualitatively assessed, so that some first design guidelines could be formulated. Furthermore, a first quantitative approach for calculating the life cycle costs of the energy generated from PV landscapes, focusing on land use, has been proposed. The study argues that new patterns would help in allowing a better ecological performance of the PV landscape, and opens many research questions, such as the quantitative assessment of the ecological beneficial impacts generated by new PV patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to meet global energy demands with clean renewable energy such as with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, large surface areas are needed because of the relatively diffuse nature of solar energy. Much of this demand can be matched with aggressive building integrated PV and rooftop PV, but the remainder can be met with land-based PV farms. Using large tracts of land for solar farms will increase competition for land resources as food production demand and energy demand are both growing and vie for the limited land resources. This land competition is exacerbated by the increasing population. These coupled land challenges can be ameliorated using the concept of agrivoltaics or co-developing the same area of land for both solar PV power as well as for conventional agriculture. In this paper, the agrivoltaic experiments to date are reviewed and summarized. A coupled simulation model is developed for both PV production (PVSyst) and agricultural production (Simulateur mulTIdisciplinaire les Cultures Standard (STICS) crop model), to gauge the technical potential of scaling agrivoltaic systems. The results showed that the value of solar generated electricity coupled to shade-tolerant crop production created an over 30% increase in economic value from farms deploying agrivoltaic systems instead of conventional agriculture. Utilizing shade tolerant crops enables crop yield losses to be minimized and thus maintain crop price stability. In addition, this dual use of agricultural land can have a significant effect on national PV production. The results showed an increase in PV power between over 40 and 70 GW if lettuce cultivation alone is converted to agrivoltaic systems in the U.S. It is clear, further work is warranted in this area and that the outputs for different crops and geographic areas should be explored to ascertain the potential of agrivoltaic farming throughout the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources are considered as the alternative energy sources because of rising environmental concerns and depleting conventional energy resources. Solar energy has a significant role for meeting the increased requirement of electricity with the reduced environmental impact. The power generation from a Photovoltaic (PV) system gets affected as the optimum operating point changes due to the variation in the environmental factors such as temperature, solar insolation, etc. In spite of the fluctuations, to achieve maximum power from solar energy system, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique is essential. In this paper, a comprehensive review of PV system is presented consisting of modelling of PV cell, DC–DC converter topology and maximum power point tracking methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the relationship between the declines in solar photovoltaic (PV) module costs and cumulative production, silicon prices, supply−demand imbalance and the presence of lower-cost Chinese products in global PV market using learning curve model. State of market development and its connection with learning is also examined. Results indicate that learning effect is best measured when supplementing output with silicon prices in the analysis. Learning rate (LR) diminishes over the time periods examined, thereby suggesting the declining of progress as market reaches maturity. The outcomes from the learning curve analysis are subsequently applied to project future uptake of PV worldwide, module and electricity costs till 2035. Demand for PV is anticipated to remain robust with cumulative installed capacity worldwide projected to reach 659 GW by 2035. At the same time, module cost is estimated to decline from $3.8/W in 2006 to $1.78/W in 2035, a reduction of over 50% relative to 2006 level. Unit cost of electricity from PV is predicted to be in the range of $0.13/kWh to $0.17/kWh by 2035 for the three scenarios analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of renewable energy to the field of energy markets has been substantial over the last few years. A large number of PV array installations show the increasing contribution of solar energy to the renewable energy. Partial shading of the PV arrays is one of the most discussed and worked upon concept for the simple reasons that it decreases the power output of the PV array installations and exhibits multiple peaks in the I – V characteristics. As a result, the modules have to be reconfigured to get the maximum power output. This papers presents an optimization based approach for Total cross tied (TCT) connected modules in a PV array. The physical locations of the modules remain unchanged while the electrical connections are altered. The genetic algorithm (GA) as an optimization tool, gives the connection matrix for the new electrical interconnection which fetches the maximum power output from the PV array. This is done to obtain uniform dispersion of shadow throughout the panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global energy demand and environmental concerns are the driving force for use of alternative, sustainable, and clean energy sources. Solar energy is the inexhaustible and CO 2 -emission-free energy source worldwide. The Sun provides 1.4×10 5 TW power as received on the surface of the Earth and about 3.6×10 4 TW of