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The production of decentralized renewable electricity often collides with provisioning, regulating and cultural services of the landscape. In this paper we operationalize the landscape service approach and generate conflict maps between three renewable energies (wind; PV; forest biomass) and six competing landscape services (nutrition and materials; aesthetics; physical and experiential interactions; heritage and symbolic content; water and liquid flows; lifecycle maintenance, habitat and gene pool protection). Media content analysis and expert interviews were used to ground-truth the national conflict maps in several Swiss regions and to understand to what degree the national conflict assessments match the regional and local perceptions of these conflicts. In Switzerland (approximately 40,000 km 2 ) biomass from forests is by far the least conflicting renewable energy, followed by PV on roofs. For the latter 68% of the technically feasible energy potential can be generated with low conflicts, and more is expected with new materials. Wind has a high conflict potential: only 12% of the technically feasible energy potential is low conflict. PV on open land, marginal land and shrubland, is – at the moment – not currently feasible in Switzerland. The accuracy of our conflict assessment is sufficiently high to estimate the proportion that socially sustainable energy could cover of the overall energy gap of 22–25 TWh/yr caused by the phase-out of Swiss nuclear plants by 2050. Low-conflict solar energy from rooftops could contribute approximately 30% of the required 22–25 TWh/yr. Intensified wood production and wind energy could add another 40%. The gap of approximately 30% must come from undisputed energy sources such as biogas from recycled organic material, from centralized renewable energies such as geothermal or large hydropower, or from new or technologically improved renewable energies. The presented decision support tools are a timely contribution to the designation of legally binding zones for renewable energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review for the characteristics of solar resources in 32 sites across Saudi Arabia through determining the performance of a pilot photovoltaic system based on real time solar radiation data collected during the last two years. The investigation has been done for three possible of sun tracking modes: fixed tilt angle, 1-axis and 2-axis tracking modes. The performance characteristics have been determined using three indicators: yield factor, capacity factor and performance ratio. The simulation results showed high energy productivity for all the 32 sites over Saudi Arabia. The values of performance indicators are high compared with similar systems in different countries. The main purpose of this study is to explore the relative properties for some sites in Saudi Arabia regarding solar energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the growing motivation of countries to use renewable energy, instead of fossil fuels, for the production of electricity, the number of solar power plants had an increase in recent times. The sun as a renewable source is used by the Concentrated Solar Power systems (CSP) to achieve this goal. This process results in a considerable amount of concentrated solar radiation (visible light, infrared and ultraviolet radiation) inside and in the neighborhood of the installations. Some previous studies have addressed the possible risks for health of workers in environments where they perform activities in outdoors exposed to solar radiation. The overall purpose of this paper is to provide information about the environmental conditions in facilities using CSP technology, the effects of solar radiation in humans and the methods for the risk assessment in this type of facilities. Several standards including elements applicable to the field of occupational health in the central receiver area of solar power plants are also referred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greater penetrations of variable renewable generation on some electric grids have resulted in increased levels of curtailment in recent years. Studies of renewable energy grid integration have found that curtailment levels may grow as the penetration of wind and solar energy generation increases. This paper reviews international experience with curtailment of wind and solar energy on bulk power systems in recent years, with a focus on eleven countries in Europe, North America, and Asia. It examines levels of curtailment, the causes of curtailment, curtailment methods and use of market-based dispatch, as well as operational, institutional, and other changes that are being made to reduce renewable energy curtailment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this review survey is to provide a literature compilation, updating materials reported in several review papers on solar-device soiling and mitigation approaches published over the past 5 years. The focus is on the period 2013–2015, but an updated listing is also provided for the year 2012 for completeness. This literature review also provides the first update for a periodic, single collation report on such publications proposed in this journal two years ago. This review presents a listing of the publications, their publication source, and some brief tabulated information to help guide the reader into the focus of each of the works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional power plants suffer from issues like fuel scarcity, availability of site and other environmental concerns. Alternate technologies based on renewable energy sources especially solar, wind and bio-mass are utilised to overcome these problems. Among many options available in solar technology, power generation through CSP (Concentrating Solar Power) could be the most promising one for India in the coming future. In this paper, a brief overview on various CSP technologies and site selection criteria has been outlined. Subsequently, the design considerations for the four major CSP technologies i.e. solar tower, parabolic trough, linear fresnel reflector, and parabolic dish are discussed. Finally, the present status and key issues related to the deployment of CSP based technologies in India are summarised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World׳s energy demand is growing fast because of population explosion and technological advancements. It is therefore important to go for reliable, cost effective and everlasting renewable energy source for energy demand arising in future. Solar energy, among other renewable sources of energy, is a promising and freely available energy source for managing long term issues in energy crisis. Solar industry is developing steadily all over the world because of the high demand for energy while major energy source, fossil fuel, is limited and other sources are expensive. It has become a tool to develop economic status of developing countries and to sustain the lives of many underprivileged people as it is now cost effective after a long aggressive researches done to expedite its development. The solar industry would definitely be a best option for future energy demand since it is superior in terms of availability, cost effectiveness, accessibility, capacity and efficiency compared to other renewable energy sources. This paper therefore discusses about the need of solar industry with its fundamental concepts, worlds energy scenario, highlights of researches done to upgrade solar industry, its potential applications and barriers for better solar industry in future in order to resolve energy crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power is the most paramount ingredient of infrastructure for growth in economics and welfare of a nation. Development for sustaining the growth of the Indian economy in the existing infrastructure is crucial. The power sector of India is one of the largest expanded power sectors in the world. Due to the continuous increment in electricity demand day-by-day, Indian power sector is interfacing some challenges to maintain the balance between the power generation and demand with suffering from supply constraints and shortages in power. For maintaining the ratio of generation and demand of power, moving from conventional sources to non-conventional sources is not only an option, it is a necessity. The importance of using solar as an energy source in India׳s perspectives in not only to increase power generation, but also to expand energy reliability with considering the environmental, social, independent and financial beneficial properties. This paper analyzes the recent scenario, strategies, availability, future potential, policies and development of solar energy in emerging Indian power sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian