>Magister Scientiae - MSc / As the demand for energy is constantly increasing, researchers are looking at various methods of energy production. Following the rise of solar energy becoming a major player, researchers are looking at kesterite materials, Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTS) for photovoltaic applications as they demonstrate many excellent characteristics making them highly suitable for use in thin-film solar cells. Consequently, there are major drawbacks of using kesterite materials for photovoltaic applications such as their point defects and secondary phases. Cerium and iron oxyselenides (Ce2O2Fe2OSe2) are a member of the chalcogenide family and by introducing this chalcogenide into the kesterite structure there would be an improvement in the semiconducting property of the kesterite material. The focus of this research is to dope the kesterite material with nanoscopic cerium and iron oxyselenides in order to reduce the band gap of the kesterite material, thereby improving its light absorption, thus, resulting in a more efficient photovoltaic effect.

This study explores in detail design options and simulations of multi-junction solar cells that utilize silicon-germanium-tin (SixGe1-x-ySny or SiGeSn) to achieve high-efficiency solar power conversion devices. SixGe1-x-ySny is an emerging system of alloys that can lattice match with germanium and gallium arsenide and can provide a bandgap higher than that of germanium; useful in the development of multi-junction solar cells. The results herein include designs of four devices: a triple-junction, a quadruple-junction, a seven-junction, and a six-junction, with estimated efficiencies of 41.6%, 42.6%, 41.2%, and 39.2% respectively under 1000x concentrated AM1.5D illumination, where the seven- and six-junction devices relax the thickness requirement of the germanium layer, and have room for improvement via the development of an advanced tunnel-junction component. Visualizations of the potentially available SiGeSn bandgaps are developed. The documentation supports further work in modelling additional compositions of SiGeSn. Loss mechanisms of the devices are calculated and plotted, enabling the design of the device layer components. Tools and techniques are developed to determine and control the resultant output error, and a generalized simulation mesh definition is given that efficiently controls the primary source of error of the calculation, which is related to the optical interaction. Lateral currents and surface recombination effects are included. The software is modularized to enable the development of higher-order segmented devices.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Combining rooftop solar with energy storage for off-grid residential operation is restrictively expensive. Historically, operating off-grid requires an 'isolated self-consumption' operating strategy where any excess generation is wasted and to ensure reliability you must install costly, polluting generators or a large amount of energy storage. With the advent of Blockchain technology residents can come together and establish transactive microgrids which have two possible operating strategies: Centralized Energy Sharing (CES) and Interconnected Energy Sharing (IES). The CES strategy proposes that all systems combine their photovoltaic (PV) generation and energy storage systems (ESS) to meet their loads. IES strategy establishes an energy trading system between stand-alone systems which allows buying energy when battery capacity is empty and selling energy when battery capacity is full. Transactive microgrids have been investigated analytically by several sources, none of which consider year-round off-grid operation. A simulation tool was developed through MATLAB for comparing the three operating strategies: isolated self-consumption, CES, and IES. This simulation tool could easily be incorporated into existing software such as HOMER. The effect of several variables on total cost was tested including interconnection type, initial charge, load variability, starting month, number of stand-alone systems, geographic location, and required reliability. It was found that the CES strategy improves initial cost by 7\% to 10\% compared to the baseline (isolated self-consumption) and IES cases in every simulation. The IES case consistently saved money compared to the baseline, just by a very small amount (less than 1\%). Initial charge was investigated for March, July, and November and was only found to have an effect in November. More research should be done to show the effect of initial charge for every month of the year. Load variability had inconsistent results between the two geographic locations studied, Indianapolis and San Antonio. This result would be improved with an improved load simulation which includes peak shifting. The number of systems did not have a demonstrable effect, giving the same cost whether there were 2 systems or 50 involved in the trading strategies. It may be that only one other system is necessary to receive the benefits from a transactive microgrid. Geographic locations studied (Indianapolis, Indiana; Phoenix, Arizona; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Erie, Pennsylvania) showed a large effect on the total cost with Phoenix being considerably cheaper than any other location and Erie having the highest cost. This result was expected due to each geographic location's load and solar radiation profiles. Required reliability showed a consistent and predictable effect with cost going down as the requirement relaxed and more hours of outage were allowed. In order to accomplish off-grid operation with favorable economics it is likely that a system will need to reduce its reliability requirement, adopt energy saving consumption habits, choose a favorable geographic location, and either establish a transactive microgrid or include secondary energy generation and/or storage.

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京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第20334号 / 工博第4271号 / 新制||工||1662(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科材料工学専攻 / (主査)教授 安田 秀幸, 教授 酒井 明, 准教授 野瀬 嘉太郎 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DGAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第20582号 / 工博第4362号 / 新制||工||1678(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科物質エネルギー化学専攻 / (主査)教授 阿部 竜, 教授 陰山 洋, 教授 安部 武志 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DGAM

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Several fluorenone alkynyl based oligo conjugated molecules were synthesized and characterized. Most compounds exhibited UV-Vis absorption onset at ca. 500 nm and a PL emission onset of ~329-370 nm, with excimer emission suspected from most systems near ~530-560 nm. Experimentally determined EHOMO and ELUMO energies range from -6.02 to -5.73 eV and -3.47 and 3.55 eV, respectively, with the lowest experimental Eg lying at -2.26 eV for 2-(trimethoxyphenylacetylene)-fluorenone. Cyclic voltammetry indicates quasi-reversible reduction for all systems, with 2,7-bis(nitrophenylacetylene)fluorenone exhibiting a high reduction potential of -1.25 eV. Only 2,7-bis(trimethoxyphenylacetylene)fluorenone exhibited a quasi-reversible oxidation, due to electron rich methoxy substituents. Diketopyrrolopyrrole systems as electron acceptors were also explored.

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