A market review on Hybrid Inverters with Back-Up (HIBU) is presented, selecting products from eleven global inverter manufacturers. A systemic review of all the productsis performed, along with a general comparison of their main features. Trends in power ranges, battery voltages, back-up connection scheme and switching times are then highlighted and other more peculiar characteristics are assessed. A focus on potential applications in the Swedish market is put, considering an average Swedish household consumption profile. Ten from the available software for modeling photovoltaics applications are then reviewed finding PVsyst, Homer and SAM the most suitable tools for computing systems with HIBU. Finally, a case study is simulated on PVsyst showing the influence of the battery size on the percentage of covered load for different values of grid availability. The influence of different locations and different battery discharging strategies is also assessed, critically evaluating the reliability of the model used on PVsyst and stating the main shortcomings.

The global push for increased renewable energy in power production is reshaping how industries approach energy systems. As the urgency to combat climate change grows, industries are integrating alternative power pathways alongside existing systems. This shift is driven by factors such as renewable energy adoption, energy storage advances, decentralization, electrification, circular economy principles, regulatory support, sustainability goals, and technological progress. These changes not only yield economic benefits but also enhance environmental and social impact. Integrating alternative pathways necessitates strategic planning, optimization, and a phased approach for seamless integration. Through these transformations, industries position themselves as sustainability leaders, align with climate goals, and ensure long-term energy security. The proposed implementation of a photovoltaic (PV) system at SSAB's steel production plant in Borlänge, specifically for forming line 4's electricity needs, will have a positive impact. This integration introduces renewable energy generation, offsetting the load and reducing reliance on the grid during peak hours, potentially leading to lower costs. It aligns with SSAB's environmental goals by curbing emissions, bolsters energy resilience, and aiding peak demand management. However, challenges in grid integration and infrastructure adjustments must be addressed for successful implementation. Overall, this move embodies SSAB's commitment to sustainability and efficient operations.  Through the utilization of simulation tools such as PVsyst and Homer Pro, an extensive study was conducted to investigate diverse scenarios involving combinations of a PV system, hydrogen modules, batteries, and a grid-connected load. The primary aim was to assess the feasibility of these scenarios within the energy system context. By leveraging PVsyst's capabilities for photovoltaic system analysis and Homer Pro's system optimization features, the study comprehensively examines interactions between electricity generation, storage, and consumption. This simulation-driven approach provided valuable insights into the performance dynamics, energy balance, and economic viability of each configuration, aiding in the informed selection of optimal combinations that align with the project's feasibility objectives. The results obtained suggest that the ideal size for the PV system in this context is 2.7 MW, allowing for an annual energy generation of 2.5 GWh. The electricity output aligns well with the yearly demand of 2.4 GWh for Forming Line 4 The results from different scenarios offer valuable insights into how integrating renewable energy and incorporating energy storage affect the overall efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the system. Each scenario was assessed in comparison to the base case of grid connection, uncovering a spectrum of LCOE values. It is noteworthy that the highest LCOE, reaching 0.12 €/kWh, was observed when all renewable resources were combined, whereas the lowest LCOE, at 0.059 €/kWh, was achieved with the PV system-only configuration.

The task of this master thesis was to investigate the possibility of using transparent solar panels as windows and how they compare to other solar energy technologies. The idea is then to use the UV and IR light to produce energy while letting the visual light pass through. With this also receiving the advantage of less indoor heating of the building and therefore a decreased need for cooling. To make it into a more concrete example the Sergelhuset building in Stockholm, Sweden was chosen as an example. The investigation was made through a solar irradiation simulation for four different cases and an environmental analysis of the alternatives. The result is that the most common way of mounting polycrystalline modules, is the most cost effective alternative but it might not be so good from an environmental perspective in Sweden because of the already low g CO2eq/kWh and not the best location for solar panels. Façade mounted CIGS perform well in energy production but the high investment costs set it down. However, it is better than polycrystalline panels from an environmental perspective. The semitransparent CdTe window will be hard to make economically viable and from an environmental perspective it is debatable. The transparent alternatives focus its absorption on UV and IR light but there are also semi-transparent alternatives that uses also part of the visible light, which makes it not completely transparent.

