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• Development of a fault detection algorithm on aIRT images highlighting its main challenges, shortcomes, and workarounds; • Utilization of an orthomosaic reconstruction software package describing the challenges that the workflow impose for the automatic fault detection algorithms; • Evaluation of the impact of different flight configurations and dataset on the processing time and results; • Application of the proposed framework in real cases, evaluating the challenges imposed by real datasets. As large-scale Photovoltaic (PV) power plants are being expanded in installation number and capacity, aerial infrared thermography (aIRT) has proven to be effective in detecting at different phases of their development, construction and commissioning to operation and maintenance. However, evaluating the aerial imagery over hundreds of hectares fields of PV arrays is very time-consuming and subject to human error. This paper proposes a complete framework for automatically detecting faults in large-scale PV power plants and their physical location inside the plant site. To this end, a Mask-RCNN algorithm is developed and fine-tuned for instance segmentation using a dataset of 93 samples collected in an aIRT flight campaign in Brazil. The results are combined with orthomosaic techniques to create an orthomap of the PV system with the highlighted faults. The proposed method has been tested to automatically detect the faults in two power plants. Several tests were performed to improve the algorithm's accuracy, resulting in high-accuracy results for detecting and localizing hot spots in PV plants and disconnected substrings. The resulting maps could successfully show the location of these faults with high accuracy (10% of false positives). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Overirradiance changes performance of PV's with different inverter sizing factors. • Values of up to 1566 W/m2 were measured in analyzes of overirradiance events. • Operating temperatures of 80 °C were measured in undersized inverters. • High energy yield of 11.86% was obtained in oversized inverters. The optimization of the installation characteristics of photovoltaic (PV) generators guarantee greater generation of electric energy and a better distribution of solar irradiation of the PV modules; on the other hand, to determine the sizing factor- SFI, one must take into account the saturation losses of the AC output during conditions of high irradiance and overheating of the inverters. Based on the behavior of the measured solar irradiance, there are several rapid oscillations, and over the days, most of the measured curves are superior to the clear sky model, caused by a transient effect of the atmospheric boundary layer. Two photovoltaics systems–SFCR, were analyzed using the same model and inverter power but with a different inverter design factor. The SFCR were installed in southern Brazil 30 km apart. According to the inverter operating temperature monitoring data, it was also possible to prove the occurrence of the overtemperature to which the inverter with lower SFI is subjected, reaching operating temperatures on the order of 80 °C. SFCR A had higher solar radiation of 4.2% over the year compared to SFCR B; however, SFCR B had a higher final yield of 11.86%. In this way, PV systems with undersized inverters will be losing electricity generation, in addition to reducing their useful life due to component stress, resulting in inverter changes over the life of the PV system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analysis involving BIPV integration, orientation, shadings and performance were conducted. • High-time resolution energy and irradiance data were collected from PV systems at the same site. • PV systems oriented from 0° to 270° and tilted from 0° to 20° had less than 4% in losses of irradiation. • BIPV systems can perform well even when not ideally tilted and/or oriented, and/or shaded. • PV modules can be more freely used as building materials in architectural integration. In a positive-energy building (PEB), the energy generation is higher than the required for the building's operation, including charging electric vehicles. That is the case of the Fotovoltaica-UFSC Laboratory, a solar energy research building, located in Florianópolis – Brazil (27°S; 48°W), and its electric bus (eBus), supplied by on-site building-integrated (BIPV) and ground-mounted (GM) photovoltaic (PV) systems. In order to assess the performance of BIPV systems from architectural perspectives, three not ideally positioned BIPV systems that use different technologies (c-Si, CdTe and CIGS), tilt angles, and azimuthal deviations were compared with two ideally oriented and tilted GM systems (CdTe), operating at the same warm and sunny site with simultaneous irradiance and energy data collected at high time resolution. All PV systems are installed in an urban environment, with complex aspects of architectural integration, orientation, partial shadings and performance. These aspects were analyzed in detail in this study. In addition, comparisons between real data measurements of all PV systems and PVSyst® software simulations were carried out. Results have shown that BIPV systems presented, in average, higher yields and performance ratios (PRs) than