power sector is a key factor in the development of economic growth rates in the country. Most of the power generating stations in India are based on fossil fuels. Furthermore, there are various issues in the climate changes and global warming. The state of Odisha is located in the eastern part of the India at 17° 49׳ North −22°0 34׳ North Latitude and 81° 29׳ East –87° 29׳ East Longitude with an area of 155,707 sq. km. In this state, people depend on hydroenergy and thermal energy to meet their energy demands. However, currently, not many water reservoirs are available for generating the required power. On the other hand, the thermal power plants are unable to meet their power generation potentials due to shortage of coals. So, an alternative source is required that can fulfill the energy demands. Among all renewable sources, solar energy is abundant and offers a solution to fulfill the demand for energy, reduce fossil fuel emissions and global climate change. This state receives a huge amount of solar energy insolation. This paper highlights the solar energy development in the state of Odisha, the state government supportive policies, the central government supportive policies and the future plans for the implementation of solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of solar photovoltaics (PV׳s) in generation of electric power is continually increasing. PV cells are commonly modelled as circuits. Finding appropriate circuit model parameters of PV cells is crucial for performance evaluation, control, efficiency computations and maximum power point tracking of solar PV systems. The problem of finding circuit model parameters of solar PV cells is referred to as “PV cell model parameter estimation problem,” and is highly attracted by researchers. In this paper, the existing research works on PV cell model parameter estimation problem are classified into three categories and the research works of those categories are reviewed. Based on the conducted review, some recommendations for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the uneven distribution of renewable resources and electricity load centers in China, renewable energy usually needs to be delivered a long distance from the generation base to the load center. However, wind power and photovoltaic (PV) have to be bundled with flexible resources, such as thermal generators, to compensate for the generation uncertainty and variability. Concentrating solar power (CSP) is a controllable generation technology, and it is receiving great attention in the northwest China to be constructed in the 100% renewable energy generation base. This paper proposes a generation portfolio optimization model of a 100% renewable energy base supported by CSP. Firstly, a flexible operation model of CSP based on the interval theory is proposed. Then, a coordinated operation strategy of a 100% renewable energy base organized by CSP, wind power, PV and also energy storage is formulated. On this basis, a generation portfolio optimization model is established with the target of minimizing an extended levelized cost of energy (LCOE) considering the transmission cost. A case study of 100% renewable energy base in Qinghai Province, China, is conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed model. It is depicted that CSP plays an important role in the cost-effective portfolio and can be a better alternative to the combination of PV and storage. For the 100% renewable energy base in Qinghai, the LCOE with an optimal CSP, PV, wind, and storage combination is 0.5785 CNY/kWh, which is 20.3% lower than the case without the installation of a CSP station. • Building a 100% renewable energy generation base with a CSP, PV, wind, and storage combination. • A planning model with the target of minimizing an extended LCOE considering transmission cost. • A coordinated operation strategy of a 100% renewable energy base considering CSP's flexibility. • The LCOE of a 100% renewable energy base can drop 20.3% when equipped with CSP in Qinghai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart energy transition includes a widespread deployment of clean energy technologies and intelligent energy management with information and communication technologies (ICTs). In this paper, the smart energy transition is studied from the viewpoint of the technology convergence of renewable energy sources (RESs) and ICTs. Two important, fast-growing and weather-dependent renewable energy generation technologies: wind power and solar PV (photovoltaic) are studied. This paper provides technology convergence analyses of RES and ICT inventions based on international patent data. Digitalisation is changing the whole of society, and according to the results, this transition can also be seen in the studied renewable energy generation technologies. The digitalisation of RES production covers technologies that control, manage and optimise electricity production in different intelligent ways. Differences between wind power and solar PV technologies are found: in the case of wind power, the development from virtually no ICT solutions to partial technology convergence with the ICT sector is straightforward. However, in the case of solar PV, the development of basic technologies has been even faster than the development of the solar PV ICT solutions, which may indicate the immature nature of solar PV technologies during the studied years. The digitalisation of the renewable energy sector poses challenges for RES companies in following and predicting ICT development and opportunities for innovations and collaborations with ICT companies. This conclusion can also be expanded to society and policy levels because focusing on only a narrow field when planning innovation policy instruments can negatively impact the country's competitiveness. • Digitalisation and ICT solutions are impacting on wind power and solar PV technologies. • The prominent RES technologies with ICT solutions control, manage and optimise electricity production. • Wind power patent data shows a straightforward technology convergence trend with ICT. • Basic inventions in solar PV have increased more rapidly than solar PV ICT solutions. • Digitalisation in wind power and solar PV has been driven by the US, Germany, Denmark and Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the integrated management and design of a distributed energy systems (DES) with solar generation and energy storage. The DES remains voluntary simple as the objective is to focus on the design methodologies rather than the system complexity. The article aims at bridging the gap between conventional DES design strategies, made in a single stage fashion over a representative period, and expansion planning problems that perform dynamic sizing over decades with oversimplifications of the system operations. Especially, the paper investigates to what extent the value of the model is increased when aging is controlled over the system lifetime compared to standard methods based on a single equivalent year. To address these questions, a multi-time scale model is first implemented by coupling both the DES operation and the sizing. The optimal asset capacities are computed in the form of a dynamic investment plan over the system lifetime that can accommodate potential changes in energy prices or cost of technology. Then, the results are compared with single stage design strategies on a common simulation framework. The implemented multi-time scale planning displays good performances with up to 20% cost reduction compared to typical single stage designs. Finally, the impact of the energy rates and system self-sufficiency are investigated. The obtained results show that significant investments in energy storage arise for electricity prices multiplied by three compared to the baseline or with strong self-sufficiency constraint over 60%. • Implementation of a multi-time scale model where the interaction between investment and operation is taken into account. • Introduction of a generic framework to compare and to assess the performances of different design strategies. • Comparison of the aging aware approach with more standard methods based on single equivalent years. • Sensitivity analysis with regard to different energy prices and constraint for the system self-sufficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, policies designed for high penetration of distributed photovoltaics (DPV) primarily have shifted from mainly encouraging investment through subsidies to addressing equity and stakeholder concerns on retail tariffs and utility revenue impacts. Net metering and feed-in tariffs now serve as the main policy mechanisms to support distributed PV in the U.S. and Europe, although modifications are ongoing to alleviate concerns over consumer inequity and the financial health of utilities. Retail tariff design and utility revenue impacts are now at the forefront of the debate for ASEAN countries formulating new policies and incentives for PV deployment. This paper discusses experiences of DPV development in the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. These countries have ongoing efforts to adjust their DPV programs to match a rapidly dynamic and evolving DPV market and incorporate new technology capabilities such as blockchain-based peer-to-peer solar energy trading platforms. The paper also presents a quantitative analysis of customer economics under various competing compensation mechanisms and analyzes the remaining barriers to DPV market expansion in these three countries. Net billing could achieve more economically equitable policy design for other Southeast Asian countries looking to make solar electricity broadly accessible for all. • Evolving financial support mechanisms for distributed PV are reviewed in three countries. • Policy changes respond to multi-faceted factors, especially utility revenue and rate impacts. • The economics of residential and commercial customers under different compensation mechanisms are compared. • Current design of compensation mechanisms in these countries incentivize PV undersizing. [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]

