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Summary: In light of the increasing share of renewable energy sources (RES) in electricity generation, the research community is directing their attention toward developing highly efficient DC‐DC high‐gain step‐up converters. These converters are designed to exhibit reduced voltage stress on the switching devices (semiconductors). This paper presents a comprehensive study of a switch voltage stress‐reduced step‐up converter that offers a range of additional features, including the availability of a common ground point, continuous input current, simple two‐mode continuous conduction mode (CCM) operation, wide duty cycle range, and quadratic boosting factor. To achieve the aforementioned features, the converter utilizes two switches with the same operating modes, eliminating the need for complex switching circuitry. Operational modes, steady‐state analysis, and design considerations have been presented in detail. Comparative analysis indicates that the voltage conversion ratio per number of devices in the proposed topology is significantly higher than that of similar topologies. In addition, the voltage stress of switches is considerably less than the topologies addressed in the literature. The study further includes detailed mathematical and experimental analyses, small signal analysis, and hardware implementation to support the theoretical findings. The converter's efficiency has been thoroughly analyzed along with thermal analysis to ensure its reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome its reliance on burning fossil fuels for energy generation and water desalination, Kuwait has pioneered research and cutting-edge projects in renewable energy since the 1980s. This paper examines the power sector in Kuwait and emphasizes the government’s keenness to diversify the country’s electric power supply. It provides a comprehensive overview of Kuwait’s efforts, to emerge as a leading example in the region, fostering collaboration and matchmaking within renewable energy industries. The country’s goal is to meet 15% of the demand for power from renewable energy by 2030, including a reduction in energy use in the building sector by 12% and a decrease in CO2 emissions by 33%. The country’s initiatives revolve around harnessing renewable sources, particularly emphasizing the exploration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Challenges and opportunities are presented to provide information for international institutions, technology companies, designers, researchers, and decision makers, aiming to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of PV project implementation in the country and the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of EMERG: Energy. Environment. Efficiency. Resources. Globalization is the property of Romanian National Committee of World Energy Council and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of EMERG: Energy. Environment. Efficiency. Resources. Globalization is the property of Romanian National Committee of World Energy Council and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of EMERG: Energy. Environment. Efficiency. Resources. Globalization is the property of Romanian National Committee of World Energy Council and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Wastewater has high potential as an energy source. Therefore, it is important to recover even the smallest part of this energy, e.g., in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The obtained electricity production depends on the process rate of the electrodes. In MFC, the microorganisms are the catalyst of anode, and the cathode is usually made of carbon material. To increase the MFC efficiency it is necessary to search the new cathode materials. In this work, the electricity production from yeast wastewater in membrane-less microbial fuel cells with a carbon felt, Ni-Co, CuB, and Cu-Ag cathodes has been analyzed. In the first place, the measurements of the stationary potential of the electrodes (with Cu-Ag catalyst obtained by the electrochemical deposition technique) were performed. Next, the analysis of the electric energy production during the operation of the membrane-less microbial fuel cell (MLMFC). The highest parameters were obtained for the Ni-Co and Cu-Ag catalysts. The cell voltage of 607 mV for Ni-Co and 605 mV for Cu-Ag was obtained. Additionally, the power of 4.29 mW for both cathodes - Ni-Co and Cu-Ag was obtained. Moreover, Ni-Co and Cu-Ag allow the shortest time of COD reduction. Based on the test results (with selected MFC design, wastewater, temperature, etc.), it can be concluded that of all the analyzed electrodes, Cu-Ag and Ni-Co electrodes have the best parameters for use as cathodes in ML-MFC. However, based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that all the tested electrodes can be used as cathode material in MFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy could solve the problems caused by fossil fuels. The Archimedes hydro screw turbine is a potential tool for generating power from river currents. In this paper, a turbine at a scale of 1:6 has been made. It is installed and tested at various flow rates. The system is optimized using a genetic algorithm to achieve maximum efficiency. Due to the limitations that existed for conducting experimental tests at the optimal flow rate, the turbine at optimal flow rate is studied by CFD. In the turbine numerical simulation, the hydrodynamic characteristics of the turbine, such as rotational speed, power, torque, efficiency, and power coefficient are compared in the optimal flow rate (2.6 (lit/s)) and a flow rate of 2.4 (lit/s) (the closest flow rate to the optimal one). The results show that these values are higher in the optimal flow rate. Furthermore, the behavior of the turbine in these two conditions is compared using velocity, vorticity, pressure, and phase contours, which indicates that the velocity and pressure values are higher, and the vorticity and immersion values are lower in the optimal flow rate. Finally, for economic analysis of operating the turbine at the prototype scale as a hydropower plant, the discounted payback period for the turbine is determined, which varies between 2.55 to 5.93 years depending on the discount rate. It is also shown that operating this turbine at the prototype scale as a hydropower plant in Iran leads to currency savings of 1561 $. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The DC-DC boost conversion ratio can be increased when it is connected to a rectifier, especially for energy-harvesting or low-voltage sensor ICs. Systems for sustainable development are built on three pillars: economic development, environmental stewardship, and social value. Switched-capacitor DC-DC voltage-down converters were designed, driven by highly resistive energy transducers [Contribution 12]. [Extracted from the article]

