A Solar Energy System Design for Green Hydrogen Production in South-Western Nigeria, Lagos State, Using HOMER & ASPEN

Solar system design for green hydrogen production has become the most prominent renewable energy research area, and this has also actively fueled the desire to achieve net-zero emissions. Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier because it possesses more energy capacity than fossil fuels and the abundant nature of renewable energy systems can be utilized for green hydrogen production. However, the design of an optimized electrical energy system required for hydrogen production is crucial. Solar energy is indeed beneficial for green hydrogen production and this research designed, discussed, and provided high-level research on HOMER design for green hydrogen production and deployed the energy requirement with ASPEN Plus to optimize the energy system, while also incorporating fuzzy logic and PID control approaches. In addition, a promising technology with a high potential for renewable hydrogen energy is the proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. Since its cathode (hydrogen electrode) may be operated over a wide range of pressure, a control process must be added to the system in order for it to work dynamically efficiently. This system can be characterized as an analogous circuit that consists of a resistor, capacitor, and reversible voltage. As a result, this research work also explores the Fuzzy-PID control of the PEM electrolysis system. Both the PID and Fuzzy Logic control systems were simulated using the control simulation program Matlab R2018a, which makes use of Matlab script files and the Simulink environment. Based on the circuit diagram, a transfer function that represents the mathematical model of the plant was created, and the PEM electrolysis control system is determined to be highly significant and applicable to the two control systems. The PI controller, however, has a 30.8% overshoot deficit, but when the fuzzy control system is compared to the PID controller, it is found that the fuzzy control system achieves stability more quickly, demonstrating its benefit over PID.

Solar Energy System with Digital Controller for Grid Connected Systems

The solar photovoltaic （PV） module output voltage changes according to the variation of light intensity and temperature. This paper presents the implementation of an automatic digital controller of a DC-DC boost converter without batteries for a solar cell module by using a peripheral interface controller, which forms a closed loop, to control the ON-OFF period of the switching pulse. The output of DC-DC converter is maintained by automatically increasing or decreasing the pulse width. To produce the pulse width modulation （PWM）, the microcontroller is programmed according to the required duty cycle for the power switch. The PWM ON period is increased with the decrease in the PV voltage and vice-versa. The input voltage to the inverter is maintained constantly and is converted into an AC signal by using the metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor （MOSFET） H-bridge operated in the sinusoidal pulse width modulation mode by using a PIC （peripheral interface controller） microcontroller. The generated AC signal can be connected to the AC grid or to the AC load. The simulated results by using Proteus 8 and hardware implemented results verify the effectiveness of the proposed controller.

Vertically aligned montmorillonite aerogel-encapsulated polyethylene glycol with directional heat transfer paths for efficient solar thermal energy harvesting and storage

The conversion and storage of photothermal energy using phase change materials(PCMs)represent an optimal approach for harnessing clean and sustainable solar energy.Herein,we encapsulated polyethylene glycol(PEG)in montmorillonite aerogels(3D-Mt)through vacuum impregnation to prepare 3D-Mt/PEG composite PCMs.When used as a support matrix,3D-Mt can effectively prevent PEG leakage and act as a flame-retardant barrier to reduce the flammability of PEG.Simultaneously,3D-Mt/PEG demonstrates outstanding shape retention,increased thermal energy storage density,and commendable thermal and chemical stability.The phase transition enthalpy of 3D-Mt/PEG can reach 167.53 J/g and remains stable even after 50 heating-cooling cycles.Furthermore,the vertical sheet-like structure of 3D-Mt establishes directional heat transport channels,facilitating efficient phonon transfer.This configuration results in highly anisotropic thermal conductivities that ensure swift thermal responses and efficient heat conduction.This study addresses the shortcomings of PCMs,including the issues of leakage and inadequate flame retardancy.It achieves the development and design of 3D-Mt/PEG with ultrahigh strength,superior flame retardancy,and directional heat transfer.Therefore,this work offers a design strategy for the preparation of high-performance composite PCMs.The 3D-Mt/PEG with vertically aligned and well-ordered array structure developed in this research shows great potential for thermal management and photothermal conversion applications.

