Review of the performance of residential PV systems in Belgium

The main objective of this paper is to review the state of the art of residential PV systems in Belgium by the analysis of the operational data of 993 installations. For that, three main questions are posed: how much energy do they produce? What level of performance is associated to their production? Which are the key parameters that most influence their quality? This work brings answers to these questions. A middling commercial PV system, optimally oriented, produces a mean annual energy of 892 kWh/kW_p. As a whole, the orientation of PV generators causes energy productions to be some 6% inferior to optimally oriented PV systems. The mean performance ratio is 78% and the mean performance index is 85%. That is to say, the energy produced by a typical PV system in Belgium is 15% inferior to the energy produced by a very high quality PV system. Finally, on average, the real power of the PV modules falls 5% below its corresponding nominal power announced on the manufacturer's datasheet. Differences between real and nominal power of up to 16% have been detected.     

Review of the performance of residential PV systems in France

The main objective of this paper is to review the state of the art of residential PV systems in France. This is done analyzing the operational data of 6868 installations. Three main questions are posed. How much energy do they produce? What level of performance is associated to their production? Which are the key parameters that most influence their quality? During the year 2010, the PV systems in France have produced a mean annual energy of 1163 kWh/kW_p. As a whole, the orientation of PV generators causes energy productions to be some 7% inferior to optimally oriented PV systems. The mean Performance Ratio is 76% and the mean Performance Index is 85%. That is to say, the energy produced by a typical PV system in France is 15% inferior to the energy produced by a very high quality PV system. On average, the real power of the PV modules falls 4.9% below its corresponding nominal power announced on the manufacturer's datasheet. A brief analysis by PV modules technology has led to relevant observations about two technologies in particular. On the one hand, the PV systems equipped with heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT) modules show performances higher than average. On the other hand, the systems equipped with the copper indium (di)selenide (CIS) modules show a real power that is 16% lower than their nominal value.     

Present status and future prospects of PV activities in Japan

The photovoltaic (PV) power systems in Japan made great strides in the past decade. The PV industry in the 1990s greatly depended on the research projects and dissemination programs carried out by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. However, the industrial structure for full-scale deployment of the PV system is currently being established by the manufacturers’ continuous efforts to reduce the PV system cost and the government’s consecutive supports to create the initial market. It is expected that the synergetic effect of the cost reduction and incentives for introduction will activate the PV industry and its market more and more toward achieving 5000 MW of the capacity in FY 2010.     

Residential PV system users' perception of profitability,reliability, and failure risk: An empirical survey in a local Japanese municipality

Although previous studies have addressed the reliability of residential PV systems in order to improve the dissemination of the systems among individual users and societies, few have examined users' perception of their own PV systems, which might contain solutions to firmly establish the system into society. First, the present paper examined the extent to which residential PV system users understand specification, reliability, and failure risk of their own systems. Second, causal factors affecting users' satisfaction with PV systems were examined. By analyzing data collected in Kakegawa City, this paper revealed that users did not appropriately understand the basic specifications of their residential PV systems, and in particular, the fact that the systems sometimes failed and therefore needed proper maintenance. Furthermore, a strong causal relationship between users' expectations of financial return from the system and their level of satisfaction was confirmed empirically. These results suggested that excessive focus on profitability and relatively low interest in the systems' reliability and failure risk should be addressed more to avoid problems that could potentially hamper the establishment of this technology into society.     

光伏并网电站数据采集监测系统

描述了计算机控制系统在光伏并网电站中的应用。介绍了数据采集监测系统的硬件结构以及软件的设计和实现。系统的硬件有并网逆变器、传感器、数据采集器等;系统的软件具有采集、处理、储存和查询功能。该数据采集监测系统为获取太阳能并网光伏电站的运行数据提供保证。     

A techno-economic comparison of rural electrification based on solar home systems and PV microgrids

Solar home systems are typically used for providing basic electricity services to rural households that are not connected to electric grid. Off-grid PV power plants with their own distribution network (micro/minigrids) are also being considered for rural electrification. A techno-economic comparison of the two options to facilitate a choice between them is presented in this study on the basis of annualised life cycle costs (ALCC) for same type of loads and load patterns for varying number of households and varying length and costs of distribution network. The results highlight that microgrid is generally a more economic option for a village having a flat geographic terrain and more than 500 densely located households using 3–4 low power appliances (e.g. 9 W CFLs) for an average of 4 h daily. The study analyses the viability of the two options from the perspectives of the user, an energy service company and the society.     