GM systems, and the real measurements validated the expected energy, even for PV systems with complex environment and tilt angle variations connected to the same inverter. In conclusion, PV modules can be more freely used as building skin and/or materials in architectural integration, as BIPV systems can perform well even when not ideally positioned and partially shaded, since the electrical system design supports architectural decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It was shown that PV based air conditioner can save about $700.00 in energy consumption with a payback in 3.7 years. • The COP for the PV based air conditioner is about 2.6 while the COP for conventional unit is 2.9. • The PV based air conditioner is viable in Piaui, Brazil due to high and stable incident solar radiation. • The PV based air conditioner proved to be stable at times of great cooling demand. • The PV based air conditioner can substitute satisfactorily conventional units in hot regions. Globally the building sector is responsible for a big share of electric energy consumption and emissions. To alleviate these impacts it is necessary to improve the energy efficiency besides implementing renewable energy sources for building sector sustainability. PV panels for generating electric energy are most preferred by the sector. In the present study, two similar rooms were prepared one with a conventional air conditioner of the window type powered from the grid and the other is powered from PV panels. The heat load was calculated and used to define the conventional air conditioner and also to define the area of photovoltaic solar panels and the associated equipments to install a PV circuit for supplying electric energy to the PV air conditioner. Both rooms were equipped with calibrated instrumentation including thermocouples to measure the temperature distribution in rooms as well as electric energy consumption during the experiments. Ambient temperature, wind speed, temperature in the vicinity of the photovoltaic panels, humidity, solar radiation, voltage, current, flow of energy consumed by the systems were measured and registered by data acquisition system. Experiments were carried out with the systems working simultaneously at pre-defined times. The solar PV-based air conditioner consumed approximately 342 kWh during 30 days of experiments, while the air conditioner connected to the grid, consumed about 330 kWh, which is 5 % less than the solar PV air conditioner confirming that solar PV air conditioner is viable. The COP for the solar-based air conditioner is about 2.6 and the COP for conventional air conditioner is 2.9. The incident solar radiation is high and stable in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil which ensures viability of the solar PV air conditioner. The power supply from CC showed better quality and costs an AC system, and that PV System can save about $700.00 in energy consumption and the payback occurs in 3.7 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the photovoltaic (PV) panel installed capacity has significantly increased over the last years, it is interesting to investigate the phenomena that may cause adverse effects on the performance of the modules, such as soiling. This work is aimed at evaluating the impact of PV panel soiling in the performance of a solar power plant on a soccer stadium in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, as well as to characterize the dust physically and chemically. The PV power plant is composed of 5910 multicrystalline silicon PV modules. Two diametrically opposed groups of modules were chosen and their generation was analyzed for 43 days in the second half of winter, each group containing reference modules that were manually cleaned every five days. A rainfall occurred on day 23 and some modules were manually cleaned on day 30. The collected dust was characterized by X-ray diffraction and by X-ray fluorescence. The particle size distribution and the shape of the particles were also investigated. For the sets of PV modules and the testing period studied, soiling reduced peak power in approximately 13.7% in the dry period, and 6.5% in the period after a rainfall. The energy production was reduced in approximately 16.5% in the dry period and 8.0% in the period after a rainfall. The average particle size of the southwest oriented group (Group A) and the northeast oriented group (Group B) was 35.3 and 28.7 µm respectively, but this difference did not make a significant effect in the performance of the modules. The collected dust was composed mainly of quartz, hematite and calcite. These results reinforce the need of manually cleaning the PV modules in order to maintain a high generation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Assessment of the status and trends of PV DG in Brazil based on big data processing; • Application of machine learning algorithms to estimate the installed power of individual systems; • Application of forecasting models to predict the installed power of PV DG over time in Brazil and its regions; • Application of the DEA method to rank Brazilian states in terms of efficiency in PV DG deployment; • The paper is expected to be valuable for regulatory agencies, researchers, and PV aggregator companies. The deployment of photovoltaic (PV) distributed