Sustainable Electronics Based on Crop Plant Extracts and Graphene: A “Bioadvantaged” Approach

In today’s fast-paced and well-connected world, consumer electronics are evolving rapidly. As a result, the amount of discarded electronic devices is becoming a major health and environmental concern. The rapid expansion of flexible electronics has the potential to transform consumer electronic devices from rigid phones and tablets to robust wearable devices. This means increased use of plastics in consumer electronics and the potential to generate more persistent plastic waste for the environment. Hence, today, the need for flexible biodegradable electronics is at the forefront of minimizing the mounting pile of global electronic waste. A “bioadvantaged” approach to develop a biodegradable, flexible, and application-adaptable electronic components based on crop components and graphene is reported. More specifically, by combining zein, a corn-derived protein, and aleuritic acid, a major monomer of tomato cuticles and sheellac, along with graphene, biocomposite conductors having low electrical resistance (≈10 Ω sq−1) with exceptional mechanical and fatigue resilience are fabricated. Further, a number of high-performance electronic applications, such as THz electromagnetic shielding, flexible GHz antenna construction, and flexible solar cell electrode, are demonstrated. Excellent performance results are measured from each application comparable to conventional nondegrading counterparts, thus paving the way for the concept of “plant-e-tronics” towards sustainability

Recykling Zużytych Ogniw I Modułów Fotowoltaicznych - Stan Obecny

In comparison to other energy producing techniques, photovoltaics (PV) is one of the most promising options: no emission of any matter into the environment during operation; extremely long operation period (estimated average: 25 years), minimum maintenance, robust technique, aesthetic aspects. The use of photovoltaics is rapidly increasing, and the respective market is developing accordingly. Although PV manufacturing equipment is now excluded from the scope of RoHS, according to the Kyoto Protocol and the EU Directives WEEE and RoHS the use of hazardous substances in electric/electronic devices has to be reduced stepwise to approximately zero level. Furthermore, a total recycling of nearly all materials involved is aimed. Thus, major attention is directed to avoidance of environmental pollution through combustion or landfill, to regain valuable material, to promote the development and use of renewable energy sources. As the lifetime of PV cells themselves is much longer than that of PV modules and the manufacturing process of cells requires much energy consumption, the reuse of base material of the cells is economically justified. The aim of this work was to develop and evaluate existing methods of PV cells and modules recycling. The article discusses the main outcomes and analyses the significance of recycling in relation to the environmental profile of the production and total life cycle of photovoltaic cells and modules.W porównaniu do innych metod produkcji energii, technologia fotowoltaiczna jest jedną z najbardziej obiecujących opcji: brak emisji z substancji do środowiska podczas pracy, bardzo długi okres eksploatacji (szacowany średnio na 25 lat), minimalna konieczność konserwacji, solidna technika, atuty estetyczne. Rynek modułów fotowoltaicznych na świecie rozwija się intensywnie, a stale rosnący udział modułów fotowoltaicznych (PV) w światowej produkcji energii elektrycznej powoduje, iż zwiększająca się ilość odpadów - w postaci zużytych lub uszkodzonych ogniw i modułów PV - spowoduje w najbliższych latach konieczność bardziej racjonalnego ich zagospodarowania. Aby moduły fotowoltaiczne pozostały bez negatywnego wpływu na środowisko, konieczne jest wprowadzenie długofalowej strategii obejmującej kompletny „cykl życia” wszystkich elementów systemu: od fazy produkcji, poprzez montaż i eksploatację aż do utylizacji. Recykling odpadów produkcyjnych i zużytych systemów jest istotnym elementem tej strategii. Korzyści środowiskowe recyklingu są związane nie tylko z ograniczeniem miejsca na składowiskach odpadów, ale również z oszczędnością energii, surowców i ograniczeniem emisji. Celem pracy było przedstawienie i ocena istniejących metod recyklingu ogniw i modułów fotowoltaicznych oraz wpływu tego procesu na środowisko naturalne

Shading, Dusting and Incorrect Positioning of Photovoltaic Modules as Important Factors in Performance Reduction