this power is usable. In 2012, world power consumption was 17 TW, which is less than 3.6×10 4 TW. Photovoltaic (PV) cells are the basic element for converting solar energy into electricity. PV cell technologies, energy conversion efficiency, economic analysis, energy policies, environmental impact, various applications, prospects, and progress have been comprehensively reviewed and presented in this paper. This work compiles the latest literature (i.e. journal articles, conference proceedings, and reports, among others) on PV power generation, economic analysis, environmental impact, and policies to increase public awareness. From the review, it was found that PV is an easy way to capture solar energy where PV based power generation has also rapidly increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is continuing in order to increase the energy transfer efficiency of the solar photovoltaic system. This paper provides a review of the conventional maximum power point tracking techniques that is enhanced by the presentation of a new technique. The new method is based on a genetic neural algorithm in order to predict the closest point to the maximum power point (MPP), which will be the kickoff point of the search process. Not only does the new technique start the search process from the nearest point to the MPP, but also the developed search algorithm is very fast. Consequently, the time taken to reach the MPP is reduced. In order to determine the new MPPT performance, a complete photovoltaic generator system is modeled and simulated using the MATLAB/SIMULINK package. Simulation results show that the new technique reaches the MPP in less than 100 sample times compared to tens of thousands of samples for conventional methods. Furthermore, the new technique reaches directly the target MPP with small deviation from the intended values. Consequently, the new technique has a significant improvement in energy extraction efficiency from the photovoltaic array to the load, in addition to higher tracking speed and system stability compared to the conventional ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, a number of jurisdictions have taken significant steps to encourage the diffusion of solar photovoltaic technology (PV). Supportive policy frameworks have been widely adopted, spurring deployment and driving down the cost of PV components. The increased competitiveness of this technology presents a promising opportunity for meeting energy needs in a low-carbon fashion. Indeed, a growing body of research suggests that PV could produce significant quantities of energy. However, the diffusion of PV in Canada has been comparatively slow and GHG emissions in this jurisdiction are on an upward trajectory. As a result, we explore the potential of PV in Canada in regards to: (1) the scale of possible contributions to energy supply and GHG abatement, and (2) the particular functional roles and niches this technology could occupy looking out to 2050. In doing so, this study reviews the current status of knowledge on PV potential in Canada and argues that estimates which revolve around technical parameters such as solar irradiance, module efficiency, and land area (and even those that include some reference to current prices), are limited in their ability to understand the place this technology might actually occupy in Canada in coming decades. While technical potential is an important consideration, the interrelated economic, socio-political, and environmental influences need to be taken into account. This paper discusses the nature of these influences and explores PV potential in the context of key features of possible low-carbon pathways for Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two ways by which solar energy can be harnessed viz. solar Photo-Voltaic (PV) and Concentrating Solar Power (CSP). This paper focuses on the parameters required for the commissioning of solar power plants in India using these technologies. The key parameters have been identified through the literature review and discussion with the experts. The parameters thus obtained, are classified under PV and CSP technologies and then categorized into technical and economical parameters. A survey is conducted to understand the perceptions of Indian key players in the area of solar energy and to rank forty one identified parameters. Analysis of survey shows that location of the site and direct investment cost are the highest preferred technical and economical parameters respectively. The results of this study will help decision makers and policy makers of solar technologies in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated photovoltaics are an emerging technology which can extend the range of electric vehicles. However, up to now there is a lack of a consensus method that would provide consumers with an estimate of the fraction of annual driving which could be covered by solar power generated onboard in different usage scenarios and locations. To address this, we assess the energy implications of vehicle integrated photovoltaics for a commuter car and light delivery van for six climatic regions and for typical daily usage profiles over a ten-year period. The analysis captures the energy needs for driving and cabin temperature control to an unprecedented level of detail. Our results reveal that the grid power needed to drive such vehicles on identical routes can vary by more than 44% between climate regions. In the best case the solar power generated can cover up to 35% of the driving range per year. This contribution can vary by a factor of 2.5 between different climates, from 1800 to 5100 km annually, considerably mitigating the effect of ambient conditions on electric range. We propose developing consumer labels for solar electric vehicles that would consider this variation according