Browse Topic: Solar energy
As countries race to expand renewable energy infrastructure, balancing clean electricity production with land use for food remains a pressing challenge — especially in Japan, where mountainous terrain limits space. A recent study led by researchers from the University of Tokyo explores a promising solution: integrating solar panels with traditional rice farming in a practice known as agrivoltaics.
Direct current (DC) systems are increasingly used in small power system applications ranging from combined heat and power plants aided with photovoltaic (PV) installations to powertrains of small electric vehicles. A critical safety issue in these systems is the occurrence of series arc faults, which can lead to fires due to high temperatures. This paper presents a model-based method for detecting such faults in medium- and high-voltage DC circuits. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on high-frequency signal analysis, the proposed method uses a physical circuit model and a high-gain observer to estimate deviations from nominal operation. The detection criterion is based on the variance of a disturbance estimate, allowing fast and reliable fault identification. Experimental validation is conducted using a PV system with an arc generator to simulate faults. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method in distinguishing fault events from normal operating variations. The
Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a novel triple-junction perovskite/Si tandem solar cell that can achieve a certified world-record power conversion efficiency of 27.1 percent across a solar energy absorption area of 1 sq cm, representing the best-performing triple-junction perovskite/Si tandem solar cell thus far. To achieve this, the team engineered a new cyanate-integrated perovskite solar cell that is stable and energy efficient.
The Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) has successfully developed ultra-lightweight flexible perovskite/ CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) tandem solar cells and achieved a power conversion efficiency of 23.64 percent, which is the world’s highest efficiency for flexible perovskite/CIGS tandem solar cells reported to date. The solar cells developed by the research team are extremely lightweight and can be attached to curved surfaces, making it a promising candidate for future applications in buildings, vehicles, aircraft, and more.
Over the past decade, significant progress in nano science and nanotechnology has opened new avenues for the development of high-performance photovoltaic cells. At present, a variety of nanostructure-based designs—comprising metals, polymers, and semiconductors—are being explored for photovoltaic applications. Advancements in the understanding of optical and electrical mechanisms governing photovoltaic conversion have been supported by theoretical analyses and modeling studies. Nevertheless, the high fabrication cost and relatively low efficiency of conventional solar photovoltaic cells remain major barriers to their large-scale deployment. One-dimensional (1D) nano materials, in particular, have introduced promising prospects for enhancing photovoltaic performance owing to their unique structural and electronic characteristics. Nanowires, nano rods, and nanotubes exemplify such 1D nanostructures, offering substantial potential to improve photon absorption, electron transport, and
Boosting the performance of solar cells, transistors, LEDs, and batteries will require better electronic materials, made from novel compositions that have yet to be discovered.
Solar cells account for approximately six percent of the electricity used on Earth; however, in space, they play a significantly larger role, with nearly all satellites relying on advanced solar cells for their power. That’s why Georgia Tech researchers will soon be sending 18 photovoltaic cells to the International Space Station (ISS) for a study of how space conditions affect the devices’ operation over time.
Solar panels are composed of dozens of solar cells, which are usually made of silicon. While silicon is the standard, producing and processing it is energy-intensive, making it costly to build new solar panel manufacturing facilities. Most of the world’s solar cells are made in China, which has an abundance of silicon. To increase solar cell production in the U.S., a new, easily produced domestic material is needed. “We’re developing technologies that we can easily produce without spending a ton of money on expensive equipment,” said Juan-Pablo Correa-Baena, an Associate Professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering.
Researchers have developed a hybrid solar energy converter that generates electricity and steam with high efficiency and low cost.
Traditional silicon-based solar cells are completely opaque, which works for solar farms and roofs but would defeat the purpose of windows. However, organic solar cells, in which the light absorber is a kind of plastic, can be transparent.
Recent advances are reducing the cost of space launch, high specific power solar cells, and the production of satellite systems. Modular architectures with no moving parts and distributed power systems would minimize assembly and maintenance costs. Together, this may enable space-based solar power to provide decarbonized dispatchable power at a lower cost than equivalent technologies such as nuclear power stations. Space-based Solar Power for Instantaneously Dispatchable Renewable Power on Earth discusses the advances in emerging technologies, like thin film solar cells, reusable launch vehicles, and mass-produced modular satellite systems that would make economic space power feasible. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio.