generation (DG) has been increasing substantially in Brazil. In this context, the present paper exploits a robust dataset provided by the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL) to evaluate the status and trends concerning PV DG. As of Nov/2022, such a dataset consists of more than 1,4 million lines (one for each system) and thirty columns (various information concerning the systems). For an in-depth assessment, three items are addressed: (i) the application of machine learning algorithms to estimate the installed power of individual systems based on other information available in the dataset, (ii) the application of forecasting models to predict the installed power of PV DG over time in Brazil and its regions, and (iii) the application of the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method to rank Brazilian states in terms of efficiency in PV DG deployment. While items (i)-(iii) present distinct specific goals, they use the same dataset and provide essential insights concerning PV DG in Brazil. In item (i), elastic net (EN), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), extra tree (ET), AdaBoost (AB), and gradient boosting (GB) are applied to select the most accurate algorithm. In item (ii), autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA), Holt-Winters exponential smoothing (HWES), Bass diffusion model (BDM), and multilayer perceptron artificial neural network (MLP-ANN) are applied. In item (iii), output-oriented DEA CCR and BCC are applied. Concerning item (i), results demonstrate that estimating the installed power of individual systems is not very simple. Nonetheless, the machine learning algorithms imply a significant accuracy increase compared to taking the dataset's average as the estimation, especially the DT and RF algorithms with a coefficient of determination of 29%. Regarding item (ii), results demonstrate that the installed capacity in Brazil and its regions is expected to increase approximately linearly in the horizon of months but with weekly seasonal characteristics. Moreover, the most accurate model depends on the region, i.e., the ANN is superior for the Northeast (MAPE of 3.25%) and South (MAPE of 1.28%) regions, the HWES method is superior for Brazil (MAPE of 0.51%) and the Southeast region (MAPE of 2.26%), and the BDM is superior for the Mid-west (MAPE of 1.95%) and North (MAPE of 3.37%) regions. Concerning item (iii), results demonstrate that DEA CCR is more representative of the Brazilian reality since DEA BCC assigns several states as efficient, even if they showcase a very low installed capacity, particularly small states. DEA CCR indicates that Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, and Mato Grosso are the most efficient states in PV DG deployment relative to their inputs, closely followed by São Paulo with an efficiency of 95%. Furthermore, states located in the North and Northeast region require more attention from ANEEL since their efficiencies are generally low. A literature review demonstrated that this paper is the first of its kind in exploiting so thoroughly and robustly the dataset provided by ANEEL. Therefore, the paper is expected to assist ANEEL in the task of properly regulating the sector and also assist researchers and PV aggregator companies through in-depth insights. Moreover, the conducted procedures can also be applied to other countries with available datasets, thus ensuring high applicability for the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National electricity agency (ANEEL, Portuguese acronym) published in 2012 Brazilian regulation for connection renewable-based generation systems into electricity distribution grids. This regulation allows electricity consumers to install generation systems, connect into the distribution grid and inject the electricity, receiving credits that are deducted from the electricity bill. In addition to these incentives and to encourage the expansion of distributed renewable sources, tax exemptions are offered by the Federal and State governments. This work evaluated fiscal and tariff incentives granted for a 4-kW residential system in 35 distribution companies in Brazil for different regulatory scenarios. Using Net Present Value (NPV) and Payback, we quantified economic incentives and impacts in each scenario. Results show that amount of money from incentives is strongly dependent of tariff composition in each energy distribution company. For a scenario with all tariff components compensated (including the taxes), the amount of incentives provided range from 1.2 to 2.5 times the system cost, with an average of 1.78. Beyond that, for 33 of the 35 companies just the tax exemptions result in an amount higher than the cost of the system. The incentives on tariff elements (taxes not included) granted by the current regulation results in an amount higher than the cost of the system for 40% of the distribution companies. The current regulatory framework (tariffs and taxes incentives) results in incentives higher than the system cost for all 35 distribution companies. In the other hand, removing all incentives impact the average payback from 5.3 to 6.9 years. These conclusions show how GD's solar systems still depend on government incentives to continue increasing technology in Brazil and all the direct and indirect benefits for