to climatic conditions. The method described in this paper could help to frame initial discussions for such labels. We identify further requirements for research and development, standardisation, and policy needs. • Above 5000 km solar range possible for commuter car and van with integrated PV. • Ten year simulation reveals solar range differences by factor 2.5 across climates. • Over 44% difference in grid electricity needs across six climates globally. • At the moment vehicle integrated PV not financially viable. • Consumer labels for PVEV may be needed to inform about performance variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated photovoltaics are an emerging technology which can extend the range of electric vehicles. However, up to now there is a lack of a consensus method that would provide consumers with an estimate of the fraction of annual driving which could be covered by solar power generated onboard in different usage scenarios and locations. To address this, we assess the energy implications of vehicle integrated photovoltaics for a commuter car and light delivery van for six climatic regions and for typical daily usage profiles over a ten-year period. The analysis captures the energy needs for driving and cabin temperature control to an unprecedented level of detail. Our results reveal that the grid power needed to drive such vehicles on identical routes can vary by more than 44% between climate regions. In the best case the solar power generated can cover up to 35% of the driving range per year. This contribution can vary by a factor of 2.5 between different climates, from 1800 to 5100 km annually, considerably mitigating the effect of ambient conditions on electric range. We propose developing consumer labels for solar electric vehicles that would consider this variation according to climatic conditions. The method described in this paper could help to frame initial discussions for such labels. We identify further requirements for research and development, standardisation, and policy needs. • Above 5000 km solar range possible for commuter car and van with integrated PV. • Ten year simulation reveals solar range differences by factor 2.5 across climates. • Over 44% difference in grid electricity needs across six climates globally. • At the moment vehicle integrated PV not financially viable. • Consumer labels for PVEV may be needed to inform about performance variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past years, a new technology has emerged in the solar photovoltaics market: building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Even though this technology has a lot of potential, the diffusion of BIPV has remained rather limited, globally and also in the Netherlands. In this paper, the Technological Innovation System (TIS) approach is used to analyze the historical development of the Dutch BIPV innovation system and to provide a comprehensive overview of the systemic problems that hamper further diffusion of BIPV in the Netherlands. Several systemic problems are identified, including 1) lack of policy support for the industrialization and commercialization of BIPV, 2) the absence of large firms from the construction industry resulting in the lacking industrial capacities of the BIPV innovation system, and 3) the limited value chain coordination and collaboration to help improve the compatibility and complementarity of BIPV with traditional building components and (electrical) installations. To overcome these systemic problems and enable the Dutch BIPV innovation system to move from the present niche market phase to the commercial growth phase, multiple recommendations are provided to both policymakers and value chain actors. • We use the TIS approach to analyze the Dutch BIPV innovation system. • Both the historical development and current state are considered. • Systemic problems are identified that hamper diffusion of BIPV in the Netherlands. • Policy support should promote the build-up of industrial capacities. • Value chain coordination and collaboration can improve the diffusion of BIPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional point of view suggests photovoltaic systems to be installed at the optimum angles. However, various reasons require more flexible photovoltaic installations, especially for building-integrated photovoltaics. Some site-specific cases based on local irradiance data show that small deviations from the optimum will not cause big energy losses, while more theoretical insights on the flexible installation problem are required to achieve higher photovoltaic penetration. This paper tries to demonstrate that quite a large range of photovoltaic installation angles causes ignorable energy losses annually. Furthermore, this paper developed and validated a universal and convenient Loss Bound Equation to determine the 5% Loss Bound worldwide with high accuracy. The 5% Loss Bound is defined as a group of tilt and azimuth angle combinations where the plane-of-array energy losses are limited within 5% of the annual maximum plane-of-array irradiation. The universal Loss Bound Equation is independent of local irradiance data, which is totally different from conventional irradiance-based approaches and it is significantly faster and more convenient to use. The 5% Loss Bound will provide great flexibility for planning array spacing, decreasing dust deposition, sustainable retrofits to existing buildings, design for building-integrated photovoltaics, and so on. A universal and convenient Loss Bound Equation is derived to determine the 5% Loss Bound worldwide, which is independent of local irradiance data. The 5% Loss Bound is theoretically analyzed to cover quite a large range of tilt and azimuth angles, and the angle range length is at least larger than 36.38° at any site worldwide. Image 1 • A Loss