The European Union (EU) imports a large amount of natural gas, and the injection of renewable hydrogen (H 2) into the natural gas systems could help decarbonize the sector. The new geopolitical and energy market situation demands urgent actions in the clean energy transition and energy independence from fossil fuels. This paper aims to investigate techno-economic analysis, barriers, and constraints in the EU policies/frameworks that affect natural gas decarbonization. First, the study examines the levelized cost of hydrogen production (LCOH). The LCOH is evaluated for blue and grey hydrogen, i.e., Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) natural gas as the feedstock, with and without carbon capture, and green hydrogen (three type electrolyzers with electricity from the grid, solar, and wind) for the years 2020, 2030, and 2050. Second, the study evaluates the current policies and framework based on a SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Weakness) analysis, which includes a PEST (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological) macro-economic factor assessment with a case study in Portugal. The results show that the cheapest production costs continue to be dominated by grey hydrogen (1.33 €/kg.H 2) and blue hydrogen (1.68 €/kg.H 2) in comparison to green hydrogen (4.65 €/kg.H 2 and 3.54 €/kg.H 2) from grid electricity and solar power in the PEM - Polymer Electrolyte Membrane for the year 2020, respectively. The costs are expected to decrease to 4.03 €/kg.H 2 (grid-electricity) and 2.49 €/kg.H 2 (solar – electricity) in 2030. The LCOH of the green grid-electricity and solar/wind-powered Alkaline Electrolyzer (ALK) and Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC) are also expected to decrease in the time-span from 2020 to 2050. A sensitivity analysis shows that investments costs, electricity price, the efficiency of electrolyzers, and carbon tax (for SMR) could play a key role in reducing LCOH, thereby making the economic competitiveness of hydrogen production. The key barriers are costs, amendments in rules/regulations, institutions and market creation, public perception, provisions of incentives, and constraints in creating market demand. • The study evaluates the levelized cost of hydrogen production (LCOH). • LCOH of green hydrogen expected to decrease in the time-span from 2030 to 2050. • Investment costs, efficiencies, fuel and electricity prices, and carbon tax are the key variables. • We identify barriers and constraints in the decarbonization of natural gas systems. • Rules/regulations, incentives, and restructuring of market/institution are required. [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 paper aims to address the potential of low-carbon and renewable hydrogen in decarbonizing the European energy system; specifically, reducing emissions by 55% in 2030 compared to 1990, and targeting net-zero emissions by 2050. The methodology relies on a cost-optimization modelling approach using three models complementarily: a detailed European TIMES-type model (MIRET-EU); an aggregated model for the European energy system, allowing endogenous cost reductions based on technology deployment in a dynamic programming formulation for investment strategies (Integrate Europe); and a dedicated model for assessing hydrogen import options for Europe (HyPE). Two policy-relevant scenarios have been developed: Technology Diversification (TD) and Renewable Push (RP). Both lead to climate neutrality in Europe in 2050 but the RP scenario differs by setting new reinforced targets for renewable technologies in Europe. Results show that hydrogen production would increase sharply in the coming decades, exceeding 30 million tons (Mt) by 2030 and more than 100 Mt by 2050 in both scenarios. Polyvalence of hydrogen in decarbonizing the European energy system for certain hard-to-abate energy uses in transport and industry is also observed. European hydrogen production relies on a diverse mix including both renewable and low-carbon technologies. It is complemented by hydrogen imports from neighboring regions, that represent between 10 and 15% of total demand in 2050. Access to existing cross-border pipelines is a critical advantage compared to maritime transport. Notably, there are considerable cost reductions due to technology deployment for solar power and hydrogen production by electrolyzers. • European hydrogen demand could exceed 100 million tons per year by 2050. • 15% of H 2 needed to reach carbon neutrality could be imported from outside Europe. • More than half of H 2 is used for transport, the rest is dominated by industry. • 1800 GW of solar and wind power is needed for the roll-out of renewable hydrogen. • Resilience of natural gas in European energy transition by 2050 with uptake of CCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the information of the public׳s views on the solar energy use in Yemen. It examines the public knowledge of, attitudes and behavioral intentions that include the variables “willingness to pay, “willingness to change” and “willingness to invest”, and then compare them. A personal interview with 348 urban household and 258 rural household was performed. The descriptive statistics, Chi-square for independence, odds ratios, Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were the statistical tools employed in the analysis. The results showed that, the citizens in both areas have a moderate level of knowledge about renewable energy resources, the benefits and drawbacks of solar energy use in the power sector, and the solar power technologies. Despite that, they have highly positive attitudes towards the use of renewable energy, particularly solar energy and its technologies. They also accept to engage in the renewable energy activities, which aim to improve the quality of the electrical service provided in the country. The findings also indicate 66%, 55.7% and 78.4% of urban citizens are willing to pay, to change and to invest compared to 70%, 55.4% and 75.6% of rural citizens. The “place of residence” factor affected significantly the citizens’ knowledge level about renewable energy; wind, biomass and geothermal energy; renewable energy resources; the drawbacks of solar energy use in the power sector; and the solar power technologies. It also affected significantly the citizens׳ attitudes towards the use of solar power technologies at home. The implications for the policymakers are that elevating the knowledge and awareness of the citizens by formal and informal education, and enacting effective supportive policies assists in encouraging the citizens to use renewable energies in their daily lives would lead to achieve the country’s renewable energy targets for 2025. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With insolation levels ranging from 4 to 7 kW h/m 2 /day, the African continent receives a higher amount of solar energy on its surface than the rest of the world. Hence, investments in solar electricity generation projects in African countries have the potential to be economically attractive. This paper reviews the feasibility of off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in SSA, focusing on five major issues in the context of falling system costs: cost-effectiveness, affordability, financing, environmental impact, and poverty alleviation. Over time, solar PV system costs have fallen dramatically across the globe. This is also the case in SSA, yet the costs prevailing in SSA are much higher than the world average owing to political, financial, and technological risks. Solar PV power systems continue to be an extremely costly source of electricity for the vast majority of the rural poor in SSA. The levellized cost of energy for solar PV systems is high, at US$0.83 per kW h. With an annual rate of decrease of PV system costs of 4% and 7.67% it is estimated that it will take from 8.7 to 16.9 years for solar home systems for electricity generation to become competitive with conventional diesel generators. The cost of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through rural solar PV electrification is in the range 150–626 US$/tCO 2 , which is extremely high compared with the current price of traded CO 2 emission permits or current estimates of the social cost of carbon of approximately 39 US$/tCO 2 . Off-grid solar PV systems are not feasible financially or economically for rural households of SSA unless these technologies are subsidised from abroad. If the policy of a country is to encourage rural electrification, it should carry this out through a systematic expansion of either local or national grids rather than household-level solar PV systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Household renewable energy generation through the use of solar panels is becoming more commonplace as the installation cost is reducing and electricity prices are rising. Solar energy is an intermittent source, only generated during the day subject to interference from weather and seasonal variation. Energy storage solutions such as Lithium Ion batteries are also reducing is cost and have become a viable solution for storing the solar energy generated for use at other times. In this paper we discuss the feasibility and limitations of various renewable energy, energy storage, feed into grid and off the grid systems. We also explore the results of our case study, The University of Western Australia׳s Future Farm, which featured a 10 kW solar system with 20 kWh battery storage, off the grid. Finally we use West Australians daily energy usage information to model the energy and savings of installing solar panels, home energy storage and using an electric vehicle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical power distribution network in Pakistan is a complex system with many geographical regions suffering from frequent blackouts, limited and intermittent supply. Investment in mega-scale solar energy generation projects could help mitigate these supply related problems and counterbalance the country׳s growing dependence on imported oil. The purpose of this paper is to explore the economic and technical impact of connecting a mega-scale PV plant to the national grid. The area of Kharan in Balochistan province was chosen due to desired solar irradiation (7–7.5 kW h/m 2 /day). The simulations were carried out with existing and planned interconnected transmission system of Pakistan that has not been pre-designed to incorporate such intermittent generation. Load flow studies and short circuit analysis were carried out and it was established that power from this solar power project can be evacuated to the 220 KV system of National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC), Pakistan without any transmission constraints. The three phase and single phase short circuit current studies further confirmed reliable grid interconnection in terms of power quality indices. Furthermore recommendations encompassing the economics and technical sides are presented for the successful commissioning of this installation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desiccant dehumidification system is an alternate option against conventional dehumidification system in hot and humid climates. Conventional dehumidification systems have many drawbacks that include high power consumption and increase the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) level in the environment and major contribute to depletion of ozone layer. This paper discuss the functioning of dehumidification, cooling and air-conditioning systems using various solid desiccant with focus on the use of solar energy for dehumidification of humid air and regeneration of solid desiccant wheel. A comparative study of various dehumidification, cooling and air-conditioning systems show that solid desiccant has low operating and maintenance cost and is environment friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chile needs to increase its installed electric capacity to support economic growth. Currently, the total demand is 67,564 GW h and an additional 22,508 GW h will be needed by 2020 to meet the energy demand of industrial projects. The Chilean mining industry is a major electricity consumer in the country accounting for one third total consumption over today. Solar energy has the highest potential for growth in northern Chile as the north of the country hosts the highest solar resources of the world. In this paper we present a comprehensive review of the energy supply and demand status, planning and prospects in the country with focus on solar photovoltaic- and solar thermal-projects. As of the end of 2014, a solar capacity of 2384 MW are operational and under construction, and more than 10,000 MW of solar power plants have been proposed; most solar projects are located in northern regions where the mining takes place. Considering a conservative scenario where one half of the proposed solar projects would be operational before 2020, solar technology could cover a great part of the country’s energy requirements. We evaluated eight operating PV plants and three operating solar thermoelectric plants based on a multi-criteria assessment to offer a reference point for assessing future projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, one of the biggest challenges our society must face is the satisfactory supply, dispatchability and management of the energy. Thermal Energy Storage (TES) has been identified as a breakthrough concept in industrial heat recovery applications and development of renewable technologies such as concentrated solar power (CSP) plants or compressed air energy storage (CAES). A wide variety of potential heat storage materials has been identified depending on the implemented TES method: sensible, latent or thermochemical. Although no ideal storage material has been identified, several materials have shown a high potential depending on the mentioned considerations. Despite the amount of studied potential heat storage materials, the determination of new alternatives for next generation technologies is still open. One of the main drawbacks in the development of storage materials is their cost. In this regard, this paper presents the review of waste materials and by-products candidates which use contributes in lowering the total cost of the storage system and the valorization of waste industrial materials have strong environmental and societal benefits such as reducing the landfilled waste amounts, reducing the greenhouse emissions and others. This article reviews different industrial waste materials that have been considered as potential TES materials and have been characterized as such. Asbestos containing wastes, fly ashes, by-products from the salt industry and from the metal industry, wastes from recycling steel process and from copper refining process and dross from the aluminum industry, and municipal wastes (glass and nylon) have been considered. Themophysical properties, characterization and experiences using these candidates are discussed and compared. This review shows that the revalorization of wastes or by-products as TES materials is possible, and that more studies are needed to achieve industrial deployment of the idea. [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]