Remote sensing offers a powerful tool for environmental protection and sustainable management. While many remote sensing companies use wind or solar energy to power their platforms, California-based startup Dolphin Labs is harnessing wave energy to enable sensing networks for enhanced maritime domain awareness, improving the safety and security of offshore natural resources and critical infrastructure.
It might look like a roll of chicken wire, but this tiny cylinder of carbon atoms — too small to see with the naked eye — could one day be used for making electronic devices ranging from night vision goggles and motion detectors to more efficient solar cells, thanks to techniques developed by researchers at Duke University.
Efuels, synthetic gasolines made from captured carbon dioxide and renewable energy (usually wind and solar power), are “a valuable part of the solution,” said Aston Martin CEO Adrian Hallmark at a press briefing in New York on January 31. He described the process of creating the fuel as “really clean,” but also cited a rather off-putting price: $31 a gallon in the U.S. Still, Hallmark thinks eFuels could be a way for Aston to continue producing at least a few V12-powered cars in the coming electric future. Other automakers agree, but the battle over eFuels has by no means reached a cease-fire.
This research explores the use of salt gradient solar ponds (SGSPs) as an environmentally friendly and efficient method for thermal energy storage. The study focuses on the design, construction, and performance evaluation of SGSP systems integrated with reflectors, comparing their effectiveness against conventional SGSP setups without reflectors. Both experimental and numerical methods are employed to thoroughly assess the thermal behavior and energy efficiency of these systems. The findings reveal that the SGSP with reflectors (SGSP-R) achieves significantly higher temperatures across all three zones—Upper Convective Zone (UCZ), Non-Convective Zone (NCZ), and Lower Convective Zone (LCZ)—with recorded temperatures of 40.56°C, 54.2°C, and 63.1°C, respectively. These values represent an increase of 6.33%, 11.12%, and 14.26% over the temperatures observed in the conventional SGSP (SGSP-C). Furthermore, the energy efficiency improvements in the UCZ, NCZ, and LCZ for the SGSP-R are
This research investigates the potential of salt gradient solar ponds (SGSPs) as a sustainable and effective solution for thermal energy storage. The study examines the design, construction, and performance of SGSP systems that incorporate coal cinder, comparing their performance with traditional SGSPs without coal cinder. A combination of experimental and numerical approaches is used to evaluate the thermal characteristics and energy efficiency of these systems. The findings indicate that the salt gradient solar pond with coal cinder (SGSP-CC) achieves notably higher temperatures across the Upper Convective Zone (UCZ), Non-Convective Zone (NCZ), and Lower Convective Zone (LCZ), with measured temperatures of 42.57°C, 56.8°C, and 69.86°C, respectively. These represent increases of 7.53%, 12.01%, and 15.49% over those in the conventional SGSP (SGSP-C). Additionally, the energy efficiency gains in the UCZ, NCZ, and LCZ for the SGSP-CC are noteworthy, with increases of 38.06%, 39.61%, and
The solar-based hybrid automotive vehicle represents a trend marked by technological excellence, offering an efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly solution. Besides, the enhancement of solar absorption due to poor weather is influenced by poor solar power with reduced photocurrent density. This research focuses on enhancing the solar power and photocurrent density of conventional solar cells featuring aluminium-doped zinc oxide thin films (AZO) using the Mist Chemical Vapor Deposition (MIST CVD) process with a zinc acetate precursor solution processed at temperatures ranging from 200 to 400°C. To investigate the effect of AZO on the functional behaviour of solar cells, microstructural studies utilizing scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction reveal the concentration of AZO and the alignment of Al/ZnO peaks as even. As a result, this research demonstrates a 21% increase in solar power output compared to conventional Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) cells, with an improvement in
It’s common knowledge that a major challenge for solar energy is how to store excess energy produced when conditions are right, like noon-time sun, so that it can be used later. The usual answer is batteries. But renewable energy resources are causing problems for the electricity grid in other ways as well. In a warm, sunny location like California, mid-afternoon had been a time of peak demand for the electric utility, but with solar it’s now a time of peak output.
