For clean hydropower generation while sustaining ecosystems, minimizing harmful impacts and balancing multiple water needs is an integral component. One particularly harmful effect not managed explicitly by hydropower operations is thermal destabilization of downstream waters. To demonstrate that the thermal destabilization by hydropower dams can be managed while maximizing energy production, we modelled

The electrode plays an important role in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Preparation of the electrode should be simple and should result in high performance of its DSSC. We herein demonstrated high-performance and easily prepared Silver nanoparticles adhered on Reduced graphene oxide–Platinum composites (Ag–RGO/Pt) as counter electrodes (CEs) and TiO2 on RGO sheets with Ag (TiO2–RGO/Ag) as photoanode

A novel genetically themed hierarchical algorithm (GTHA) has been investigated to design Fresnel lens solar concentrators that match with the distinct energy input and spatial geometry of various thermal applications. Basic heat transfer analysis of each application decides its solar energy requirement. The GTHA incorporated in MATLAB® optimizes the concentrator characteristics to secure this energy

Distributed generations (DGs) are small generating plants which are connected to consumers in distribution systems to improve the voltage profile, stability improvement, reduction in power losses and economic benefits. The above benefits can be achieved by optimal placement of DGs. In this paper, a novel nature-inspired algorithm called elephant herding optimization algorithm is used to determine the

Eight vegetable dyes extracted from flowers, fruits and leaves abundant in the wide biodiversity of the Andes region of South America were extracted with ethanol without purification to explore as vegetable photosensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The absorbance spectra were measured by UV–visible spectroscopy and the photoelectrical performance of the DSSCs based on these dyes with

As wind and solar power installations proliferate, power grids will face new challenges in ensuring consistent coverage from variable renewable resources. One option to reduce variability is to integrate the output from wind and solar facilities with dissimilar temporal profiles of output. This study measured the complementarity of wind and solar resources sited in various regions of Texas. This study

In power systems, increasing the renewable energy penetration with small signal stability is one of the demanding and critical tasks in recent days. This research work aims to develop a multistage optimization technique, namely particle swarm optimization (PSO), for improving both the energy penetration and small signal stability. Here, the wind and solar power sources are considered, and its penetration

A self-replicating rapid prototyper (RepRap) is a type of 3-D printer capable of printing many of its own components in addition to a wide assortment of products from high-value scientific or medical tools to household products and toys. There is some evidence that these printers could provide low-cost distributed manufacturing in underprivileged rural areas. For the most isolated communities without

Distributed generation (DG) is small generating plants which are connected to consumers in distribution systems to improve the voltage profile, voltage regulation, stability, reduction in power losses and economic benefits. The above benefits can be achieved by optimal placement of DGs. A novel nature-inspired algorithm called Dragonfly algorithm is used to determine the optimal DG units size in this

This paper presents a low-cost solution of virtual instrumentation to provide a new technique for real-time instrumentation of the PV panel characteristics such as voltage, current and power. The system design is based on a low-cost Arduino acquisition board. The acquisition is made through a low-cost current and voltage sensors, and data are presented in Excel by using the PLX-DAQ data acquisition

Pumped storage hydroelectric power plants are one of the most applicable energy storage technologies on large-scale capacity generation due to many technical considerations such as their maturity, frequency control and higher ramp rates, thus maintaining following loads in case of high penetration of renewables in the electrical grid. Economic viability of PSHPPs is still questionable when compared

This paper aims to analyze the comparative attractiveness of either investing in various renewable energy sources or continue using coal for electricity generation in the Philippines. Using real options approach, this research evaluates the investment value and trigger prices of coal for switching technologies with some scenarios in coal price uncertainty and social discount rate. The results find

In the present study, a detailed investigation on air dust particles effect on photovoltaic (PV) model performance has been carried out. The scanning electron microscope analysis of the collected dust samples was being carried out, and the obtained images were being analyzed in order to observe the character and topography of the dust sample particles. The data for dust samples of different weights

The purpose of this paper is to present a performance comparison between two maximum power point tracking algorithms. These two algorithms are incremental conductance (INC) which is an improved version of the perturb and observe algorithm, and the second algorithm is the Kalman filter applied to a photovoltaic system. In this work, a photovoltaic panel is modeled in PSIM tool; a Boost converter controlled

Successful integration of renewable energy sources like wind power into smart grids largely depends on accurate prediction of power from these intermittent sources. Production of wind power cannot be controlled as the wind speed can vary based on weather conditions. Accurate prediction of wind power can assist smart grid that intelligently decides on the usage of alternative power sources based on

This paper presents a new approach for the determination of the wind speed distribution based on wind speed data. This approach is based on the fact that, in general, wind speed distributions restricted to seasons of year or months are different. Therefore, instead of one Weibull density function, a convex combination of Weibull density functions is considered for a calendar year. This model improves

Renewable energy sources are fast emerging as more reliable supplement of conventional energy sources. Among the various renewable sources, solar energy is most sought after in today’s world. Solar PV modules when installed in outdoor environments suffer from various factors which are generally unaccounted in laboratory testing. Energy generation from solar collectors is primarily dependent on the