Research on Operation Optimization of Heating System Based on Electric Storage Coupled Solar Energy and Air Source Heat Pump

For heating systems based on electricity storage coupled with solar energy and an air source heat pump(ECSA),choosing the appropriate combination of heat sources according to local conditions is the key to improving economic efficiency.In this paper,four cities in three climatic regions in China were selected,namely Nanjing in the hot summer and cold winter region,Tianjin in the cold region,Shenyang and Harbin in the severe cold winter region.The levelized cost of heat(LCOH)was used as the economic evaluation index,and the energy consumption and emissions of different pollutants were analyzed.TRNSYS software was used to simulate and analyze the system performance.The Hooke-Jeeves optimization algorithm and GenOpt software were used to optimize the system parameters.The results showed that ECSA systemhad an excellent operation effect in cold region and hot summer and cold winter region.Compared with ECS system,the systemenergy consumption,and the emission of different pollutants of ECSA system can be reduced by a maximum of 1.37 times.In cold region,the initial investment in an air source heat pump is higher due to the lower ambient temperature,resulting in an increase in the LOCH value of ECSA system.After the LOCH value of ECSA system in each region was optimized,the heating cost of the system was reduced,but also resulted in an increase in energy consumption and the emission of different pollutant gases.

Utilization of Solar Energy in Irrigation Systems in Bangladesh

The demand for water pumping in urban water supply and irrigation in Bangladesh is significantly influenced by electricity deficits and high diesel costs. To address these challenges, the adoption of solar power for water pumping emerges as a viable alternative to traditional systems reliant on grid power and diesel. In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on clean and renewable energies, aligning with the environmental and economic priorities of Bangladesh. The agricultural sector, serving as the backbone of the country’s economy, witnesses an escalating demand for water as the population increases. The extraction and transfer of water for agricultural and drinking purposes translate to high-energy consumption. Leveraging the abundant and essentially free solar energy, particularly during the crop growth periods when irrigation is crucial, presents an optimal solution. This study underscores the underutilization of this vital resource in Bangladesh and advocates for the widespread implementation of solar energy conversion programs, specifically in photovoltaic pumping systems. By comparing these systems with conventional diesel pumps, this paper aims to inspire policymakers, statesmen, and industry professionals to integrate green energy into the water sector. The envisioned outcome is a strategic shift towards sustainable development, with a focus on harnessing solar power to pump water for villages and agriculture, thus contributing to economic and environmental sustainability.

The Benefits of Solar Energy on the Provision of Sustainable Affordable Housing in Nigeria

Solar energy is the most abundant form of energy on Earth. Solar energy brings impactful benefits and products that are expected to make homes more reliable, sustainable, and affordable. Thanks to technological advancements like the solar cell, we can gather this energy and turn it into electricity. The construction industry has an exceptional chance of benefiting from this sustainable energy. Many recognised benefits have been spelled forth in the construction industry, such as providing homes with clean energy with no trace of ozone depleting material emission. There are many people in Nigeria who are not linked to the public electric grid, and the energy sector produces and generates less than 58% of the entire amount of energy required. As stated in the Nigeria’s National Energy General Plan, the Sustainable Energy programme aims to enhance the country’s use of solar electricity. This paper focuses on the role of solar energy in the provision of sustainable affordable housing in Nigeria. It considers the description, method, and utilisation of solar energy with a focus on residential and commercial buildings.

Solar Energy Harvesting Using a Timer-Based Relay Selection

In this paper,the throughput and delay of cooperative communications are derived when solar energy is used and relay node is selected using a timer.The source and relays harvest energy from sun using a photo voltaic system.The harvested power is used by the source to transmit data to the relays.Then,a selected relay amplifies the signal to the destination.Opportunistic,partial and reactive relay selection are used.The relay transmits when its timer elapses.The timer is set to a value proportional to the inverse of its Signal to Noise Ratio(SNR).Therefore,the relay with largest SNR will transmit first and its signal will be detected by the other relays that will remain idle to avoid collisions.Harvesting duration is optimized to maximize the throughput.Packet’s waiting time and total delay are also computed.We also derive the statistics of SNR when solar energy is used.The harvested power from sun is proportional to the sum of a deterministic radiation intensity and a random attenuation due to weather effects and clouds occlusion.The fixed radiation intensity depends on season,month and time t in hour.The throughput of cooperative communications with energy harvesting from sun was not yet studied.

