1,518 research outputs found

    Solar Irradiance Variability is Caused by the Magnetic Activity on the Solar Surface

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    The variation in the radiative output of the Sun, described in terms of solar irradiance, is important to climatology. A common assumption is that solar irradiance variability is driven by its surface magnetism. Verifying this assumption has, however, been hampered by the fact that models of solar irradiance variability based on solar surface magnetism have to be calibrated to observed variability. Making use of realistic three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the solar atmosphere and state-of-the-art solar magnetograms from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we present a model of total solar irradiance (TSI) that does not require any such calibration. In doing so, the modeled irradiance variability is entirely independent of the observational record. (The absolute level is calibrated to the TSI record from the Total Irradiance Monitor.) The model replicates 95% of the observed variability between April 2010 and July 2016, leaving little scope for alternative drivers of solar irradiance variability at least over the time scales examined (days to years).Comment: Supplementary Materials; https://journals.aps.org/prl/supplemental/10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.091102/supplementary_material_170801.pd

    Performance analysis of vertically mounted bifacial PV modules on green roof system

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    A combination of PV and green roof is an ideal fusion in terms of ecology. The green roof improves the water retention in the city, whereas the PV system produces electric power at the place where it is consumed. Flat tilted modules in south or east west direction on green roofs generally require intensive maintenance to prevent them from being shaded by plants and often cover the roof area to a large extent. Because of the space requirement conflict between PV on the roof and green roofs, it is essential to combine these two systems in a smart way. Vertically mounted bifacial modules can be an option to combine PV and green roof and to also allow a cost-effective maintenance. In this paper we report about the layout and the performance of a corresponding system, subdivided into two groups with differing albedo. Custom made bifacial modules with 20 cells were produced to reduce the wind load and to improve the general appearance. This 9.09 kWp bifacial plant achieved a specific yield of 942 kWh/kWp in one year (11.08.2017 to 10.08.2018). High quality DC power measurement systems are installed to monitor two modules in each bifacial test field and a reference south-facing module. This allows an energy yield comparison between the vertical bifacial test system with east-west orientation and the monofacial south-facing reference over four months of outdoor measurements. The use of plants with good reflective properties, which are also well suited two the ambient conditions on flat roofs, resulted in a yield increase of 17 % compared to a standard green roof planting. The vertically installed bifacial modules obtained an almost identical specific yield (-1.4 %) compared to a stand-alone monofacial southfacing reference module. Due to the increased yield in the mornings and afternoons, the vertical bifacial modules can achieve higher self-consumption depending on the load profile

    Stability Studies for Photovoltaic Integration using Power Hardware-in-the-Loop Experiments

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    The electrical power network is gradually migrating from a centralized generation approach to a decentralized generation with high shares of renewable energy sources (RES). However, power systems with low shares of synchronous generation and consequently low total system inertia, are vulnerable to power imbalances. Such systems can experience frequency stability problems, such as high frequency excursions and higher rates of change of frequency even under small disturbances. This phenomenon is intensified when the grid under investigation has low or no interconnections (islanded) and thus the challenge for stable operation becomes more significant for the operators. This work focuses on how the frequency stability is affected when a photovoltaic (PV) inverter is integrated into a real non-interconnected distribution grid in Cyprus. In order to capture the realistic interactions of this integration, stability experiments in a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environment are performed with the aim to provide insightful results for the grid operator.Comment: The 12th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion (MEDPOWER 2020

    Numerical Simulations on Perovskite Photovoltaic Devices

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    Organometal halide perovskites have recently attracted tremendous attention due to their potential for photovoltaic applications, and they are also considered as promising materials in light emitting devices. In particular, in the last years promising photovoltaic devices with efficiencies above 20% have already been prepared using organometal halide perovskites as absorbent materials

    Uso da água em sistema agroflorestal com café e seringueira

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    Water uptake and use by plants are essentially energy processes that can be largely modified by percentage of soil cover, plant type; foliage area and its distribution; phenological stage and several environmental factors. Coffee trees (Coffea arabica - cv. Obatã IAC 1669-20) in Agrforestry System (AFS) spaced 3.4x0.9m apart, were planted inside and along rows of 12- year-old rubber trees (Hevea spp.) in Piracicaba-SP, Brazil (22 42'30" S, 47 38'00" W - altitude: 546m). Sap flow of one-year-old coffee plants exposed to 35; 45; 80; 95 and 100% of total solar radiation was estimated by the heat balance technique (Dynamax Inc.). Coffee plants under shade showed greater water loss per unit of incident irradiance. On the other hand, plants in monocrop (full sun) had the least water loss per unit of incident irradiance. For the evaluated positions average water use was (gH2O.m-2Leaf area.MJ-1): 64.71; 67.75; 25.89; 33.54; 27.11 in Dec./2002 and 97.14; 72.50; 40.70; 32.78; 26.13 in Feb./2003. This fact may be attributed to the higher stomata sensitivity of the coffee plants under more illuminated conditions, thus plants under full sun presented the highest water use efficiency. Express transpiration by leaf mass can be a means to access plant adaptation to the various environments, which is inaccessible when the approach is made by leaf area.A absorção e uso da água pelas plantas são processos essencialmente energéticos que podem ser grandemente modificados pela porcentagem de cobertura do solo, tipo de plantas, área foliar e sua distribuição, estágio fenológico e diversos fatores ambientais. Cafeeiros (Coffea arabica - cv. Obatã IAC 1669-20) em Sistema Agroflorestal (AFS) espaçados de 3.4 x 0.9 m foram plantados dentro e ao lado de um seringal de 12 anos de idade (Hevea spp.) em Piracicaba, SP, Brasil (22 42'30"S, 47 38'00" W - altitude: 546 m). O fluxo de seiva dos cafeeiros com 1 ano de idade expostos a 35, 45, 80, 95 e 100% da radiação solar foi estimado pela técnica do balanço de calor (Dynamax Inc.). Cafeeiros sombreados sofreram a maior perda de água por unidade de radiação incidente. No entanto, as plantas em monocultivo (pleno sol) apresentaram a menor perda de água por unidade de radiação incidente. Nas distâncias avaliadas, o uso médio de água foi (gH2O.m-2área foliar.MJ-1): 64,71; 67,75; 25,89; 33,54; e 27,11 em dez./2002 e 97,14; 72,50; 40,70; 32,78; e 26,13 em fev./2003. Tal fato pode ser atribuído à maior sensibilidade estomatal dos cafeeiros sob condições de maior iluminação, o que faz que plantas a pleno sol apresentem eficiência de uso da água mais elevada. Expressar a transpiração por massa de folha pode ser um meio de verificar a adaptação das plantas aos diversos ambientes, a qual é inacessível quando realizado por área foliar
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