The amount of solar radiation reaching the front cover of a photovoltaic module is crucial for its performance. A number of factors must be taken into account at the design stage of the solar installation, which will ensure maximum utilization of the potential arising from the location. During the operation of a photovoltaic installation, it is necessary to limit the shading of the modules caused by both dust and shadowing by trees or other objects. The article presents an analysis of the impact of the radiation reaching the surface of the radiation module on the efficiency obtained. Each of the analyzed aspects is important for obtaining the greatest amount of energy in specific geographical conditions. Modules contaminated by settling dust will be less efficient than those without deposits. The results of experimental studies of this effect are presented, depending on the amount of impurities, including their origins and morphologies. In practice, it is impossible to completely eliminate shadowing caused by trees, uneven terrain, other buildings, chimneys, or satellite dishes, and so on, which limits the energy of solar radiation reaching the modules. An analysis of partial shading for the generated power was also carried out. An important way for maximizing the incoming radiation is the correct positioning of the modules relative to the sun. It is considered optimal to position the modules relative to the light source, that is, the sun, so that the rays fall perpendicular to the surfaces of the modules. Any deviation in the direction of the rays results in a loss in the form of a decrease in the available power of the module. The most beneficial option would be to use sun-tracking systems, but they represent an additional investment cost, and their installations require additional space and maintenance. Therefore, the principle was adopted that stationary systems should be oriented to the south, using the optimal angle of inclination of the module surface appropriate for the location. This article presents the dependence of the decrease in obtained power on the angle of deviation from the optimal one

Recycling of Raw Materials, Silicon Wafers and Complete Solar Cells from Photovoltaic Modules

Photovoltaic modules (PVs) are an attractive way of generating electricity in reliable and maintenance-free systems with the use of solar energy. The average lifetime of photovoltaic modules is 25 to 30 years. To offset the negative impact of photovoltaic modules on the environment, it is necessary to introduce a long-term strategy that includes a complete lifecycle of all system components from the production phase through installation and operation to disposal. Recycling of waste products and worn-out systems is an important element of this strategy. Environmental benefits of recycling are related not only to the limited space of landfills, but also to energy saving, raw materials and emission reduction. An important argument for the recycling of photovoltaic modules is the reduction of energy consumption at their production stage through the reuse of existing purified materials. The paper presents selected methods of recycling of used or destroyed PV modules and photovoltaic cells and the results of practical experiments

Photovoltaic-Installation Performance in Central Europe on the Example of Poland

The amount of the electric energy obtained from a photovoltaic (PV) installation depends on the energy of the radiation. Weather conditions differ strongly between various years even in the same season. Depending on the climatic conditions of a given location, fixed PV solar plants as well as one-axis and dual-axis tracking PV solar plants are being installed worldwide. The aim of this work is to analyse the sunlight intensity and PV system performance under the geographic conditions of central Europe. The analysis was made on the basis of multi-month monitoring in Gdańsk, Poland, and by comparison with systems in other locations on the basis of the results of researchat Opole University, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poznan University of Technology, and AGH University of Science and Technology.The annual irradiation and the electrical PV energy production have been averaged over a time period of several years. Two aspects are explored within this paper: the expected average annual electricity generation of a standard 1-kWp standalone or grid-connected PV system and the theoretical potential of PV electricity generation in the European countries

Wytłoki rzepakowe - produkt uboczny w produkcji biodiesla - jako doskonałe źródło energii odnawialnej