Generating capacity adequacy evaluation of large-scale,grid-connected photovoltaic systems

Large-scale, grid-connected photovoltaic systems have become an essential part of modern electric power distribution systems. In this paper, a novel approach based on the Markov method has been proposed to investigate the effects of large-scale, grid-connected photovoltaic systems on the reliability of bulk power systems. The proposed method serves as an applicable tool to estimate performance (e.g., energy yield and capacity) as well as reliability indices. The Markov method framework has been incorporated with the multi-state models to develop energy states of the photovoltaic systems in order to quantify the effects of the photovoltaic systems on the power system adequacy. Such analysis assists planners to make adequate decisions based on the economical expectations as well as to ensure the recovery of the investment costs over time. The failure states of the components of photovoltaic systems have been considered to evaluate the sensitivity analysis and the adequacy indices including loss of load expectation, and expected energy not supplied. Moreover, the impacts of transitions between failures on the reliability calculations as well as on the long- term operation of the photovoltaic systems have been illustrated. Simulation results on the Roy Billinton test system has been shown to illustrate the procedure of the proposed frame work and evaluate the reliability benefits of using large-scale, grid-connected photovoltaic system on the bulk electric power systems. The proposed method can be easily extended to estimate the operating and maintenance costs for the financial planning of the photovoltaic system projects.     

Feasibility study of brackish water desalination in the Egyptian deserts and rural regions using PV systems

Fresh water is the most important source for life on the earth. In the Egyptian deserts and rural areas, there is a shortage of fresh water in spite of the presence of large sources of brackish water. Solar energy is abundant in these remote areas of Egypt, where the amount of sunshine hours is around 3500 h/year. This paper introduces a feasibility study of water desalination in these areas using photovoltaic energy as the primary source of energy. The availability of water resources and solar energy in these areas has been investigated. Also, a design of a PV powered small scale reverse osmosis water desalination system is studied and economically estimated. It is found that the cost of producing 1 m³ of fresh water using the small PV powered RO water desalination systems is 3.73$. This cost is based on using a small system that is operating during the daylight only. If the system size and the daily period of operation are increased, the price of producing fresh water will be decreased in these regions. Also, it is important to mention that using renewable energy sources in feeding different systems in these rural areas with their energy demands will maintain their environment clean and healthy for people.     

Comparative analysis of different supporting measures for the production of electrical energy by solar PV and Wind systems: Four representative European cases

In the 9th of March 2007, the European Council decided a fixing goal of 20% contribution of the renewable energy sources (RES) on the total European electric energy production in 2020.In order to reach such an ambitious goal, all the European countries are adopting different support policies for encouraging the installations of RES-based generation systems.In this paper, after a brief review on the main support policies for RES in Europe, the specific situations of four representative countries (France, Germany, Italy and Spain) are examined, with the purpose of putting into evidence the main differences in the support policies adopted for Photovoltaic (PV) and Wind systems.In particular, a comparison based on the calculation of the pay-back-period (PBP), the net present value (NPV) and the internal rate of return (IRR), for different sized PV and Wind systems, shows that in some situations a support policy can be not convenient for the owner of the RES-based generation system and that, in many cases, the differences between the way of implementation of the same support policy in different countries, can give place to significantly different results.     

Monitoring and data analysis of a PV system connected to a grid for home applications

Monitoring of a PV system connected to a grid was conducted to collect the system performance and compared to a PV stand-alone system. Daily solar inputs and load outputs for home applications of the two systems were recorded. Balance and surplus of energy in the systems were observed during dry and summer seasons when high solar radiation was recorded. During the raining season, with thunderstorms, solar radiation was low and grid cut-off occasionally occurred. Consequently, energy deficiencies and grid back-up of the systems were observed. It was found that the battery size of the PV system connected to the grid was reduced by a factor of 0.5–0.7 compared to the PV stand-alone counterpart for similar load behaviors. The merits of the PV system connected to the grid during grid cut-off was confirmed; the system proved to be appropriate for tropical countries where unstable electricity supply from the grid can occur during monsoon season.     