CT-NET: A Novel Convolutional Transformer-Based Network for Short-Term Solar Energy Forecasting Using Climatic Information

Photovoltaic(PV)systems are environmentally friendly,generate green energy,and receive support from policies and organizations.However,weather fluctuations make large-scale PV power integration and management challenging despite the economic benefits.Existing PV forecasting techniques(sequential and convolutional neural networks(CNN))are sensitive to environmental conditions,reducing energy distribution system performance.To handle these issues,this article proposes an efficient,weather-resilient convolutional-transformer-based network(CT-NET)for accurate and efficient PV power forecasting.The network consists of three main modules.First,the acquired PV generation data are forwarded to the pre-processing module for data refinement.Next,to carry out data encoding,a CNNbased multi-head attention(MHA)module is developed in which a single MHA is used to decode the encoded data.The encoder module is mainly composed of 1D convolutional and MHA layers,which extract local as well as contextual features,while the decoder part includes MHA and feedforward layers to generate the final prediction.Finally,the performance of the proposed network is evaluated using standard error metrics,including the mean squared error(MSE),root mean squared error(RMSE),and mean absolute percentage error(MAPE).An ablation study and comparative analysis with several competitive state-of-the-art approaches revealed a lower error rate in terms of MSE(0.0471),RMSE(0.2167),and MAPE(0.6135)over publicly available benchmark data.In addition,it is demonstrated that our proposed model is less complex,with the lowest number of parameters(0.0135 M),size(0.106 MB),and inference time(2 ms/step),suggesting that it is easy to integrate into the smart grid.

Hyperparameter Optimization Based Deep Belief Network for Clean Buses Using Solar Energy Model

Renewable energy has become a solution to the world’s energy concerns in recent years.Photovoltaic(PV)technology is the fastest technique to convert solar radiation into electricity.Solar-powered buses,metros,and cars use PV technology.Such technologies are always evolving.Included in the parameters that need to be analysed and examined include PV capabilities,vehicle power requirements,utility patterns,acceleration and deceleration rates,and storage module type and capacity,among others.PVPG is intermit-tent and weather-dependent.Accurate forecasting and modelling of PV sys-tem output power are key to managing storage,delivery,and smart grids.With unparalleled data granularity,a data-driven system could better anticipate solar generation.Deep learning(DL)models have gained popularity due to their capacity to handle complex datasets and increase computing power.This article introduces the Galactic Swarm Optimization with Deep Belief Network(GSODBN-PPGF)model.The GSODBN-PPGF model predicts PV power production.The GSODBN-PPGF model normalises data using data scaling.DBN is used to forecast PV power output.The GSO algorithm boosts the DBN model’s predicted output.GSODBN-PPGF projected 0.002 after 40 h but observed 0.063.The GSODBN-PPGF model validation is compared to existing approaches.Simulations showed that the GSODBN-PPGF model outperformed recent techniques.It shows that the proposed model is better at forecasting than other models and can be used to predict the PV power output for the next day.

Optimal Location to Use Solar Energy in an Urban Situation

This study conducted in Lima, Peru, a combination of spatial decisionmaking system and machine learning was utilized to identify potentialsolar power plant construction sites within the city. Sundial measurementsof solar radiation, precipitation, temperature, and altitude were collectedfor the study. Gene Expression Programming (GEP), which is based on theevolution of intelligent models, and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) wereboth utilized in this investigation, and the results obtained from each werecompared. Eighty percent of the data was utilized during the training phase,while the remaining twenty percent was utilized during the testing phase. Onthe basis of the findings, it was determined that the GEP is the most suitablenetwork for predicting the location. The test state’s Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency(NSE) was 0.90, and its root-mean-square error (RMSE) was 0.04. Followingthe generation of the final map based on the results of the GEP model, itwas determined that 9.2% of the province’s study area is suitable for theconstruction of photovoltaic solar power plants, while 53.5% is acceptable and37.3% is unsuitable. The ANN model reveals that only 1.7% of the study areais suitable for the construction of photovoltaic solar power plants, while 66.8%is acceptable and 31.5% is unsuitable.

Modeling and Optimization of Solar Collector Design for the Improvement of Solar-Air Source Heat Pump Building Heating System

To enhance system stability,solar collectors have been integrated with air-source heat pumps.This integration facilitates the concurrent utilization of solar and air as energy sources for the system,leading to an improvement in the system’s heat generation coefficient,overall efficiency,and stability.In this study,we focus on a residential building located in Lhasa as the target for heating purposes.Initially,we simulate and analyze a solar-air source heat pump combined heating system.Subsequently,while ensuring the system meets user requirements,we examine the influence of solar collector installation angles and collector area on the performance of the solar-air source heat pump dual heating system.Through this analysis,we determine the optimal installation angle and collector area to optimize system performance.