the energy sector and the whole of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: With the declining costs of flat plate and concentrating photovoltaic (PV) systems, solar PV generation in many sunny regions in Brazil will eventually become cost competitive with conventional and centralized power generation. Detailed knowledge of the local solar radiation resource becomes critical in assisting on the choice of the technology most suited for large-scale solar electricity generation. When assessing the energy generation potential of non-concentrating, fixed flat plate versus concentrating PV, sites with high levels of direct normal irradiation (DNI) can result in cost-competitive electricity generation with the use of high concentrating photovoltaic systems (HCPV). In large countries, where the transmission and distribution infrastructure costs and associated losses typical of centralized generation must be taken into account, the distributed nature of solar radiation should be perceived as a valuable asset. In this work we assess the potential of HCPV energy generation using satellite-derived DNI data for Brazil, a large and sunny country with a continental surface of 8.5millionkm2. The methodology used in the study involved the analysis of global horizontal, latitude-tilt, and direct normal solar irradiation data resulting from the Solar and Wind Energy Resource Assessment (SWERA) Project, and an estimate of the resulting electricity production potential, based on a review of HCPV generators operating at other sites. The satellite-derived solar irradiation data, with 10km×10km spatial resolution, were analysed over the whole country, in order to identify the regions where HCPV might present a considerable advantage over fixed plate PV on an annual energy generation basis. Our results show that there is a considerable fraction of the national territory where the direct normal solar irradiation resource is up to 20% higher than the latitude-tilt irradiation availability. Furthermore, these sites are located in the most industrially-developed region of the country, and indicate that with the declining costs of this technology, distributed multi-megawatt HCPV can be a good choice of technology for solar energy generation at these sites in the near future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A technical and economic analysis of PV panels with and without a cooling system is presented. • Analysis of the cooling effects on the efficiency and durability of PV panels is performed. • A standard system has been designed to cool down the PV modules. • Efficiency and durability within a 25 years lifetime of a PV panel are predicted. • Initial investments on cooling down PV system are compensated over its lifetime. Photovoltaic (PV) panels can increase their efficiency and durability by using water-cooled systems. In this paper, the authors present a methodology to establish the degradation rate (DR) of PV panels related to their durability and efficiency under cooled versus no-cooled conditions. A long-term feasibility analysis of PV power plants with some suggested modifications are discussed in detail. A standard system was designed to cool down the PV modules. The simulations used with this purpose are based on several publications with relevant aspects carried out in the literature using Matlab-based modeling data. Such results were then confirmed by Homer program to predict the efficiency and durability of PV panels within a lifetime period of 25 years. To illustrate the methodology proposed here, the simulation parameters were used for the city of Santa Maria-RS, Brazil. The results allowed to conclude that cooling combined with heated water for domestic usage can decrease the PV degradation rate by 3% and provide an increased efficiency by almost 30% with respect to the PV panels without such cooling approaches. Therefore, the final results conclude that installation of water-cooled PV panels is an attractive and feasible option for a short- and long-term efficiency improvement with great impact on the expansion and durability of PV power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The degradation rate of a Photovoltaic system at Porto Alegre was 0.7% per year. • Electroluminescence and infrared imagery analysis indicate signs of corrosion. • The photovoltaic modules were individually characterized before their installation. Photovoltaic modules long-term reliability is a key requirement to keep this technology a commercially interesting option for energy production. The investment return on PV generation system depends, among other factors, on the peculiarities of the system on efficiency reduction caused by environmental action. Technical standards suggest laboratory tests for the qualification and a better understanding on module degradation behavior. Nevertheless, some degradation modes can only be observed after years of field operation. This paper presents the main signs of degradation on crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules caused by outdoor exposure after a period of 15 years in an installation in the city of Porto Alegre, the southernmost state capital city in Brazil. The electric analysis demonstrated that the modules kept 90.5% of their initial power, with an average of degradation rate of 0.7% per year. Some