Governments and network utilities are grappling with how to manage increasing costs of electricity supply, the prospect of distributed generation while still meeting social objectives of access and affordability in remote areas. Due to geographical isolation and dispersed populations, remote Australian communities are generally electrified by distributed networks using diesel generation. This is expensive, environmentally damaging and fails to exploit vast renewable resources available. These communities are often regarded as “low hanging fruit” from a renewable energy deployment perspective. This paper examines why that fruit has not been readily picked in Australia in the context of a case study of three remote West Australian communities. In Western Australia, the local electricity distribution network service provider (DNSP) responsible for regional networks, developed a scheme (the Scheme) to incentivise renewable energy deployment in remote communities. This scheme aims to encourage communities to install renewable energy from the “bottom up” by providing a feed-in tariff capped at $0.50/kW h, to reduce the supply cost and environmental damage from diesel generation. However, to date there has been limited deployment of renewable energy in remote communities. The scheme and viability of renewable energy is assessed for three indigenous communities located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. These communities are connected to isolated, diesel powered networks. Viability is assessed from the DNSP and community perspectives and incorporates quantitative and qualitative financial, social / human and institutional factors. Renewable energy deployment is found to benefit the DNSP and can also benefit communities subject to their cost of capital and to the imposition of connection charges. However a range of barriers are currently frustrating deployment and a dynamic and adaptive approach that recognises local challenges and provides the communities with a pathway to installation is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar photovoltaic water pumping system (SPVWPS) has been a promising area of research for more than 50 years. In the early 70s, efforts and studies were undertaken to explore the possibility of SPVWPS as feasible, viable and economical mean of water pumping. SPVWPS consists of different components and parts associated with different fields of engineering like mechanical, electrical, electronics, computer, control and civil engineering. The interdisciplinary nature of the system attracted the researchers, in the past, from all these fields of engineering and has been contributed by them to make the system more efficient and cost-effective to meet water-pumping needs of human, livestock and irrigation. The detailed literature available suggests that the research work on SPVWPS is not confined to any particular field of engineering. This review paper is an attempt to give a comprehensive review of the literature available on SPVWPS from the year 1975 to the year 2014. The review work discusses the general classification of SPVWPS, historical background of solar pumping systems, various efforts undertaken by researchers working on the different aspects of SPVWPS and the present status of research on the topic. The literature review of the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) system, different types of pumps and motors and rating of photovoltaic (PV) panel, which affect the performance, efficiency and economy of the SPVWPS system, has been incorporated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate insolation data for many cities and locations is not available. Therefore estimation of such data for solar applications is inevitable. Clearness index K T ¯ is one of the parameters which represent the atmosphere characteristics and solar energy potential at a location. This paper presents an Integrated Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach for optimum forecasting of Clearness index by considering environmental and meteorological factors. The ANN train and test data with multi-layer perceptron (MLP) approach which is popular and applicable network for such engineering investigations is used in this study. The proposed approach is particularly useful for locations with no available measurement equipment. To show the applicability and superiority of the integrated ANN approach, monthly data were collected for 30 years (1975–2005) in 19 nominal cities in Iran. The acquired results of the model have shown high accuracy with a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) about 4.338%. Furthermore, a detailed analysis is performed on the various combinations of input parameters. Finally, using these results, geographic information system (GIS) map is produced and presented. This map is very good indicative of climate and solar potential of different locations based on ANN analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grid connected solar photovoltaic (GCPV) systems are fast becoming a regular feature of electricity power networks in urban and peri-urban areas within most Pacific Island Countries. A number of systems have been installed with many in the pipeline. This relatively new technology, utilizing the intermittent solar energy resource has presented new challenges to small island utilities that were hitherto almost completely dependent on diesel generators and hydropower. The present paper describes the current status of GCPV systems in the Pacific region and reviews some of the issues that arise in the deployment of this technology. It also reports a case study involving a 45 kW p GCPV system located at the University of the South Pacific (USP) marine campus in Fiji. One of the first two GCPV systems established in Fiji, this system has an annual production of ~54,000 kW h and supplies about 10% of the electricity requirements of the campus. The actual system performance agreed well with the simulated results. This system also reduces USP׳s annual carbon footprint by more than 27,000 kg CO 2e . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Batteries are the power tank of solar power systems. They play the role of power supply when the sun does not shine. This paper provides a review of battery charging control techniques for photovoltaic systems. In addition, it presents a new battery charge controller that keeps on the good features and resolves the drawbacks and limitations of the traditional controllers. The new controller is based on a newly developed maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique enabling very fast maximum power point (MPP) capture. Moreover, it utilizes the constant current, constant voltage (CCCV) charging scheme to reduce the battery charging time. In addition, it enables accessing all system parameters remotely for monitoring and administration purposes. In order to determine the performance parameters of the proposed controller, a prototype was implemented together with microcontroller based DC–DC converter. The experimental results show that, the new controller tracks the MPP faster than the conventional controllers do. Moreover, the charging period is significantly reduced. Moreover, the proposed controller has high accuracy and minimizes the steady state oscillation errors around the target MPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a complete development of software for sizing small solar water heating systems. The application framework was developed using the MATLAB platform, and its algorithm was structured to minimize the user intervention. The software was developed using consolidated methodologies and practices relationships, aiming at the technical and economical project optimization. The used project methodologies were the F-Chart and Brazilian Technical Standards (NBR-15569), together with an economic analysis. All of them are detailed in this work. The database was built using commercial equipment performance data, from the official tests of the Brazilian Labeling Program, and meteorological data, from the Brazilian Solarimetric Atlas and Agronomic Institute of Paraná. The developed software allows the sizing of natural and forced circulation systems, composed of flat plate collectors or evacuated collectors type U, horizontal thermal storage tank and auxiliary power supply (electric or gas). It also allows the user to modify the input parameters at any time, making possible to simulate different situations and find the best technical and economical solution. An example of the solar system design is also presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, due to the pressing global energy demand, a possible source of renewable energy is represented by solar energy. Concentrated solar power (CSP) represents an excellent alternative, or add-on to existing systems for large-scale energy production. In those systems and, particularly, in solar tower plants (STP), mirroring surfaces reflect sunlight, focusing it on the core-component defined as volumetric receiver. Here, a porous structure ( absorber ) is responsible for converting the solar radiation into heat with the use of evolving air under natural convection. The proper design of this element is essential in order to achieve high efficiencies that can make such facilities extremely advantageous. In this paper, an overview of the different approaches for the numerical modeling developed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), are presented, based both on detailed and homogeneous representation ( discrete and continuum approaches, respectively) of the absorber. The corresponding numerical models were run again and compared where possible, using as reference case pre-exiting experimental evaluation, pointing out shortcomings and differences. Temperature profiles for solid and fluid phase, as well as efficiency value, are used as key parameters in the comparison, showing a substantial gap between numerical and experimental results. This