Multi-criteria evaluation for the optimal adoption of distributed residential energy systems in Japan

Evaluation of sustainable residential energy system is complex process, in which not only the economic aspect, but also the energetic and environmental effects should be taken into consideration. In this paper, an integrated design and evaluation model has been developed, by combing linear programming and multi-criteria evaluation method, in order to determine the optimal residential energy system while considering different types of information. As an illustrative example, an investigation is conducted for a typical residential building in Kitakyushu, Japan. A set of residential energy alternatives, including both conventional energy and renewable energy applications, are assumed for adoption. Based on the optimal design results from the linear programming, the various alternatives have been assessed against economic, energetic and environmental criteria. According to the evaluation results, currently, renewable energy systems are not competitive unless strong attention is paid to the environmental benefits. All electric system may be a transitional consideration before reaching an actual low carbon residential energy system. Furthermore, the evaluation result is greatly influenced by the criteria priority, as well as the evaluation method.     

Integrated evaluation of radiative heating systems for residential buildings

Based on the need to reduce CO₂ emissions and minimize energy dependency, the EU Member States have set ambitious energy policies goals and have developed respective, specific regulations, in order to improve the energy performance of the building sector. Thus, specific measures regarding the buildings’ envelope, the use of efficient HVAC technologies and the integration of renewable energy systems are being constantly studied and promoted. The effective combination of these three main aspects will consequently result in maximum energy efficiency. Germany has played a key role in this development, with intensive work focusing in the improvement of the energy behaviour of the residential building stock. In this paper, the use of radiative heating systems placing special emphasis on infrared is being studied as part of the energy renovation of residential buildings from the 1970’s. This is done by applying an integrated assessment model to evaluate specific interventions regarding the improvement of the energy behaviour of the buildings’ envelope and the use of radiative heating systems, based on a thorough Life Cycle Analysis according to criteria of energy, economic and environmental performance, as well as thermal comfort.     

Energy and exergy performance of residential heating systems with separate mechanical ventilation

The paper brings new evidence on the impact of separate mechanical ventilation system on the annual energy and exergy performance of several design alternatives of residential heating systems, when they are designed for a house in Montreal. Mathematical models of residential heating, ventilation and domestic hot water (HVAC–DHW) systems, which are needed for this purpose, are developed and furthermore implemented in the Engineering Equation Solver (EES) environment. The Coefficient of Performance and the exergy efficiency are estimated as well as the entropy generation and exergy destruction of the overall system. The equivalent greenhouse gas emissions due to the on-site and off-site use of primary energy sources are also estimated. The addition of a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery to any HVAC–DHW system discussed in the paper increases the energy efficiency; however, it decreases the exergy efficiency, which indicates a potential long-term damaging impact on the natural environment. Therefore, the use of a separate mechanical ventilation system in a house should be considered with caution, and recommended only when other means for controlling the indoor air quality cannot be applied.     

Performance evaluation of different configurations of biogas-fuelled SOFC micro-CHP systems for residential applications

Three configurations of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) systems are studied with a particular emphasis on the application for single-family detached dwellings. Biogas is considered to be the primary fuel for the systems studied. In each system, a different method is used for processing the biogas fuel to prevent carbon deposition over the anode of the cells used in the SOFC stack. The anode exit gas recirculation, steam reforming, and partial oxidation are the methods employed in systems I–III, respectively. The results predicted through computer simulation of these systems confirm that the net AC electrical efficiency of around 42.4%, 41.7% and 33.9% are attainable for systems I–III, respectively. Depending on the size, location and building type and design, all the systems studied are suitable to provide the domestic hot water and electric power demands for residential dwellings. The effect of the cell operating voltage at different fuel utilization ratios on the number of cells required for the SOFC stack to generate around 1 kW net AC electric power, the thermal-to-electric ratio (TER), the net AC electrical and CHP efficiencies, the biogas fuel consumption, and the excess air required for controlling the SOFC stack temperature is also studied through a detailed sensitivity analysis. The results point out that the cell design voltage is higher than the cell voltage at which the minimum number of cells is obtained for the SOFC stack.     

Prediction of greenhouse gas reduction potential in Japanese residential sector by residential energy end-use model

A model is developed that simulates nationwide energy consumption of the residential sector by considering the diversity of household and building types. Since this model can simulate the energy consumption for each household and building category by dynamic energy use based on the schedule of the occupants’ activities and a heating and cooling load calculation model, various kinds of energy-saving policies can be evaluated with considerable accuracy. In addition, the average energy efficiency of major electric appliances used in the residential sector and the percentages of housing insulation levels of existing houses is predicted by the “stock transition model.” In this paper, energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in the Japanese residential sector until 2025 are predicted. For example, as a business – as-usual (BAU) case, CO₂ emissions will be reduced by 7% from the 1990 level. Also evaluated are mitigation measures such as the energy efficiency standard for home electric appliances, thermal insulation code, reduction of standby power, high-efficiency water heaters, energy-efficient behavior of occupants, and dissemination of photovoltaic panels.     