techniques helped the evaluation of defects caused by exposure of the arrays for long periods of operation, such as electroluminescence imaging and I-V curve testing. The most frequent defects found were browning (encapsulant darkening) and cell encapsulant delamination, leading to the anti-reflective layer deterioration. The junction box of one of the modules was detached, allowing the entrance of moisture and resulting in the disconnection of some of the module cells. The electroluminescence technique also provided a better understanding on modes of degradation. Despite the observed evidences of degradation along these 15 years, it can be said that the system remains within the expected operation limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical approach to evaluate and to optimize the life cycle savings of hybrid diesel-photovoltaic plants is carried out. The life cycle savings is evaluated, considering one or more diesel generator sets, operating in different fixed power levels, with special attention to the case of high specific fuel cost. The condition under which optimum photovoltaic module area exists is analyzed. In the particular region of the northern part of Brazil, it is shown that there are several favorable conditions to implement photovoltaic generation, in the range of current electricity tariffs and diesel oil costs practiced in the market. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Theoretical model for organic PV module P3HT:PCBM. • Experimental determination of equivalent circuit parameters of organic PV module. • Reduced dependence of V OC on module temperature observed. • Long-term tests performed using fixed voltage method for obtaining energy yield. In this work the behavior of an organic solar module operating under real solar radiation conditions is presented. This allows to understand which parameters limit the efficiency of an organic device and their underlying mechanisms. The characterization of a module, produced by CSEM Brasil, with active layer P3HT:PCBM, is based on instantaneous voltage and current curves, dark current curves and analysis of the module operating continuously with fixed voltage. This allows to extract the parameters of the equivalent circuit of the module, such as diode saturation current (I 0), series resistance (R S) and shunt resistance (R SH) as well as to understand the influence of different levels of radiation and temperature on such parameters. The work presented was performed by using a commercial organic solar module in extensive outdoor experiments. The results are based on continuous use and for several levels of radiation and temperature under real operating conditions in comparison with a theoretical model for the first time. With the continuous tests it was possible to demonstrate the average daily generation of the module in Wh/m2, and also to verify experimentally, that the module presents better efficiency for diffuse radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Comparison of crystalline-Si PV systems from 2-different PV manufacturers. • Identification of degradation mechanisms associated with EVA. • Mechanisms of chemical degradation are presented associated with loss of performance. • Comparisons using EL and UV to highlight performance differences. This paper reports on a unique evaluation-opportunity for comparing modules from two-different manufacturers that were deployed for a long-period (~15 years) under similar circumstances: (a) for the same distributed, rural-power applications, (b) operating under the same climate-conditions and geographical area, (c) with devices manufactured and installed at the same time. But these modules had very different resulting observed changes in their operational and physical characteristics over their long field-exposures. The PV modules were dispersed in a tropical climate-zone (northern-region of Minas Gerais, Brazil). Visual inspections of the two-module sets concluded that one module source (SET A) had almost no encapsulant discoloration and few indications of delamination and corrosion. In contrast, the other module source (SET B) had significant yellowing/browning, widespread-areas of delamination, and fairly extensive interconnect-corrosion. The corresponding measured changes in the electrical characteristics were: SET A having average annual loss in power of 0.4–0.5%, and SET B with 2.3–3.7%/year over their installation times. Encapsulant discoloration and delamination provided the first clues to the measured differences in module performance and are attributed to the existing climate conditions of high-ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposures and high-ambient temperatures. The bases for the performance differences of these two module sets were examined using complementary electrical, physical and chemical characterization of the module materials. The primary goal of this paper is to identify the root causes for the degradation differences (one set meeting specifications, the other not), based upon the critical module materials properties/processing and climatic exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Simple georeferenced methodology for operating-efficiency solar potential presented. • Commercial efficiency and temperature coefficients for solar potential are analyzed. • Local