inconsistency can be addressed both to inherent difficulties in the experiments butalso on the lack of a proper characterization of the absorber radiative behavior that directly affects the heat transfer process. This gap is even more pronounced when the use of a continuum approach is considered, due to implicit approximation introduced by the homogeneous representation of the porous volume. For those reasons, a better representation of the radiative heat transfer must be introduced in future conjugate numerical models and the use of a continuum approach can be addressed to a preliminary design procedure, given the possibility to quickly manipulate geometric and thermodynamic parameters of porous structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar insolation received on earth have different components in which power is embedded. Out of many, visible spectrum and thermal spectrum are separately used to harvest energy through solar thermal or solar photovoltaic systems respectively. Photovoltaic (PV) panels are reported to experience undesirably high temperature rise due to heat accumulation from solar radiation which is not actively converted into electricity. This undesirable heat decreases conversion efficiency of PV panels. Thermoelectric module (TEM) in coordination with PV panel is proposed to recover and convert this waste heat energy to useful electrical energy. This paper demonstrates the capability of proposed system for electrical power generation from waste heat developed in PV panel in addition to generation from PV systems. Dynamic model of photovoltaic thermoelectric hybrid (PTH) system is developed in SIMULINK/ MATLAB environment based on electrical and thermal characteristics of the material. Simulation results for maximum energy harvesting for PTH system are presented under dynamic perturbations in solar radiations. Proposed control scheme ensures maximum energy harvesting without allowing system to operate at temperature out of prescribed limits for PV or TEM. It has been observed in the simulation that PTH system effectively handles the load and source transitions, which validates the scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of wind- and solar-based generation into the electric grid has significantly grown over the past decade and is expected to grow to unprecedented levels in coming years. Several jurisdictions have set high targets for renewable energy integration. While electric grid operators have managed the variable and non-dispatchable nature of wind and solar power at current levels, large-scale integration of these resources would pose new challenges. In particular, the variable nature of wind and solar may lead to new electric grid operation and planning procedures. Net load in electric grids is defined as the conventional load minus the non-dispatchable generation. Net load is the basis of operation planning in day-to-day delivery of electricity to the consumers. With large-scale integration of wind and solar power, the net load in the system would be significantly affected. In this paper, we focus on characteristics of net load in electric grids when a large amount of wind and solar power generation is integrated into the grid. We use the data from California׳s power system. California intends to produce 33% of its electricity from renewable resources by 2020, 80% of which is expected to come from wind and solar power. We use both historical data and simulated scenarios of future wind and solar power generation. For future scenarios, we use the data provided by National Renewable Energy Laboratory to generate wind and solar power integration scenarios for years 2018 and 2023. The simulated net load data are analyzed from a variety of perspectives, such as average daily shapes, load and net load factor, duration curves, volatility, and hourly ramps. The results showed that compared to conventional load, characteristics of net load would be significantly different and need to be taken into account when designing measures and mechanisms for operating electric grids with high penetration of renewables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pacific island countries have strong economic, political and environmental incentives to switch from imported fossil fuels to indigenous renewable energy technologies, and are well positioned to achieve such a switch, given their ample renewable energy potential as well as their ambitious renewable energy goals. For the Pacific island countries to reach these goals, however, they depend on donor funding. This paper therefore analyses energy-related aid to the South Pacific from 1990 through 2012, and specifically evaluates its development in three areas: energy technology, grid vs. off-grid solutions, and project components. Using data from the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development, I find a recent shift in donor thinking: donors have, over the past years, put greater emphasis on renewable energy, especially hydro and increasingly solar power. Donors have also invested more in off-grid solutions – often solar-powered. Finally, donors have begun to focus more on ‘software׳, that is, capacity-building, training and policy-making. If Pacific island countries, together with the donors, continue on this path, they are well-positioned to reach their ambitious renewable energy goals – and to serve as an example for other countries, both developing and developed, islands and non-islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar conditions in northern Chile, in particular the Atacama Desert, which presents an annual global radiation value of 2500 kW h/m 2 and an index of direct normal irradiance (DNI) of 3500 kW h/m 2 , are among the best worldwide for capturing and storing solar energy. These features are of major importance when considering the saline deposits that are concentrated in this area. There are several factors that make CSP technology an ideal resource for a successful development in northern Chile, highlighting the excellent solar resource and their combination with storage could supply energy to mining industry, which requires energy 24 h per day. The focus of this paper is to develop an economic analysis for computing a projection of LCOE between 2014 and 2050 from a 50 MW CSP plant with five different composition of salts for it TES. Two different scenarios are considered for this study: IEA BLUE Map Scenario and Roadmap Scenario. Additionally, a comparison between the LCOE in the north of Chile and the most influential countries in solar energy (Spain and USA) is made. The research basis lay on contribution of recent Chilean plans together with international researches in order to support the great potential of the implementation of CSP plant in the north of Chile. The results show that new proposed molten salts reduce considerably the storage cost. Thus, it can contribute to a promising future of the growth of CSP in the Plataforma Solar del Desierto de Atacama (PSDA) at north of Chile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to electricity is limited in rural areas of Myanmar, where the majority of the population live. Myanmar׳s rich solar resource and the recent price drop in solar PV modules indicate initial suitability for rural solar electrification systems to meet the electricity demand. In many parts of Myanmar, women are responsible for supporting the family financially. The ability of rural women in Myanmar to take advantage of solar PV powered services to improve their lives depends on concurrent progress towards addressing the many dimensions of gender equality – empowerment, health, education, opportunity, voice, representation, and livelihood-in rural locations. This paper examines the barriers of solar PV applications and the potential for women led solar PV enterprise development in rural Myanmar. Although the entrepreneurial process is the same for men and women in theory, in practice different factors e.g. social/cultural, religion, economic and educational ultimately result in the disadvantaged status of women-led enterprises. Therefore, widespread and long-term eventuation of this potential in Myanmar depends on a government committed to renewable energy resources for rural electrification and to diligently and holistically addressing geographical, political, educational, financial, ethnic and technical barriers to the empowerment of a rural, female population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sichuan Province is one of the most important economic inland areas and is characterized by an abundance of renewable energy resources in the form of solar, wind, biomass, and, in particular, hydropower. After the rapid growth of installed hydropower capacity during the past decade, the non-hydro renewable energy resource development is booming in Sichuan Province. This