The study focuses on the evaluation of global solar radiation on a horizontal level. The estimate of the solar layer was made on the basis of mathematical model obtained from the relations of Angstrom–Prescott, Allen and Sabbagh. The different proposed models have been implemented by using MATLAB and Excel. The models were evaluated using MPE, NSE, RMSE and MBE. The outcome of this shows that the Angstrom–Prescott

Distributed generator (DG) resources are small scale electric power generating plants that can provide power to homes, businesses or industrial facilities in distribution systems. Power loss reductions, voltage profile improvement and increasing reliability are some advantages of DG units. The above benefits can be achieved by optimal placement of DGs. Whale optimization algorithm (WOA), a novel metaheuristic

Supply of additional power generation by wind system to increase total power generation is increasing exponentially and globally to meet the challenge of surplus power demand. This total power generation should be at minimum cost and power loss, without violating stability limits. This paper presents modelling and tuning of flexible A.C. Transmission system (FACTS) devices with sensitivity analysis

Pure and fresh water is being scarce day by day. Although Bangladesh is a riverine country, pure drinking potable water is not a cheap commodity. Most of the people in the cities boil water to drink, and people of the villages take tube-well’s water directly, which might have high amount of heavy metal like arsenic. Solar still is a cheap and very useful renewable technology, which can be used in Bangladesh

A life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out on three separate drinking water production options—a groundwater treatment plant (GWTP), surface water treatment plant and seawater desalination plant (electrodialysis) in order to calculate the carbon footprint associated with each process and to identify the areas of production with high levels of GHG emissions in order to develop strategies for reducing

In this paper, all the models of PV cell, namely ideal single-diode model, single-diode $$R_{\rm s}$$ model, single-diode $$R_{\rm p}$$ model, the two-diode model, and the three-diode model, have been discussed. SPICE simulation is done to evaluate the impact of model parameters on the operation of PV cell. The effects of the parameters are discussed. The photocurrent, $$I_{\rm L},$$ is proportional

The thermochemical system using ammonia as energy storage carrier is investigated in this study. A mathematical model was developed to predict the behavior of both reactors in the ammonia-based closed-loop system. For the importance of the dissociation and formation process in the system, the model focused only on the solar and the synthesis reactors. The study shows that maintaining the best mass

Wind energy is one of the most cost-effective forms of renewable energy source with significant increment in yearly installed capacities all around the world. In this study, three commercial wind turbines, namely POLARIS P15-50, POLARIS P50-500 and VESTAS V110-2.0, were chosen as large-scale wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) for technical assessment of electric power generation in eight selected

Power generation quantity from wind sector is increasing at much faster rate day by day in the scenario of power systems, which obviously needs reliable operation. Therefore, accurate monitoring and error diagnosis are almost mandatory. This paper aims to identify important errors that affect the performance and can easily detect the faults of wind turbine generators (WTGs). Wind turbines are subjected

Energy is the greatest challenge facing the environment. Energy efficiency can be improved by energy storage by management of distribution networks, thereby reducing cost and improving energy usage efficiency. This research investigated the energy efficiency achieved by adding various types of graphite (e.g., flake and amorphous) to organic-based ternary eutectic mixtures like capric acid (CA)–myristic

In this study, an analysis of the monthly mean values of the fraction of the sky covered by clouds (C) of all types and the duration of bright sunshine hours (S) and global solar radiation on the horizontal surface (H) was carried out to establish relationship for solar radiation estimation for Bangladesh. The relationship between C and (1 − S/S 0), where S 0 is the maximum possible hours of sunshine

Proportional integral derivative controllers are widely used in industrial processes because of their simplicity and effectiveness for linear and nonlinear systems. The fuzzy controller is the most suitable for the human decision-making mechanism, providing the operation of an electronic system with decisions of experts. In addition, using the fuzzy controller for a nonlinear system allows for a reduction

In this study, several regression models were employed to estimate global solar radiation from commonly available meteorological data such as sunshine duration, temperature, precipitation, and cloud cover for 34 meteorological stations of Bangladesh. The models studied were calibrated using five meteorological stations that are providing global solar radiation as well as other meteorological data.

There are numerous maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms for improving the energy efficiency of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The main differences between these algorithms are digital or analog implementation, simplicity of the design, sensor requirements, convergence speed, range of effectiveness, as well as hardware costs. Therefore, choosing the right algorithm is very important to the

Flat plate-type solar water distillation (FPSWD) is having importance for providing hot water and drinking water simultaneously to households in rural areas or small community/hotels. It utilizes solar radiation to heat the water, produce fresh water out of the saline or brackish water, and also produce hot water. The paper is focused on field performance of inclined FPSWD for domestic and commercial

The fresh water needs of mankind in regions under severe stress due to scarcity of water and energy can be satisfied if saline water which is available is converted to potable water by solar desalination. Beside salinity, scaling formation is one of the major problems that slow down heat transfer and cause system failures. Prevention and minimizing scale formation is highly important in the thermal

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the overall effectiveness of a small-scale, low cost, versatile solar concentrator suitable for the needs of single individuals. The system consisted of a spot-type fresnel lens, and a solar absorber sized for moderate temperature range (80–250 °C) applications. Simple and inexpensive materials were chosen for the construction of the tracking system, frame