ambient temperature, wind speed and irradiance are considered for efficiency. • Meteorological conditions are critical for countries solar power generation planning. • Cells, module types and installation are critical for regional solar potential analyses. Abstract The operating efficiency of photovoltaic solar cells depends on local meteorological conditions, varying significantly throughout large territories. As traditional solar potential maps present only solar resources, the impact of temperature on photovoltaic solar cells efficiency losses emerges as an important issue in the analysis of solar energy potentials. We developed an approach that accounts for temperature when determining solar energy potentials in large territories, using Brazil as a case study given its continental size, amplitude of meteorological conditions and high levels of solar irradiation. Our method is based on simple mathematical models for operating efficiency and temperature, applied to six commercial photovoltaic technologies in real local conditions and for distinct mounting arrangements. Results show that the real efficiency of photovoltaic solar cells can be reduced by up to 15% in the hottest hot-spot place, with much lower efficiency reduction values observed in places with more favorable operating conditions. Results also indicate that monocrystalline and thin film solar technologies are more appropriate for warmer locations. The method here developed can be easily applied to other regions of the globe and also to other commercial technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rooftop residential photovoltaic (PV) generation is becoming more widespread among homeowners. A proper PV system design is crucial in order to avoid annual electricity production in excess of residential demand in countries where a net metering scheme is in place like in Brazil. It is therefore important that the information related to the average solar irradiation incident on the solar modules is accurately assessed, allowing precise estimates of photovoltaic electricity production. This work defines the criteria for the proper choice of a freely available irradiation database for the Brazilian territory and compares the results with the PVsyst-Meteonorm, a well-known modeling system. We demonstrate that, for Brazil, the Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) information provided by Openei-SWERA series is the best fit to different locations in the Brazilian territory, after introducing the corrections made by the horizontal to the plane-of-array transposition algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SMARTS + satellite method led to good results for field IV curve spectral correction. • CdTe showed spectral factors of up to 10% for Northern and 2% for Southern Brazil. • Average spectral factor for mc-Si in Florianópolis showed 2% spectral losses. • SMARTS + satellite data method yielded good irradiance-weighted averaged SF results. This paper presents an analysis of spectral impacts on mc-Si and new generation CdTe in two distinct regions of Brazil: Florianópolis-SC (27°S, 48°W) in the South, and Assu-RN (5°S, 37°W) in the Northeast. As utility-scale PV power plants are progressively being deployed in the Brazilian Northeast, the need for evaluation of the spectral effects of local blue-biased spectra on the energy yield of different PV technologies arises, as well as the need for spectral correction of field peak-power measurements done during commissioning and system performance tests. Considering the high cost of adequate spectral measurement equipment, this paper proposes a new approach for the estimation of spectral impacts without the need for in loco measurements. The proposed methodology consists of the use of satellite data acquired from NASA's Giovanni platform as inputs for the SMARTS 2.9.5 spectra model. Results for measured spectra showed that, for both locations, new generation CdTe (i.e. First Solar Series 4 and 6) has significant spectral gains: up to 10% for Assu-RN (Northeastern Brazil) and 2% for Florianópolis-SC (Southern Brazil). A seasonal variation could also be detected for the Florianópolis site, with lower spectral gains for CdTe - and higher for mc-Si - close to the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice, due to higher air mass values and lower precipitable water content of the atmosphere. The proposed method using Giovanni data and SMARTS spectra modeling produced very similar spectra to those measured for clear days in the field at both sites, yielding good results for the calculation of spectral factors for both mc-Si and CdTe. For days with a higher diffuse fraction the results were not as satisfactory, as expected. The proposed method was also applied to instantaneous measurements for three different times (and AM values) of the day for Florianópolis: 9:00, 12:00 and 15:00, yielding satisfactory results for IV curve spectral correction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• aIRT equipment equipped with a RGB camera improves inspection. • Post-flight image analysis provides a faster aIRT inspection. • The most common problem detected were hot spots caused by soiling and vegetation. • The most common defect in the power plants were disconnected cell substrings. • The defect with higher impact on the