This report studied innovation activity in four areas of the solar photovoltaic balance-of-system (BOS) technologies (inverters, mounting equipment, monitoring systems, and site assessment) in the Japanese market. Through patent searches with specific keywords, this study found that innovation activity in these four technology areas increased and decreased responding to both supply-side and demand-side policies. This report also empirically studied effects of demand-pull policies on innovation activity in the BOS technology areas. The regression analysis of the patent data found that the demand-side policies such as residential subsidy programs employed by the Japanese government were a major factor which influenced innovation activities in these technology areas in the Japanese market. Finally, the regression analysis also found that the termination of the residential subsidy program by the government in 2006 had a negative effect on the innovation activity of the four BOS technologies. / text

At starting, electrical motors require large power and current. This may not be a problem in a large electrical system but it may be very severe for a limited power source like a solar array. If a direct approach is taken the array rating must be 5-6 times the motor rating in order to start the motor and its high inertia high friction load. Batteries have been used to store energy and supply that energy for starting. Batteries need maintenance and their low efficiency is a problem too. In this study a new type of controller has been suggested and developed for the use with D.C. motors. Computer simulation showed promising results. The controller uses the array power, which is equal to the rated power of the motor, for starting and for running condition. Experimental results showed that the theoretical results are applicable.

M.Ing. / Photovoltaic (PV) systems are considered as renewable resources of energy that are utilized in the conversion of direct and diffuse solar radiation to electric power. These systems are considered as environmentally friendly energy resources as they reduce pollution. These systems’ produced power depends on the radiation of the sun as well as the temperature, the impedance of the load, and the unfitted parameters in PV systems. In this field, the PV systems and DC-DC converters will be explored in both configuration (the open loop and closed loop systems), whilst their implementation will be designed as a closed loop system. The success of the system depends on the algorithm of the maximum power point tracking that catches the maximum sunshine radiation amount to generate the maximum electrical power. This system simulation and hardware implementation will be done through the Proteus program and real components integration ...

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Chemistry. Johannesburg, June 2017. / Due to a high global demand for energy, research groups have been focusing a lot of energy into finding alternative and cleaner energy sources. Solar power has all the attributes to be the energy of the future. Solar power is abundantly available and is a cleaner form of energy as compared to the market-leading fossil fuels. In this thesis, we consider new materials that can be used in hybrid solar cells. These new materials combine the properties of inorganic nanomaterials and polymers. The nanomaterials possess unique properties that can be exploited and the polymers allow for the thin films to potentially be light weight and flexible. Copper selenide was synthesized and characterized to produce particles with different sizes as a function of time. These size variations are shown to emit a spectrum of different colours. In addition the particles synthesized at various temperatures are reported. Temperature had an effect on the size of the particles with bigger sizes obtained as the temperature was increased. Also shown in the results is that Cu2Se nanocrystals were quite resistant to changes with the sizes marginally increasing with increasing time and temperature. A hybrid material using a conductive polymer polyvinylcarbazole (PVK) and copper selenide was synthesized and used as the active layer via a spin coating technique to fabricate a solar cell. Varying amounts (10% - 50%) of Cu2Se nanocrystals were used in the polymer nanocomposites. The 10% weight loading resulted in the highest efficiency of 0.74% whilst successive addition of the nanocrystals affected the polymeric structure of PVK thus resulting in solar cells with even lower efficiencies. Niobium selenide was synthesized via the colloidal method using TOP/HDA combination for the first time. The effect of time on the particles synthesized using a 1:1 mole ratio of Nb:Se was negligible with particles showing similar properties. The XRD of the samples revealed that they were amorphous thus making it difficult to conclusively say that niobium selenide was synthesized successfully. The samples were then annealed however only small improvements were observed. The concentration of the selenium was then increased in order to form the more common NbSe2 and NbSe3. The XRD showed the formation of NbSe2 and NbSe3 for 1:2 and 1:3 Nb:Se ratios respectively. In addition, the particles resembled 2D nanostructures readily observed in layered materials such as NbSe2 and NbSe3. However, some impurities in the form of oxides were still observed. Hybrid solar cells prepared from the amorphous 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 Nb:Se samples were fabricated. The NbSe3 composite had the best performing solar cell with the power conversion efficiency of 3.234% with the amorphous particles generating no current. / LG2017