Investment in Generation of Photovoltaic Solar Energy: A Fezsibility Study with Flexibility and Uncertainty

The objective of this research will be to calculate the feasibility of investing in a solar energy generation project through the development of a methodology that allows the capture of environmental uncertainties by improving decision making. The article presents a comparative study of the feasibility analysis of investment in a solar mini solar energy for a Shopping, considering a regime of certainty and uncertainty. The assumed stochastic variables were energy tariff and price of solar panels. The trajectories were simulated with the binomial approach that combined resulted in a quadratic diagram. The applied methodology presented the best recommendation and the option to wait was the most valuable. The exchange of the energy obtained from LIGHT by own generation of energy with solar photovoltaic source will be viable for the manager since it observes the behavior of the variables over time and follows the rules of optimal decision.

Potentiality of Solar Photovoltaic Energy in Paraiba, Brazil, and the Relation with Sustainable Development

The use of non-renewable energy has been a major environmental concern and, therefore, there is a need to look for other renewable energy sources, especially photovoltaic’s. In view of this, an attempt was made to quantify the potential of solar irradiance in the State of Paraiba, as an alternative source for conversion and use in electrical energy, these determinations being the main objectives. Global solar irradiance and solar photovoltaic data were extracted from scientific publications and/or made available on the websites of the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET), the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the National Electric Energy Agency, among others. For the case study, semi-structured questionnaires were applied in different business establishments in Campina Grande, with questions related to socioeconomic aspects and photovoltaic technology. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics criteria and using an Excel spreadsheet. The main results indicated that the Brazilian energy matrix is predominantly from renewable sources. The Northeast is the second region with the highest production of photovoltaic solar energy and the State of Paraiba occupies its fourth position in the generation of this type of energy. The option of photovoltaic technology is a promising alternative, especially for rural areas, where there is not always a conventional electricity grid. The high availability of solar energy in northeastern Brazil, in almost all months of the year, especially in the state of Paraiba, demonstrates the existence of a high potential to generate electricity from photovoltaic systems. This technology contributes to local sustainable development, as it is an activity that generates employment and income, without degrading the environment.

Integration of earth-abundant cocatalysts for high-performance photoelectrochemical energy conversion

Photoelectrochemical(PEC)energy conversion has emerged as a promising and efficient approach to sustainable energy harvesting and storage.By utilizing semiconductor photoelectrodes,PEC devices can harness solar energy and drive electrochemical reactions such as water splitting or carbon dioxide(CO_(2))reduction to generate clean fuels and value-added chemicals.However,PEC energy conversion faces several challenges such as high overpotential,sluggish reaction kinetics,charge carrier recombination,and stability issues,which limit its practical implementation.Recently,significant research has been conducted to improve the overall conversion efficiency of PEC devices.One particularly promising approach is the use of cocatalysts,which involves introducing specific cocatalysts onto the photoelectrode surface to promote charge separation,improve reaction kinetics,and reduce the overpotential,thereby enhancing the overall performance of PEC energy conversion.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent developments in the earth-abundant cocatalysts for PEC water splitting and CO_(2) reduction.The main earth-abundant catalysts for the PEC water splitting include transition-metal dichalcogenide(TMD)-based materials,metal phosphides/carbides,and metal oxides/hydroxides.Meanwhile,PEC-CO_(2)RR was divided into C_(1) and C_(2+)based on the final product since various products could be produced,focusing on diverse earth-abundant materials-based cocatalysts.In addition,we provide and highlight key advancements achieved in the very recent reports on novel PEC system design engineering with cocatalysts.Finally,the current problems associated with PEC systems are discussed along with a suggested direction to overcome these obstacles.

Recent advances in graphene-based phase change composites for thermal energy storage and management

Energy storage and conservation are receiving increased attention due to rising global energy demands.Therefore,the development of energy storage materials is crucial.Thermal energy storage(TES)systems based on phase change materials(PCMs)have increased in prominence over the past two decades,not only because of their outstanding heat storage capacities but also their superior thermal energy regulation capability.However,issues such as leakage and low thermal conductivity limit their applicability in a variety of settings.Carbon-based materials such as graphene and its derivatives can be utilized to surmount these obstacles.This study examines the recent advancements in graphene-based phase change composites(PCCs),where graphene-based nanostructures such as graphene,graphene oxide(GO),functionalized graphene/GO,and graphene aerogel(GA)are incorporated into PCMs to substantially enhance their shape stability and thermal conductivity that could be translated to better storage capacity,durability,and temperature response,thus boosting their attractiveness for TES systems.In addition,the applications of these graphene-based PCCs in various TES disciplines,such as energy conservation in buildings,solar utilization,and battery thermal management,are discussed and summarized.

