Submerged PV Solar Panel for Swimming Pools: SP3

Abstract The possibility to use photovoltaic (PV) modules submerged in water or simply covered by a water veil suggest the possibility to use this renewable energy source (RES) integrated with swimming pools or with decorative pools and fountains. SP3 solution (Submerged PV Solar Panel for Swimming Pools) is discussed for underflow pools as well as for pools with skimmer. The extension of this concept to the possibility to store solar radiation for heating the water of the pool is explored using the results of experimentation already done for hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) modules. Simulation results for Mediterranean latitudes are discussed

RAST: RoundAbout Solar Tracking

Abstract Roundabouts became popular worldwide as a tool to reduce the number of car accidents and the EU encourages and promotes this technology as a solution to the problems of urban and extra-urban traffic. RAST (Roundabout Solar Tracking) systems are designed to exploit the available space in roundabouts, which are already equipped and monitored, in order to produce electricity with a photovoltaic single axis tracking system. The energy produced can be used directly by the surrounding facilities or stored and consumed later or channelled to nearby car charge points. The amount of energy that can be produced on a single roundabout is limited by the land size and is normally in the range 100-400 kWp, but the number of suitable roundabouts in cities is high. Therefore, RAST could make an important contribution to the energy production

supplying historic buildings with energy without impinging on their historic and cultural values

Abstract The Venetian Villas are an historic body of 3782 buildings in Veneto and Friuli from the XVI century to the XVIII century. UNESCO has certified 24 villas of Andrea Palladio as World Heritage Sites. The Regional Institute for the protection of these sites has launched a competition to find innovative technological solutions that contribute to the energy needs of the villas without interfering with the architectural and landscape quality of the same. The paper illustrates the technological solution that won the competition. The possibility of powering the historical Venetian Villas with renewable energy sources is explored. The realization of submerged PV plants integrated with existing water basin is suggested as the best solution. Energy yield is adequate and landscape quality is conserved. Technical details and architectural layouts are discussed

Floating photovoltaic plants and wastewater basins: an Australian project

Abstract Floating photovoltaic is a new design solution for photovoltaic (PV) power plants; Floating PV systems (FPVSs) are normally installed on water bodies such as natural lakes or dams reservoirs, and offshore solutions are also investigated. Such technology has attracted increased worldwide attention since 2007 and medium and large FPVSs have already been deployed in several countries, such as Japan, South Korea, India and USA. The cost effectiveness of FPVS increases dramatically if the floating structure performs also other tasks, for instance the reduction of water evaporation. In this context, the possibility to integrate PV plants with the existing basins for wastewater treatment is explored; a compact FPVS without tracking with optimal orientation and distance among rows is suggested as the most simple and economic design solution. Some test cases in South Australia are suggested and analysed

Pricing Derivatives by Path Integral and Neural Networks

Recent progress in the development of efficient computational algorithms to price financial derivatives is summarized. A first algorithm is based on a path integral approach to option pricing, while a second algorithm makes use of a neural network parameterization of option prices. The accuracy of the two methods is established from comparisons with the results of the standard procedures used in quantitative finance.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, 1 table. Contribution to Proceedings of International Econophysics Conference, Bali, August 28-31, 200

Assessing the energy potential of modernizing the European hydropower fleet

About 50% of all hydropower plants (HPPs) worldwide were originally commissioned more than 40 years ago, so that the advanced age of the fleet is a major concern across all continents, and especially in Europe. The retrofitting of HPPs can generate several benefits for production, flexibility, safety, management and environment. In this work, the benefits related to energy and flexibility were considered and quantified by conducting a large-scale assessment for the European Union and Europe, taking into account several retrofitting strategies: dam heightening, head loss reduction in waterways, increase of installed power in run-of-the-river and storage power plants, increase of annual inflow, increase of maximum efficiency and weighted efficiency of electro-mechanical equipment, start and stop improvement, digitalization and inflow forecast, floating photovoltaic and reservoir interconnection. For most of these strategies, an indicator of the additional capacity and/or annual production that could be obtained compared to the current conditions was calculated. Excluding site-specific strategies (e.g. installation of new parallel waterways, increase of withdrawals from existing intakes) the resulting compound value of the indicator is 10.2% for European Union and 12.2% for the whole Europe, plus 4-28.6 TWh achievable by interconnecting reservoirs. This suggests that the retrofitting of HPPs can generate significant benefits in terms of energy and flexibility, minimizing environmental impacts, and should be considered as an important element of both energy transition and water management policies

Geographic and technical floating photovoltaic potential

The photovoltaic geographic potential (PVGP) is defined as the fraction of the solar irradiation received on the land available for a photovoltaic facility. The area of this usable land is calculated by a suitability factor which is determined by a variety of different geographical constraints. We extend this kind of analysis to floating photovoltaic (FPV) structures and consider the use of water surfaces with the same definitions and notations used to define the PVGP for systems installed on the ground. Results are very promising because of the large water surfaces available and because of the possibility to build floating structures which are more compact than land based photovoltaic plants. In fact, using just 1% of natural basins areas to install FPV plants, about 25% of the world electrical energy demand (in 2014) can be supplied. The PVGP is evaluated for two PVF raft geometries: one is a typical shed structure, the other is an innovative solution named gable