Solar parks are increasingly getting a larger market share of PV installations over the world, and have for the last couple of years managed to establish itself in the Swedish market. The market has for a long time been known for its decline in module prices, which has allowed an emergence of more efficient PV-techniques such as one-axis trackers and bifacial modules. Bifacial modules use the backside of modules for improved utiliziation of incoming light, while one-axis trackers have the ability to track the sun in order to maximise light absorption. These innovations have now caught the interest of companies willing to invest in large-scale PV-farms, where efficient land use is highly regarded. The aim of this thesis was to examine how bifacial modules and one-axis trackers perform in terms of system performance and profitabilty if implemented in 'Solpark Fyrislund', a solar park owned by Vasakronan AB. This was done by modelling and simulating cases in which said techniques were incorporated. The data was later used to estimate profitabilty of each investigated case. Results showed that the highest system performance and profitability was achieved by installing bifacial modules on the site. One-axis trackers are currently too expensive, require higher maintenance and has a higher demand for land, resulting in its profitability not being justified. It was also found that the current configuration could be optimized further for higher profit, by slightly reducing the pitch as well as increasing the tilt of the existing modules. The study should be followed up by further investigating the use of backtracking for one-axis trackers. Said innovations should also be more established in the Swedish market so that CAPEX- and OPEX prices become more accessible.

Energy usage deriving from human activities is increasing day by day acting against the quality of the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources. The major impact of these actions is reflected on the quality of daily life. In order to face the challenge of preserving an acceptable balance between human needs and environmental status, the combination of proper design and energy simulation of buildings is the key towards smarter and more sustainable solutions. Solutions that covers a respectable percentage of the current domestic energy needs without further environmental foot printing. In the scope of this project, an existing single-family house in Southern Greece (Heraklion, Crete) is modeled using Revit ® Architecture software and then is simulated with IES® VE (plug-in) in order to give the level of energy intensity. The energy model used is fully harmonized with the new rules set by the "National Regulation for Energy Performance of Buildings - (K.En.A.K)" as it was put in force from October 2010 and onwards, and fully complies with the European Standards (EN ISO) published for the various tasks of building`s thermal performance. The structure and contents presented in this report are in full compliance with the technical directives [31, 32, 33] published by the Technical Chamber of Greece, in favour of the complex task of "Energy Certification of Buildings". The most significant capabilities of sophisticated software tools, like Revit® Architecture, IES® VE, Polysun® and PVsyst®, in favour of sustainable building design and simulation are shown throughout the whole report. Moreover, their valuable contribution is highly acknowledged by the engineers encountered with the task of studying the energy performance of existing or newly constructed buildings in Greece and issuing, the mandatory by law, "Energy Performance Certificates".

Meeting electricity demand and power shortage remains as a challenge to the people of the Gambia. As the country is undergoing tremendous electricity accessibility expansion [1], to secure the environment for the future generation, it is necessary to consider renewable energy to be the major source of electricity production, to be specific, solar energy. This is because the country experiences the radiation from the sun throughout the year, it is sustainable not only to our environment for the future generations, but also economically. However, due to the intermittent nature of most renewable energy technologies, it is cumbersome to rely on them 100 % as a primary source of electricity production. Nonetheless, with suitable storage technologies, combination of different renewable sources, and intercountry grid connections can enhance to overcome this challenge. In this thesis work, designed and techno economic evaluation was carried out for high PV penetration that will meet 50 % electricity demand of the Gambia in year 2040. Three scenarios were considered in this study, based on the Strategic Electricity Roadmap 2020 to 2040 [1]. These scenarios are high, universal access (AU), and low electricity demand. Economically, 50 % electricity supply to meet the demand is possible for all the three cases. Consideration was mainly put on four key figures, thus, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), payback period (PBP), net present cost (NPC) and solar fraction (SF). To achieve 50 % SF for the high electricity demand scenario, LCOE and PBP are 0.129 $/kWh and 12 years respectively. As for AU electricity demand case, 50 % SF is achieved with 0.126 $/kWh and 10 years for LCOE and PBP respectively. For low electricity demand scenario, 0.127 $/kWh and 10 years for LCOE and PBP respectively for 50 % SF. However, the optimum design recommended by HomerPro were 45 % SF with LCOE of 0.126 $/kWh and PBP of 9 years for high electricity demand scenario. As for the AU electricity demand case, the optimum design is 48 % SF, LCOE of 0.125 $/kWh, and PBP of 9 years. In the last scenario, which is low electricity demand case, 46 % SF, 0.124 $/kWh LCOE, and 9 years PBP.