Reducing dust accumulation on any surface is key for lunar missions as dust can damage or impair the performance of everything from deployable systems to solar cells on the Moon’s surface. Electrodynamic dust shields (EDSs) are a key method to actively clean surfaces by running high voltages (but low currents) through electrodes on the surface. The forces generated by the voltage efficiently remove built up, electrically charged dust particles. Innovators at the NASA Kennedy Space Center have developed a new transparent EDS for removing dust from space and lunar solar cells among other transparent surfaces.
The ongoing transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources has never been more important as climate change and sustainability awareness continue to rise.
A commonplace chemical used in water treatment facilities has been repurposed for large-scale energy storage in a new battery design by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The design provides a pathway to a safe, economical, water-based, flow battery made with Earth-abundant materials. It provides another pathway in the quest to incorporate intermittent energy sources such as wind and solar energy into the nation’s electric grid.
Rooftop solar panels will soon power about 90% of PFG's Gilroy, California, operations, a starting point for cold food deliveries. The vehicles getting the various edibles and food-related products from the warehouse to restaurants, schools, hotels and other customers include new battery-electric Class 8 trucks that mate to trailers fitted with zero-emission transport refrigeration units (TRUs). “Our Gilroy, California, location is the pilot for how we intend to develop sustainable distribution centers,” said Jeff Williamson, senior vice president of operations for Richmond, Virginia-headquartered Performance Food Group (PFG). Williamson and others were recently interviewed by SAE Media following an Earth Day open house at the Gilroy site.
Perovskite solar cells should be subjected to a combination of stress tests simultaneously to best predict how they will function outdoors, according to researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
The efficiency of a solar panel depends on the amount of solar radiation it receives and its surface temperature. However, during the conversion process, some of the solar radiation is converted into heat, which can increase the temperature of the solar panel’s junction, reducing its performance. This decrease in efficiency can be attributed to the decrease in output efficiency that occurs when the surface temperature of the solar panel increases. Therefore, maintaining a suitable temperature range is crucial to improving the efficiency of the photovoltaic (PV) panel. Various cooling methods, including the use of phase change materials (PCM), have been developed to control the temperature of the PV module. To test the effectiveness of PCM in cooling the solar PV module, we conducted an experiment that involved setting up a heat exchanger system and analyzing its performance. Our analysis revealed a significant improvement of 1.01 % decrement in the temperature of solar cell and the
Wireless power transfer was recently demonstrated by MAPLE — Microwave Array for Power-transfer Low-orbit Experiment — one of three key technologies being tested by the Space Solar Power Demonstrator (SSPD-1), the first space-borne prototype from Caltech’s Space Solar Power Project (SSPP), which aims to harvest solar power in space and transmit it to the Earth’s surface.
MIT engineers aim to produce totally green, carbon-free hydrogen fuel with a new, train-like system of reactors that is driven solely by the sun. In a study appearing Solar Energy Journal, the engineers lay out the conceptual design for a system that can efficiently produce “solar thermochemical hydrogen.” The system harnesses the sun's heat to directly split water and generate hydrogen — a clean fuel that can power long-distance trucks, ships, and planes, while in the process emitting no greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar powered UAV mainly relies on solar energy for range, it uses photovoltaic cells to convert solar radiant energy into electric energy for the use of solar powered UAV energy system. In response to the issue of solar powered UAV photovoltaic power supply energy utilization efficiency, an intelligent sliding mode based MPPT control method is proposed to maximize the output power of photovoltaic power supply. Firstly, introduce and analyze the photovoltaic cell model and its output characteristics; Secondly, the DC/DC converter and its MPPT control technology are introduced. Traditional MPPT control methods such as perturbation and observation and incremental conductance have poor adaptability to external environmental changes, the intelligent algorithm has the characteristics of fast rate of convergence and global search, etc. Therefore, on the basis of sliding mode control, this article introduces genetic algorithm for multi-objective function parameter tuning of sliding mode
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