Economical, environmental and technical analysis of building integrated photovoltaic systems in Malaysia

Malaysia has identified photovoltaic systems as one of the most promising renewable sources. A great deal of efforts has been undertaken to promote the wide applications of PV systems. With the recent launch of a PV market induction programme known as SURIA 1000 in conjunction with other relevant activities undertaken under the national project of Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic (MBIPV), the market of PV systems begins to be stimulated in the country. As a result, a wide range of technical, environmental and economic issues with regard to the connection of PV systems to local distribution networks becomes apparent. Numerous studies were therefore carried out in collaboration with Malaysian Energy Centre to address a number of those important issues. The findings of the studies are presented in the paper and can be served as supplementary information to parties who are directly and indirectly involved in the PV sector in Malaysia.     

Techno-economical assessment of grid connected PV/T using nanoparticles and water as base-fluid systems in Malaysia

In this study, the techno-economic assessment of GCPVT with nanofluid has been investigated based on theoretical and experimental work in Malaysia. The productivity and utilisation of the PV have been investigated using yield and capacity factors (CFs), respectively. Also, the cost of energy and payback period has been calculated. The system installed, tested, and data have been collected. Evaluation of the system in terms of current, voltage, power and efficiency are presented. The average daily ambient temperature and total global solar energy in Kuala Lumpur are 38.89°C and 4062?Wh/m², respectively. MATLAB software is used to analyse the measured data. The assessment results show that the GCPVT system has annual yield factor, CF, the cost of energy; payback period, and efficiency are (128.34–183.75)?kWh/kWp, (17.82–25.52)%, 0.196?USD/kWh, 7–8 years and 9.1%, respectively. This study indicates that the GCPVT system with nanofluid improved the PV technical and economic performance.     

New sunshine project and new trend of PV R&D program in Japan

The development and application of new energy resources seems to promise significant effects in tackling the problems of reassembling Japan's feeble energy supply structure and of the damages done to global environment by acid rain, carbon dioxide and its offspring known as greenhouse effect. Now, the development of new energy is promoted under the ‘New Sunshine Program” started in 1993, following “Sunshine Project” started in 1974. As a result of technical development and legislative supports, the introduction and dissemination of photovoltaic (PV) power generation has been promoted recently. To promote new energy introduction in Japan including PV power generation, a “Basic Guidelines for New Energy Introduction” was decided upon in a December 1994 Cabinet meeting. In the “Guidelines” a policy was formulated whereby the introductory targets for PV power generation were set at 400MW in 2000 and 4,600MW in 2010. The state, local public bodies, and the private sector are cooperatively to promote accelerated introduction.Since its founding in October 1980, NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) has, as the central organization in Japan for development of new energy including PV power generation, strived to meet this obligation, with assistance from various spheres. The thesis is outline of the “New Sunshine Program” and Japan's contribution in the technological development and dissemination of PV power generation being made on the initiative of NEDO.     

An overview of the environmental,economic, and material developments of the solar and wind sources coupled with the energy storage systems

There is a constant growth in energy consumption and consequently energy generation around the world. During the recent decades, renewable energy sources took heed of scientists and policy makers as a remedy for substituting traditional sources. Wind and photovoltaic (PV) are the least reliable sources because of their dependence on wind speed and irradiance and therefore their intermittent nature. Energy storage systems are usually coupled with these sources to increase the reliability of the hybrid system. Environmental effects are one of the biggest concerns associated with the renewable energy sources. This study summarizes the last and most important environmental and economic analysis of a grid‐connected hybrid network consisting of wind turbine, PV panels, and energy storage systems. Focusing on environmental aspects, this paper reviews land efficiency, shaded analysis of wind turbines and PV panels, greenhouse gas emission, wastes of wind turbine and PV panels' components, fossil fuel consumption, wildlife, sensitive ecosystems, health benefits, and so on. A cost analysis of the energy generated by a hybrid system has been discussed. Furthermore, this study reviews the latest technologies for materials that have been used for solar PV manufacturing. This paper can help to make a right decision considering all aspects of installing a hybrid system. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.