Bound Equation is derived for the 5% Loss Bound. • The equation is independent of local irradiance data. • The 5% Loss Bound covers quite a large range of angles. • The angle range length is at least larger than 36.38° at any site worldwide. • This study provides theoretical supports for flexible PV installations worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first part of this paper assesses the state of solar PV in Hungary, considering available government support in terms of policies, targets, and the conducive environment for exploiting solar PV. The study further analyses a 15-year-old 9.6 kWp roof-mount grid-connected solar PV system whiles comparing its performance parameters with similar installations in the sub-region. Findings show that Hungary possesses a relatively high solar energy resource which has not been exploited as expected compared to most of the countries in the European sub-region. Hungary has in place the necessary policies and diverse incentives for the adaptation of renewable energy sources as required by the European Union. However, complexities in land acquisition and legal definitions of PV systems still exist. The installed solar PV capacity in Hungary as of 2018, is 790 MWp. The target of the Hungarian Renewable Action Plan is to have 14.65% of the electricity demand supplied by renewable energy sources by 2020. The experimental study shows that the total energy output from the 9.6 kWp system is 8838.95 kWh for the year of assessment. The energy outputs for the subsystems are 3761.98 kWh, 2608.88 kWh and 2468.10 kWh for ASE (pc-Si), DS2 (a-Si) and DS1 (a-Si) respectively. The annual sub-system efficiencies are 9.8%, 2.9% and 2.8% for ASE (pc-Si), DS2 (a-Si) and DS1 (a-Si) respectively. Thus, 42.6% of energy fed into the grid was from the ASE (pc-Si) system, 29.5% and 27.9% from the DS2 (a-Si), and DS1 (a-Si) respectively. • The state of solar PV in Hungary and the related policies for adaptation reviewed. • Long term assessment of different grid-connected solar PV systems studied. • Performance ratios of studied PV systems range between 55.6 and 77.2%. • System efficiencies vary from 2.8% to 11.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Norway is a major renewable energy developer in Europe, mainly through its development of hydropower. Research has shown that solar energy also has potential in Norway, however, the cumulative installed photovoltaic capacity was only 120 MW at the end of 2019, representing 4.1% of the total electricity generation. Hence, this paper aims to investigate the main barriers to diffusing photovoltaics for residential buildings from the public sector, private sector, and the people's perspectives in Norway. Furthermore, it analyzes solar development, policies, and models in different countries, and proposes a potential model and solutions to overcome barriers. The results show that the high initial costs of photovoltaics and limited information and awareness of the possible benefits are the main barriers for the people. For the private sector, limited funding and few pilot projects to learn from, as well as risk uncertainty are the main barriers. The main concern in the public sector is the low application of existing incentives. Public-private-people partnerships (PPPP) have a big potential to overcome these barriers by dividing the high initial costs into more affordable sums, facilitating the information flow among different sectors, and involving all three sectors to create new incentives. In addition, Norway is well-suited for PPPP, as the citizens pay much attention to sustainable development, and there is already a close collaboration between the public and private sectors in the energy sector. Finally, three concrete solutions using PPPP are proposed: design a co-investment solution, provide information sharing platforms, and create new incentives. • Barriers to diffusing PV in Norway from people, public, and private are identified. • The main barriers are few pilot cases and low electricity prices due to hydropower. • Public-private-people partnerships have potential to overcome identified barriers. • Co-investment, information sharing, and new incentives with PPPP are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has become the world's largest clean energy country in terms of the total installation of wind and photovoltaic power and annual newly installed capacity. However, weather conditions render renewable energy unstable, thereby restricting its application to a power grid; reducing the randomness in wind or photovoltaic power is the major challenge of the utilization of solar and wind energy. This paper systematically reviews the explorations and the practices related to wind and photovoltaic power consumption in China. Considering the difference in the methods of supplementing the variable and intermittent output of wind and PV power, five consumption modes are outlined: distributed energy microgrid absorption, power grid peak shaving operation consumption, wind-photovoltaic-storage consumption, wind-photovoltaic-thermal complementation, and wind-photovoltaic-hydro complementation. The theories, features, current situation and growing trends of each mode are analyzed. Finally, several suggestions, including promoting multi-energy complementary microgrid application and installing large-scale pumped storage hydropower, are provided for improving the efficiency of renewable energy development in China. • Practical variable energy consumption modes are outlined and analyzed. • Small-scale distributed wind and PV power is suitable for microgrid integration. • Medium-sized wind and PV power consumed through the main grid is reasonable. • Large-scale wind and PV can be combined and transmitted with hydro or thermal power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]