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2016. / Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) is an environmental friendly technology that promises e cient and e ective harvesting of solar energy. The organic polymers used in the fabrication of OPVs are characterized by low weight, tunable electrical and optical properties. However, the low photo-conversion e ciency (PCE) and instability in air remains a major drawback that limits their commercialization. The project seeks to increase the PCE of a cheap photovoltaic device using plasmonic e ects and rare earth doped waveguides to modify the optical response in the active layer. Incorporating regularly shaped silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) in OPVs through the surface plasmon resonance will enhance tunable absorption and scattering of light. These NPs are prepared by reducing AgNO3 with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and using 2,2- Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) as a stabiliser at di erent reaction times. The Ag NPs have shown di erent shapes such as spherical and prism shapes of 14, 15 and 16 nm visualised by TEM. / MT2017

University of Macau / Faculty of Science and Technology. / Department of Electromechanical Engineering

<div>Automotive manufacturers are striving to go green, while exceeding the expectations of their stakeholders. The Engineering Technology Capstone Project focused on implementing a photovoltaic (PV) system at the Kokomo Transmission Plant (KTP). The installation of a PV system will reduce KTP’s dependency on fossil fuels, while reducing their carbon footprint. The capstone project is to improve KTP’s environmental impact while reducing their electrical consumption cost in kilowatt per hour (kWh). The capstone project investigated the type of roof mounted PV system, maintenance, cost, benefits and environmental impact.</div>

No description available.

Since the 1980s, approximately 10 MWp photovoltaic (PV) power has been installed in off-grid areas in Indonesia for powering lighting, water pumping, communications, health clinics, etc. However, PV energy systems (PVES) have yet to prove their sustainability and remain inaccessible to many remote Indonesian communities. The objective of this interdisciplinary thesis is to draw on social and engineering perspectives to address sustainability issues related to off-grid PVES delivery in Indonesia. By employing the Brundtland definition of sustainability, off-grid PVES delivery is analysed with respect to its institutional, financial, technical, social and ecological sustainability. In parallel, the thesis also investigates PVES Accessibility, Availability and Acceptability (3A), referring to the three energy goals proposed by the World Energy Council. The concepts of Sustainable Development, Social Capital, and Diffusion of Innovation are employed to examine the potential for off-grid PVES to contribute to improving the sustainability of remote Indonesian communities. The I3A (Implementation, 3A) Sustainable PVES Delivery framework is proposed to investigate PVES sustainability and the extent to which local communities can continue to socially innovate to meet their evolving needs beyond initial project completion. Sound project management (PM) is essential as off-grid PVES projects can only access limited resources (time, funds, and scope) and project failure can undermine a community???s capacity to innovate. The research methodologies include literature research, qualitative field research in villages where PVES has been installed and interviews with a wide range of PVES stakeholders in Indonesia. The I3A framework is tested against three off-grid PVES case studies from Lampung, West Java and NTT Provinces and is also proposed as a design tool. A key conclusion is that, to be sustainable and equitable, off-grid PVES projects should be implemented in an institutional framework that provides sound project management and addresses PVES accessibility (financial, institutional and technological), availability (technical quality and continuity) and acceptability (social and ecological). The overall objectives are to acknowledge the interests of all stakeholders, maximise equity, assure PVES continuity, and institutionalize PVES by utilizing and enhancing preexisting community resources to leave the community with the capacity to socially innovate. While this might be regarded as idealistic, enhanced local autonomy and capability will be essential in the context of the energy security and climate change challenges that humanity now faces.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-157). Also available on the World Wide Web.