development is bringing about a series of problems as well. In this paper, we give an overview of Sichuan׳s renewable energy development in the past five years, analyze the existing problems, and examine the underlying causes in terms of environment, market, technology, and policy. On that basis, we propose a method for future renewable energy development in Sichuan and suggest that Sichuan׳s government should improve the pricing mechanism and the mandatory share policy for non-hydro renewable energy. Additionally, R&D on the plateau type of wind turbines and the smart micro-grid should be strengthened. Finally, given the mature hydropower industry in Sichuan, the combined operation of wind–hydro and solar–hydro plants is recommended to improve the stability of renewable electricity generation output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the simultaneous scheduling of electrical vehicles and responsive loads to reduce operation cost and emission in presence of wind and PV powers in microgrid. In the proposed method, the electrical vehicles are used for peak shaving and load curve modification while the responsive loads are employed to supply the reserves needed to compensate the intrinsic uncertainties of wind and PV powers. Furthermore, a developed two-stage model is proposed to determine the expected operation cost of microgrid (energy and reserve). In the first stage, the generation and reserve power costs are minimized while in the second stage, the costs associated with unit scheduling changes resulting from wind and PV power variations are minimized. The proposed model is implemented in a microgrid with various distributed generations. The simulation results have shown that the incorporation of electrical vehicles and responsive loads leads to decrease the system operation costs and emissions while the uncertainties related to wind and PV are compensated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of renewable energy technologies (RET), like solar and wind power plants, into a power system introduces both expansion and operational challenges. Earlier studies have indicated the requirements for additional backup power facilities requirements for every addition of RET plants, due to the unique generation characteristics of these RET plants. Of late, alternative strategies of creating power storage facilities using power from RETs and drawing constant supply from such storage facilities are drawing the attention of power system planners. In this paper, generation expansion planning (GEP) mathematical modeling studies are carried for a candidate power system, to study the impact of introduction of solar power plant with storage facility. The study is planned in a four-level hierarchy, based on (a) investment strategies of introducing solar plants as an alternative candidate plant or as a replacement of existing high emission plants (HEP) (b) whether the solar plant with storage (SPWS) or with no storage (SPWNS) capacity and (c) inclusion of treatment/penalty costs on emissions from high emission plants. The sensitivity of the system performance factors, like, the capacity added, overall costs and EENS for variations in assumed Forced outage rate (FOR%) for SPWNS and SPWS is also carried for assumed solar penetration levels of 5–10% and 10–20% for 6-year and 14-year planning horizons. The system performance was highly sensitive to the assumed FOR%. The model investigations offer an encouraging scenario in power system planning when SPWS is introduced as an alternative investment candidate plants into the system. This study, while attempting to illustrate the complexity of decision making process in introducing solar plants into an existing system provides a four-level hierarchy in understanding comprehensive set of policy issues that might arise in GEP and enables planners to adopt situation-specific solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of micro-grid should be in such a way that a safe and secure protection is provided in both grid-connected and stand-alone operation modes. Nevertheless, the function of micro-grid in these two modes creates some new protection problems. During grid-connected operation mode, since micro-grid provides a large short-circuit current to the fault point, the protection can be performed by existing protective devices within the distribution networks, but in islanded mode, fault currents are drastically lower than those of grid-connected mode; hence, the employment of traditional overcurrent-based protective devices in micro-grids is no longer valid. In order to overcome this challenge, different approaches have recently appeared in the literatures. This paper presents a micro-grid protection scheme based on positive-sequence impedance using Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) and designed Microprocessor- Based Relays (MBRs) along with a digital communication system. The proposed scheme has the ability to protect radial and looped micro-grids against different types of faults with the capability of single-phase tripping. Furthermore, since the MBRs are capable of updating their pickup values (upstream and downstream equivalent positive-sequence impedances of each line) after the first change in the micro-grid configuration (such as transferring from grid-connected to islanded mode and or disconnection of a line, bus, or DG either in grid-connected mode or in islanded mode), they can protect micro-grid lines and buses against subsequent faults. Finally, in order to verify the effectiveness of the suggested scheme and the designed MBR, several simulations have been undertaken by using DIgSILENT PowerFactory and MATLAB software packages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has an active participation in global solar energy contribution through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) and its many states are also walking hand in hand with the national government through individual state solar policies. The state of Gujarat, through the ‘Gujarat Solar Power Policy 2009 (GSPP 2009)’, has been leading the country in solar power generation. The feed-in-tariff based GSPP 2009 is a unique experiment of the state to develop individual solar projects as well as public-private partnership based large-scale ‘solar parks’. Of the about 2700 MW (in September 2014) installed solar energy capacity in India, Gujarat occupies a share of more than 900 MW. This paper, through semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with project developers involved in implementation of the Charanka solar park, Gujarat, investigates the industry perspectives on the GSPP 2009. With an installed capacity of 216 MW (in April 2012), the Charanka Solar Park is the Asia׳s largest solar park. Findings from this study indicate that the attractive fixed feed-in-tariff and strong implementation mechanisms are the key strengths of the policy. On the other hand, the key challenges are lack of trust of financial institutions on solar energy projects, and tradability and bankability of the solar power purchase agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of air pollution is not only one of the most critical problems caused and dealt by industrial civilization, but also it is undoubtedly the most complex of their current problems. However, in many countries, some procedures have been restricted to reduce the air pollution in the environment. The vast expanse and complexity of the physical parameters of modern urban environments such as: urban geometry and materials, structures and buildings, transportation and human activities as well as the variety of urban pollutants; cause complicated difficulties that are too difficult to be solved through simple and superficial solutions. Although, the potential of solar energy has a relatively long history in providing and creating a suitable living environment. However, this statement has been based largely on a single building scale. This paper firstly tries to analyze solar radiation in terms of air quality to improve the living situation in the metropolitan cities, and it also investigates and proposes solutions to the problems of air pollution and inversion at the metropolitan. In this context, the disruptive and aggregate factors of air pollution in the cities are analyzed that the efficiency and potential of solar energy is researched to provide suggestions and solutions to reduce the impacts of our investigated issue. The study is based on extensive literature survey, analysis, and inference of data. The results of this study indicate that solar energy as a clean power source can reduce the impacts of urban pollutants. In addition, the obtained results also present that the utilization of solar energy could act as an engine to generate turbulence in static air masses and affect the air layers on the scale of city, which