Wind power is a cost-effective renewable source and can be smoothly integrated into power grid by incorporating adequate control strategies. The wind turbine prime mover, wind, is uncontrollable which makes it different from conventional generation. Therefore, it becomes very important to carry out investigations on the dynamic behavior of wind power-generating systems. In this paper, the state space

Jordan lies in high solar insolation band and the vast solar potential can be exploited to convert saline water to potable water. The most economical and easy way to accomplish this objective is using solar still. Modeling and performance analysis of a single slope tilted solar still were investigated in this paper A computer simulation of the still is carried out to examine and predict its unsteady-state

Climate change can be considered to be the greatest environmental challenge our world is facing today. Along with the need to ensure long-term assurance of energy supply, it imposes an obligation on all of us to consider ways of reducing our carbon footprint and sourcing more of our energy from renewable sources. Wind energy is one such source and forecasting methods for the prediction of wind speed

The simplest and easily accessible type of solar distillation is passive solar still which utilizes freely and abundantly available sun energy for removal of salinity/impurity from saline/brackish water. The main drawback of passive solar still is its lower efficiency and distillation output. Different designs of passive solar stills are fabricated and tested by various researchers to meet water demand

A national subsidy program is one of the key elements for translating customer choice into a larger market share for renewable energies. Since solar water heaters (SWHs) are a cost-effective and mature technology, purchase-based subsidy programs have been sponsored by the Bureau of Energy, Ministry of Economic Affairs (BEMOEA) in Taiwan. The market of SWHs is associated with economic factors, population

Standard photovoltaic solar cells (PV cells) use only about half of the light spectrum provided by the sun. The infrared part is not utilized to produce electricity. Instead, the infrared light heats up the PV cells and thereby decreases the efficiency of the cell. Within this research project, a hybrid solar cell made of a standard PV cell and a thermally driven thermoelectric generator (TEG) is being

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was fabricated using nanosize of the dye sensitizer (Alizarin Yellow, AY) that was prepared by ball milling. The particle size and the composition of nano-Alizarin Yellow (nAY) was investigated using TEM and 1H- and 13C-NMR spectra, respectively. The effect of sensitizer size reduction on DSSC efficiency was studied. Co3O4 as a semiconductor in DSSC was prepared and

Paramount two-parameter Weibull function has been extensively used to assess the wind energy potential. The performance contrast of four statistical methods, i.e., energy pattern factor method, least squares regression method, method of moments and mean standard deviation method in estimating extensively used Weibull parameters for wind energy application at four selected locations of northern Ethiopia

With the change in the wind profile, the speed of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) of wind energy conversion system (WECS) changes from super synchronous to sub synchronous range and vice versa. DFIG is operated to generate quality power; hence, power at rotor side is controlled using matrix converter taking power from grid and feeding back power to the grid depending on the wind profile. Input

Performance of nine commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) panels from different manufacturers with combination of different manufacturing materials and technologies are studied under the environmental conditions of the Coal City of India. The results give an indication of the comparative performance of different PV technologies under the aforesaid location’s environmental condition which helps to choose

In this paper, the temperature and concentration distributions in an insulated salinity gradient solar pond are studied numerically in transient regime. The dimensionless governing equations are solved by finite-volume method using SIMPLER algorithm with HYBRID scheme. The pond is filled with a mixture of salt and water to form three zones: upper convective zone (UCZ), non-convective zone (NCZ) and

The current work was based on four selected underground water production wells (W25, W29, W34 and W47), out of 55 wells available in total, at Disi water project located south of Jordan to power underground water pumping using a stand-alone solar photovoltaic (PV) system for an operation period of 25 years. The economic viability of large stand-alone solar PV system of 13 MW in total had been analysed

This paper describes a computer method to allow the design of small wind turbine blades for the multiple objectives of rapid starting, efficient power extraction, low noise, and minimal mass. For the sake of brevity, only the first two and the last objectives are considered in this paper. The optimization aimed to study a range of blade materials, from traditional fibreglass through sustainable alternatives

Experiment was conducted on the fabricated biodigester of capacity 30 l. Slurry of cow manure in water was fed through the inlet until the digester is about 80% filled with slurry, and the slurry surface on both inlet and outlet did not leave holes by which the air can get into the digester. This was to ensure the anaerobic condition in the gas space inside the digester. After the first filling, both

Due to a technical mishap the publication of Renewables: Wind, Water, and Solar started with volume 2; there will be no volume 1. The publisher apologizes for the inconvenience caused. Affiliations Consortia Springer Reprints and Permissions Cite this article Publisher’s note to: volume 1 of Renewables: Wind, Water, and Solar . Renewables 2, 13 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40807-015-0010-4 Download

A computational study was performed to investigate the effect of varying upwind tree heights on the wind flow over a 15-m high, flat-roof building. It is shown that trees can have a significant effect on the mean wind speed and turbulence over the roof and should be included when performing a computational fluid dynamics simulation. The calculations also provide guidance for undertaking wind tunnel