PV plant performance are disconnected strings. The uptime of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants is of utmost importance for meeting contractual energy yields and expected capacity factors. Aerial Infrared Thermography (aIRT) is a non-destructive, no-downtime, fast and cost-effective method for monitoring large-scale PV power plants and assisting in fault detection. The use of aIRT techniques aims at increasing the quality and service life of PV plants especially in sunny and developing countries such as Brazil, where there is a shortfall of specialised workforce and the costs for a detailed supervisory system of utility-scale PV power plants are high. This paper presents an analysis of an aIRT flight campaign over four utility-scale PV plants in the northeast of Brazil. Two types of measurement equipment have been tested and compared, resulting in more stability and efficiency using a commercially available solution. This solution was also equipped with a RGB camera that accelerated the inspections, since it helped to differentiate defects from hot spots caused by soiling and vegetation over the modules, which were common. Different methods for fault detection were also tested and it was concluded that post-flight image analysis provides faster results. The most common faults that can happen in the early operation of PV power plants and how operators should address and prevent them were also discussed. The most common defect detected during the campaign were disconnected cell substrings. However, disconnected strings had the most impact on the power plants energy performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open water transposition channels in hot and arid regions lose significant amounts of water through evaporation. This is the case with the São Francisco River Integration Project (PISF) in Brazil. This paper proposes using photovoltaic (PV) panels to cover the channels of the PISF to reduce evaporation and save water. The study aims to evaluate the potential amount of water saved by this technology across all channel lengths, as well as the energy that can be generated by the covered watercourses. The study also examines whether the energy produced can be used to power the transposition pumps during peak radiation hours, improving the energy efficiency of the project. To achieve the study's goals, the authors conducted a thorough review of academic and industrial literature on the state-of-the-art of PV generation in Brazil and worldwide. They also examined the regional geography, meteorology, irradiation, and social characteristics of the area. The authors identified the characteristics of the channels and watercourses of PISF and calculated their solar potential. The study found that covering all current channel extensions with PV panels could save up to 25,000 m3 Water per day to supply the deprived population, improving their quality of life and generating 1,250 GWh annually. [Display omitted] • Use of photovoltaics approach to reduce evaporative water losses in channels. • The Largest River (PISF) transposition project case. • The use of PV panels to cover the PISF water courses. • Covering channel extensions with PV panels could save up to 25,000 m 3 Water/day. • Generating 1,200 GW h annually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposed method to evaluate PV + BESS economic landscape for brazilian dwellings. • Positive impact of adopting a BESS in the PU from the energy perspective. • BESS costs impact economic viability and need government incentive. • Method can be adapted to other scenarios. This paper proposes a methodology to assess the energy and economic impact of adopting small-scale residential photovoltaic (PV) systems paired with lithium-ion battery energy storage (BESS) systems in single-family homes, under the current energy feed-in legislation. The suggested methodology was applied to a case study of a prosumer unit (PU) in Brazil. Data from energy bills, measured PV generation, BESS behaviour, and energy consumption were analysed to compare different viewpoints and estimate key economic indicators. As a result, the PV + BESS combination increases residential users' energy self-consumption and self-sufficiency, resulting in respective increases of 15 % and 2 %. Under the conventional tariff, adopting the PV + BESS system led to an average 29 % reduction in electricity costs compared to scenarios without PV + BESS. Furthermore, by transitioning to the white tariff mode in conjunction with PV + BESS, the PU achieved a 49 % reduction. This result emphasizes the advantages of time-of-use adoption for PV + BESS consumers. A greater discrepancy between tariff periods enhances the feasibility of storing off-peak energy for use during peak periods. Currently, BESS implementation costs impede competitiveness, with attractive LCOS metrics achieved only at costs below $600.00/kWh and MRAs below 9 %. BESS + PV lowers generation costs compared to off-peak rates, increasing the viability of shared usage. Integrating PV + BESS systems with rate switching significantly diminishes electricity expenses. The substantial BESS implementation cost necessitates a noteworthy rate differential for viability, which could potentially impact non-PV and non-BESS consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]