An Introduction to Distribution-Level Solar Energy

Solar energy has been widely used in power generation.With the development of solar energy,the distributed photovoltaic power generation and the distributed grid-connected PV systems become the center of attention.This paper provided a brief introduction to distribution-level solar energy.Firstly,the development of solar energy was analyzed,and the distributed photovoltaic power generation was discussed.Secondly,the distributed grid-connected PV systems and basic theory of photovoltaic solar channel were analyzed.In order to ensure PV power is connected to grid stably and reliably,some related aspects such as the establishment of mathematical model for solar photovoltaic cell,the analysis of I-V characteristics of solar photovoltaic cell,and the tracking of its maximum power point(MPPT)to control the behaviour of the DC/DC converter were discussed.Finally,a simulation model was necessary to be established by using PSCAD/EMTDC function module to verify and simulate the mathematical model and control strategies,and some suggestions were put forward for the sustainable development of solar energy.

Progress in manipulating spin polarization for solar hydrogen production

Photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting using semiconductor materials are effective approaches for converting solar energy into hydrogen fuel.In the past few years,a series of photocatalysts/photoelectrocatalysts have been developed and optimized to achieve efficient solar hydrogen production.Among various optimization strategies,the regulation of spin polarization can tailor the intrinsic optoelectronic properties for retarding charge recombination and enhancing surface reactions,thus improving the solar-to-hydrogen(STH)efficiency.This review presents recent advances in the regulation of spin polarization to enhance spin polarized-dependent solar hydrogen evolution activity.Specifically,spin polarization manipulation strategies of several typical photocatalysts/photoelectrocatalysts(e.g.,metallic oxides,metallic sulfides,non-metallic semiconductors,ferroelectric materials,and chiral molecules)are described.In the end,the critical challenges and perspectives of spin polarization regulation towards future solar energy conversion are briefly provided.

Solar Energy Recovery and Storage System for Powering Wireless Communicating Nodes

We find nowadays in several fields of application the presence of IoT technology such as wireless sensor and actuator networks. In this technology, one of the main points of study is the management of energy consumption. In this article, we provide a solar energy harvesting and storage system for powering wireless nodes. The system we propose uses a low power solar pane a P & O control adapted to fuzzy logic for the MPPT. For energy storage, we used the supercapacitor technology. The simulation of the models shows better results than using the P & O command for an autonomous power supply of the wireless communicating nodes in the study region.

Solar energy conversion on g-C3N4 photocatalyst:Light harvesting,charge separation,and surface kinetics

Photocatalysis. which utilizes solar energy to trigger chemical reactions, is one of the most desirable solar-energy-conversion approaches. Graphitic carbon nitride （g-C3N4）. as an attractive metal-free photocatalyst, has drawn worldwide research interest in the area of solar energy conversion due to its easy synthesis, earth-abundant nature, physicochemical stability and visible-light-responsive properties. Over the past ten years, g-C3N4 based photocatalysts have experienced intensive exploration, and great progress has been achieved. However, the solar conversion efficiency is still far from industrial applications due to the wide bandgap, severe charge recombination, and lack of surface active sites. Many strategies have been proposed to enhance the light absorption, reduce the recombination of charge carriers and accelerate the surface kinetics. This work makes a crucial review about the main contributions of various strategies to the light harvesting, charge separation and surface kinetics of g-C3N4 photocatalyst. Furthermore, the evaluation measurements for the enhanced light harvesting, reduced charge recombination and accelerated surface kinetics will be discussed. In addition, this review proposes future trends to enhance the photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4 photocatalyst for the solar energy conversion.

Solar thermochemical reactions Ⅱ:Synthesis of 2-aminothiophenes via Gewald reaction induced by solar thermal energy

Green conditions have been developed for the synthesis of substituted 2-aminothiophenes employing multicomponent reactions of a ketone with active methylene nitrile and elemental sulphur induced by free solar thermal energy.