The world is progressing towards a more sustainable society, where renewable energy sources, including solar energy, play a crucial role. This study aims to address the conflict between agriculture and energy production by exploring the installation of solar panels on farmland. Four scenarios are considered, with varying parameters such as latitude, azimuth, slope, and row distance between photovoltaic (PV) modules. The study focuses on two different crops, lettuce and potato, which have varying tolerances to shading. The objective is to understand how the shadows cast by solar panels affect the growth of these crops. To analyze the impact of shading, the PVsyst software program is utilized to obtain PAR values for each scenario. The calculations are performed using Excel equations. The literature review encompasses scientific sources that provide insights into both PV technology and agriculture, bolstering the research findings. To ensure realism and manage simulation time, certain delimitations were made. These include limiting the study to two cities in Sweden, comparing only two crops, and conducting simulations during the summer period. The results reveal a significant potential for growing potatoes under PV modules. However, lettuce faces difficulties due to its high requirement for solar intensity (PAR), making it less adaptable to shade. The findings of this study indicate that crops like potatoes, which have a lower requirement for PAR, can be successfully cultivated in conjunction with photovoltaic (PV) systems. However, it is not advisable to implement AV systems in areas where sensitive crops like lettuce, which necessitate a significant number of sun hours with high solar intensity.

Utbyggnationen av solceller ökar exponentiellt både i Sverige och internationellt. En anledning till detta är sjunkande priser, mer effektiv teknik, skattereduktioner och andra ekonomiska incitament samt ett ökande intresse från bland annat elbolag. I många fall behövs fortfarande ekonomiska hjälpmedel som just skattereduktioner eller investeringsstöd för att PV-system (solcellsanläggningar) ska bli förmånliga. I den här fallstudien undersöks möjligheten att installera solceller på Västerberg folkhögskola i Storvik. Fastigheterna ägs av Region Gävleborg. Bionär Närvärme AB som är ett dotterbolag till Gävle Energi AB tillhandahåller värme till fastigheterna via en pelletspanna. På sommaren används el till pannan då värmebehovet är lågt och det finns ett intresse att producera sin egen el med hjälp av solceller. El för uppvärmning tas från skolans elabonnemang och därför dimensioneras PV-systemet mot hela elbehovet. Syftet var att först identifiera lämpliga tak, för att sedan finna den mest kostnadsoptimala storleken på ett PV-system för skolan. Därefter utfördes en simulering för att ta reda på årlig elproduktion och med hjälp av dessa resultat kunde ekonomiska förutsättningar beräknas. Lämpliga takytor valdes ut med avseende på orientering, lutning, storlek och placering av elcentraler. Kvantitativa data gällande fastigheterna och elanvändning samlades in. Därefter testades olika dimensioner på anläggningen i Winsun för att finna den storlek som gav kortast rak återbetalningstid. Sedan utfördes simulering av vald systemstorlek i PVsyst där årligt elutbyte presenterades som resultat. Med hjälp av givna och beräknade värden för elanvändning, solcellsproducerad el, egenanvänd el och överproducerad el (som säljs ut på elnätet) kunde en ekonomisk analys utföras. Resultatet visar att den anläggningsstorlek som ger kortast återbetalningstid är strax under 100 kWp. Efter simulering av valda takytor i PVsyst uppnåddes en toppeffekt på 94,6 kWp. Detta gav en återbetalningstid på 7,8 år. / The advancement of photovoltaic systems is growing exponentially both in Sweden and internationally. Reasons for this include decreasing prices, more efficient techniques, reduction in taxes as well as the increasing interest. In many cases, financial incentives like tax reductions or investment incentives are still necessary for photovoltaic systems to become profitable. In this case study, the possibility of installing a photovoltaic system at Västerberg folkhögskola in Storvik is examined. The properties are owned by Region Gävleborg. Bionär Närvärme AB, which is a subsidiary of Gävle Energi AB, provides the properties with heat through a pellet boiler system. In the summer however, electricity is used for the boiler when the heating requirement is less demanding, and there is an interest in producing electricity using solar cells. Since there is only one electricity subscription the PV-system is dimensioned with regards to the whole of the school’s electricity use including heating. The main purpose was to first identify suitable rooftops and then find the most costeffective size of a photovoltaic system for the school. Then, a simulation was performed to find out the annual electricity production and with the help of these results, an economic calculation could be determined. Suitable rooftops were selected with respect to orientation, angle, size and placement of distribution boxes. Quantitative data regarding the properties and electricity use were collected from Region Gävleborg. Subsequently, different photovoltaic system sizes were tested in Winsun to find the system size that yielded the shortest straight repayment time. Next, simulation of the selected system size was performed in PVsyst, where annual electricity exchange was presented as a result. An economic analysis could be carried out with the help of the values of electricity usage, solar-produced electricity, self-used electricity, over-produced electricity (which is sold to the power grid). The result shows that the system size that gives the shortest repayment time is just under 100 kWp. After simulation of selected rooftops in PVsyst, a peak power of 94.6 kWp was achieved. This gave a payback period of 7,8 years.