will eventually lead to cause significant reduction of pollutants. Finally, this process helps exhausting the air pollution out of the city environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants generate renewable electricity using the conversion of solar direct normal irradiation into thermal energy, then into mechanical work and electricity through the use of a thermodynamic cycle. Among the several available technologies, Direct Steam Generation (DSG), in which steam is generated directly in the absorber tubes of the solar field, and then directly fed to the turbine or thermal storage, holds interesting advantages. However, the steam generation system shows a difficult dynamic behavior which constitutes a challenge for the control system design. It is mainly due to the conjunction of the natural transient condition of solar irradiation and the presence of two-phase flow in the absorber tubes. This paper reviews the control methods of the DSG systems used in linefocus CSP. The control systems are either proposed in literature, or actually applied in currently running plants or prototypes, although an extensive description is difficult to obtain in the case of the latter. The control systems are classified according to which DSG operation mode they refer to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the potentials of solar resources and the suitable factors for the deployment of concentrated solar power CSP in Tunisia were presented. This study was done in the framework of the enerMENA project which aims to prepare the ground towards a sustainable realization of CSP power plants in the North Africa and Middle-East countries. Moreover, the electrical interconnection between Tunisia and Italy and the opportunity of the exploitation of renewable energy sources such as CSP plants in North Africa by European countries, were discussed. In addition, solar radiations data and weather parameters values delivered by a specific network of solar radiation and weather data installed in the Tataouine region at the south of Tunisia, were discussed from the angle of fitting with CSP technology. Besides, simulations of 50 MW parabolic trough solar power plant based on the solar radiation and climatic data delivered by the installed station were performed. The energetic and economic performances of the Tunisian simulated plant were compared with a reference CSP plant Andasol in Spain. The results prove that Tunisia has very important solar resources suitable for the CSP deployment such as the direct solar radiation DNI. Even, the total annual production of electricity generated from the simulated field of Tataouine exceeds that of the plant of Andasol in Spain by an amount of 1793 MWhe. However, the total investment cost is more important in the case of Tataouine station in Tunisia. A concentrated solar power project becomes economically competitive in Tunisia when the majority of the plant components such the collectors structure, the mirrors and the storage system should be manufactured locally in Tunisia to minimize the transport fees and by the way create jobs and enhances the local industry to investigate in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the power quality improvement techniques with respect to various modulation algorithms for the solar Photovoltaic (PV) inverter are reviewed. In power quality, harmonics are an important concern in all the utility sectors. The factors that contribute the harmonic distortion on distribution systems include increased application of capacitors and non-linear devices. In order to improve the power quality and also to maintain stable power supply performance, an inverter topology with harmonic reduction techniques is required. The design and development of solar Photovoltaic inverter suitable for the Indian sub-continent is proposed and reviewed in terms of survey, simulation and experimental results. The proposed multi-stage inverter provides the advantage of reduced harmonic distortions and suitable for standalone and grid connected systems. The reduction of harmonics is governed by proper switching sequences required for the inverter switches. Modified multicarrier modulation techniques are developed in a single chip controller. A 3 kWp solar PV plant with multistage inverter system is implemented and as per the results, the quality of power is increased and achieved the desired output voltage inspite of variations in the solar PV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A decade before conversion of solar energy into electricity was quite expensive compare with other renewable energy or conventional fossil fired generated power. For making solar energy as a main stream source of power generation Indian government has taken several initiatives in last 5–6 years. Presently, the deployment of the solar power project in India is governed by both central and state government under the various schemes. These schemes are mainly includes, Feed-in-Tariff (FiT), Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO), long term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), Renewable Energy Certificates (REC), Accelerated Depreciation (AD) benefit and reverse bidding/auctions etc. As an effect of this competitive market environment, the tariff of solar power has come down from INR 17 or US $ 0.27 1 1 In year 2010, US $ 1=INR 45. (year 2010) to less than INR 6 or US $ 0.092 2 2 In year 2015, US $ 1=INR 65. (year 2015). This decremented solar tariff may achieve grid parity soon but also has raised the question of sustainability of the solar power project as well. Additionally, this multi-policy environment of both central and state government has created lots of confusion among the solar power project developers to select scheme and make their investment viable as per other power generation business. This paper summarizes various schemes under the current policy framework in terms of viability of the solar power projects in India. It also includes issues related with the sustainability of the solar power project taken under the competitive bidding process with remarkable lowered tariff than benchmarked tariff (ceiling price)in India (i.e. INR 7 or US $ 0.107). This study will help project developers and other stakeholders to understand the issues related with viability of the project in current multi-policy environment for better planning before investing in the field of solar Power business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is one of the most promising fuel options for the future and it is considered as a green energy carrier. Nowadays, hydrogen can be produced from several energy resources, including those that are renewable and non-renewable. In this context, solar energy has a significant and unique potential in renewable based hydrogen production methods. The utilization of solar energy for hydrogen production promises to be one of the most viable options to replace fossil-based hydrogen production. In this paper, various solar-based hydrogen production methods are discussed and compared in terms of their pros and cons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffuse solar radiation is a fundamental parameter highly required in several solar energy applications. Despite its significance, diffuse solar radiation is not measured in many locations around the world due to technical and fiscal limitations. On this account, determining the amount of diffuse radiation alternatively based upon precise and reliable estimating methods is indeed essential. In this paper, a coupled model is developed for estimating daily horizontal diffuse solar radiation by integrating the support vector machine (SVM) with wavelet transform (WT) algorithm. To test the validity of the coupled SVM–WT method, daily measured global and diffuse solar radiation data sets for city of Kerman situated in a sunny part of Iran are utilized. For the developed SVM–WT model, diffuse fraction (cloudiness index) is correlated with clearness index as the only input parameter. The suitability of SVM–WT is evaluated against radial basis function SVM (SVM–RBF), artificial neural network (ANN) and a 3rd degree empirical model established for this study. It is found that the estimated diffuse solar radiation values by the SVM–WT model are in favourable agreements with measured data. According to the conducted statistical analysis, the obtained mean absolute bias error, root mean square error and correlation coefficient are 0.5757 MJ/m 2 , 0.6940 MJ/m 2 and 0.9631, respectively. While for the SVM–RBF ranked next the attained values are 1.0877 MJ/m 2 , 1.2583 MJ/m 2 and 0.8599, respectively. In fact, the study results indicate that SVM–WT is an efficient method which enjoys much higher precision than other models, especially the 3rd degree empirical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]