Vegetable oils are renewable feedstock currently being used for production of biofuels from sustainable biomass resources. The existing technology for producing diesel fuel from plant oils, such as rapeseed, soybean, canola and palm oil are largely centered on transesterification of oils with methanol to produce fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) or biodiesel. Rapeseed pellet - crushed seed residue from oil extraction is a byproduct of biodiesel production process. As other types of biomass, it can either be burned directly in furnaces or processed to increase its energetic value. The interest to use different types of biomass as fuels has grown rapidly during the last years as a mean to reduce the CO2 emissions of energy production. Biomass is renewable, abundant and has domestic usage, the sources of biomass can help the world reduce its dependence on petroleum products and natural gas. Energetically effective utilization of rapeseed pellet could substantially improve the economic balance of an individual household in which biodiesel for fulfilling the producer’s own energetic demand is obtained. In this article the experimental results of analyzing the emissions levels of different pollutants in exhaust fumes during different stages of biomass boiler operation were presented. It has been proved that that the pellet, a byproduct of biodiesel production, is an excellent renewable and environmentally-friendly energy source, especially viable for use in household tap water heating installations.Oleje roślinne są obecnie - jako surowce odnawialne - wykorzystywane do produkcji biopaliw. Produktem odpadowym w produkcji biopaliw z roślin oleistych są wytłoki roślinne, pozostałe po uzyskaniu oleju metodą mechaniczną lub chemiczną. Odpady te, zwane też makuchami lub pelletem, mogą być wykorzystane jako dodatkowe źródło energii (np. do ogrzewania pomieszczeń) w gospodarstwach rolnych lub domowych. Zainteresowanie stosowaniem różnych rodzajów biomasy jako paliwa gwałtownie wzrosło w ostatnich latach i traktowane jest jako sposób na zmniejszenie emisji CO2 w procesie produkcji energii, a także na ograniczenie zależności od produktów naftowych i gazu ziemnego. Tak jak inne rodzaje biomasy, pellet rzepakowy może być albo spalany bezpośrednio w piecach, albo przetwarzany w celu zwiększenia jego wartości energetycznej. Energetycznie efektywne wykorzystanie odpadu rzepakowego może znacznie poprawić równowagę ekonomiczną indywidualnego gospodarstwa domowego, w którym biodiesel produkowany jest dla zaspokojenia własnego zapotrzebowania. W artykule przedstawiono wyniki badań eksperymentalnych analizy poziomu emisji substancji, zawartych w spalinach, podczas różnych etapów pracy kotła na biomasę. Udowodniono, że pellet, produkt uboczny produkcji biodiesla, jest doskonałym odnawialnym i przyjaznym dla środowiska źródłem energii, szczególnie opłacalnym do stosowania w instalacjach centralnego ogrzewania i podgrzewania wody użytkowej w gospodarstwach rolnych

The Analysis of Working Parameters Decrease in Photovoltaic Modules as a Result of Dust Deposition

The aspect of dust accumulation on the surface of photovoltaic (PV) modules should be thoroughly understood in order to minimize possible obstacles affecting energy generation. Several elements affect the amount of pollutant gathered on the surface of a solar device, mainly its localization, which is irreversibly linked to factors such as annual rainfall, occasional snow coverage, or, in a dry climate, increased blow of dust during sandstorms and higher concentration of soil particles in desert areas. Other than weather conditions in the region, PV installation type also plays an important role as a more horizontal position is favorable for the accumulation of soil. The research carried out and presented in this paper was done for dust accumulated naturally on PV modules kept in outdoor conditions and dust artificially sieved onto the front glass cover of modules. The experiment performed by the authors, including artificially deposited dust, defined the linear relationship between surface dust density of different types of contaminants and efficiency decline up to 10% for two different PV modules. The additional field study carried out in external conditions for a coastal region in Northern Poland concluded that, after one year, exposition photovoltaic conversion efficiency can be over 10% lower, with a slight performance improvement for the autumn season characterized by heavy rainfall

Soiling Effect Mitigation Obtained by Applying Transparent Thin-Films on Solar Panels: Comparison of Different Types of Coatings

Dust accumulation on the front cover of solar panels is closely linked to location and orientation of photovoltaic (PV) installation. Its build-up depends on the module tilt angle, frequency of precipitation, humidity, wind strength and velocity, as well as grain size. Additionally, soil composition is determined by solar farm surroundings such as local factories, agricultural crops, and traffic. Over time, molecules of atmospheric dust agglomerate on top of each other and cause gradual reduction in generated energy. Manual cleaning techniques are required to restore working conditions of PV installation to their original conditions; however, they are time consuming and may lead to damage of the glass coverage. Therefore, implementing a different approach by utilizing self-cleaning and anti-dust coatings on front covers of module surfaces is thought of as a competitive manner of cleansing. Based on the varying properties of such thin-films, a division was made into hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and anti-dust coatings. In this article, the authors would like to present a comprehensive review of those types of transparent films. Moreover, a few hydrophobic coatings available on the Polish market were analyzed by applying them on glass tiles and covering them with three types of dust