abstract: The operating temperature of photovoltaic (PV) modules is affected by external factors such as irradiance, wind speed and ambient temperature as well as internal factors like material properties and design properties. These factors can make a difference in the operating temperatures between cells within a module and between modules within a plant. This is a three-part thesis. Part 1 investigates the behavior of temperature distribution of PV cells within a module through outdoor temperature monitoring under various operating conditions (Pmax, Voc and Isc) and examines deviation in the temperature coefficient values pertaining to this temperature variation. ANOVA, a statistical tool, was used to study the influence of various factors on temperature variation. This study also investigated the thermal non-uniformity affecting I-V parameters and performance of four different PV technologies (crystalline silicon, CdTe, CIGS, a-Si). Two new approaches (black-colored frame and aluminum tape on back-sheet) were implemented in addition to the two previously-used approaches (thermally insulating the frame, and frame and back sheet) to study temperature uniformity improvements within c-Si PV modules on a fixed latitude-tilt array. This thesis concludes that frame thermal insulation and black frame help reducing thermal gradients and next best viable option to improve temperature uniformity measurements is by using average of four thermocouples as per IEC 61853-2 standard. Part 2 analyzes the temperature data for two power plants (fixed-tilt and one-axis) to study the temperature variation across the cells in a module and across the modules in a power plant. The module placed in the center of one-axis power plant had higher temperature, whereas in fixed-tilt power plant, the module in north-west direction had higher temperatures. Higher average operating temperatures were observed in one-axis tracking as compared to the fixed-tilt PV power plant, thereby expected to lowering their lifetime. Part 3 focuses on determination of a thermal model coefficients, using parameters similar to Uc and Uv thermal loss factors used in PVsyst, for modules of four different PV technologies experiencing hot-desert climate conditions by statistically correlating a year-long monitored data. Thermal models help to effectively quantity factors influencing module temperatures to estimate performance and energy models. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Mechanical Engineering 2016

DC system and DC microgrids are gaining popularity in recent times. This thesis suggests a method to state the workability of a DC based PV system using the softwares Simulink, PVsyst and HOMER. The aims of this project include suggesting a DC based architecture, finding out the performance ratio and a cost analysis. The advantages of the DC based system, the cost benefits associated with it and its performance will determine its feasibility.   Not many softwares have the functionality to simulate DC based PV systems. PVsyst is considered as one of the most sought-out softwares for the simulation of PV systems. It can simulate a DC based PV system but has a lot of limitations when it comes to the architecture and voltage levels. Due to these factors, the results from softwares Simulink, Homer and PVsyst are used to calculate the performance ratio of the suggested DC system.    The simulation of the DC system involves modelling of a DC-DC converter. DC-DC converters are used in HVDC transmission and are being considered for small scale and medium scale microgrids. The DC-DC boost converter is coupled with a MPPT model in Simulink. P and O algorithm is chosen as the MPPT algorithm as it is simple and widely used. The Simulink model of PV array and MPPT based boost converter provides the power output at the needed voltage level of 350V. The input for the Simulink model is obtained from the results of HOMER. The inputs include solar irradiation data and cell temperature. The same input data is used for the simulations in HOMER and PVsyst. The performance ratio is obtained by combining the power output from Simulink with the other aspects of the system from PVsyst. The performance ratio is done only for the month of January due to the limitations in Simulink. The performance ratio is found out to be 65.5 %.   The cost estimation is done for the distribution and power electronics aspects of the system. It is found out that the cost associated with the conductors will have an impact on the total cost only if the conductors used for distribution is more in length. The cost associated with the power converters will make a difference in total cost only if the system is within the range of 100kW. The study shows the workability of the PV based DC system based on the above mentioned aspects