In the face of ongoing climate changes and the current geopolitical situation, Renewable Energy Sources (RES) are continuously gaining popularity in many countries. Objectives related to environmental protection and the use of RES set by different countries all over the world, as well as by the European Union (EU), are becoming priorities for many. The increase in the installed capacity of photovoltaic systems has been growing steadily for several years, leading to the creation of new systems accompanying PV installations; this phenomenon has also been observed in Poland. This paper presents a photovoltaic system in the form of a bicycle shed next to a school building as an example of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) without connection to the power grid. It was shown that the energy consumption profile should be properly correlated with the production profile, otherwise significant losses occur. Alternative methods to improve the correlation of production and energy consumption by using SCADA systems or building automation to properly manage the electricity generation and consumption installation were also proposed. Furthermore, it was shown that adopting a fixed discount rate in financial analyses can distort the picture of real profits. An analysis of the changes in the NPV ratio using variable discount rates was carried out when analyzing the entire life of the solar plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU power sector is under increasing pressure due to rising electricity demand and the need to meet decarbonisation targets. Member states have been active in investing in renewables and building capacity to increase their share of renewables in electricity generation. However, it is important to examine what progress each member state has made in the deployment of renewable energy for electricity generation and what factors influence gross electricity generation from renewable energy. In this study, logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) analysis was used to examine the changes in EU-27 countries' gross electricity generation from renewable energy sources (RES), wind, and solar PV from 2012 to 2021. The results show that the RES deployment per capita effect and the RES share effect were the main positive factors for the total gross electricity generation from RES in the EU. In contrast, the RES capacity productivity effect and the energy intensity effect had negative contributions. Population growth had a positive influence but was less significant than the other factors. The deployment of RES per capita effect was the main factor in the overall growth of gross electricity generation from RES in Northern Europe, Central Western Europe, and Central Eastern Europe, according to comparisons between the regional groups. RES share effect was the main driver in Southern Europe. The decrease in RES capacity productivity was the second most important factor influencing the variation in the amount of energy generated by RES in Northern Europe and Central Western Europe. The results could be used to develop more effective and tailored renewable energy policies that take into account the existing main drivers of RES, wind, and solar energy in each of the EU-27 member states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a bio-electrical energy generator that uses respiring microbes to transform organic matter present in sludge into electrical energy. The primary goal of this work was to introduce a new approach to the green electricity generation technology. In this context a total of 6 bacterial isolates were recovered from sludge samples collected from El-Sheikh Zayed water purification plant, Egypt, and screened for their electrogenic potential. The most promising isolates were identified according to 16S rRNA sequencing as Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae, promising results were achieved on using them in consortium at optimized values of pH (7.5), temperature (30°C) and substrate (glucose/pyruvate 1%). Low level red laser (λ = 632.8nm, 8mW) was utilized to promote the electrogenic efficiency of the bacterial consortium, maximum growth was attained at 210 sec exposure interval. In an application of adding standard inoculum (107 cfu/mL) of the photo-stimulated bacterial consortium to sludge based MFC a significant increase in the output potential difference values were recorded, the electricity generation was maintained by regular supply of external substrate. These results demonstrate the future development of the dual role of MFCs in renewable energy production and sludge recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wastewater treatment system has been established based on sulfate-reducing and sulfide—oxidizing processes for treating organic wastewater containing high sulfate/sulfide. The influence of COD/SO42− ratio and hydraulic retention time (HRT) on removal efficiencies of sulfate, COD, sulfide and electricity generation was investigated. The continuous operation of the treatment system was carried out for 63 days with the optimum COD/SO42− ratio and HRT. The result showed that the COD and sulfate removal efficiencies were stable, reaching 94.8 ± 0.6 and 93.0 ± 1.3% during the operation. A power density level of 18.0 ± 1.6 mW/m2 was obtained with a sulfide removal efficiency of 93.0 ± 1.2%. However, the sulfide removal efficiency and power density decreased gradually after 45 days. The results from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) show that sulfur accumulated on the anode, which could explain the decline in sulfide oxidation and electricity generation. This study provides a promising treatment system to scale up for its actual applications in this type of wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analyzes the development of power generation systems in the Galapagos Islands. • Describes the island's energy matrix and RES-based power generation proposals. • Presents a state-of-the-art analysis carried out to introduce RES in the Islands. • Analyzes the regulations and policies governing RES installation on the islands. The sources of electricity generation in the Galapagos Islands have been diversified due to the high risk represented by the use and transportation of fossil fuels and the application of the Zero Fossil Fuels initiative. This has increased the implementation of projects using different renewable energy sources. Despite being a World Heritage Centre, very little research has been carried out that presents the current situation of the electrical system in the Galapagos Islands. Therefore, this study reviews the current electricity sector situation in the Galapagos Islands. The characteristics of generation, distribution, and demand in the Galapagos Islands are presented. Also, the research studies and the regulations to be met for designing and implementing electric power generation projects based on renewable energy sources are detailed. In addition, this study presents the changes in the energy matrix of the Galapagos Islands in recent years, where the generation capacity and investment in hybrid systems (photovoltaic, wind, biomass, and vegetable oil - Jatropha) have been diversified and increased, encouraging research into new sources such as geothermal, biomass, waves, tides and green H2. Finally, the central policies and regulations that govern the installation of renewable generation systems in the Galapagos Islands are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the potential impact of recent legislation, specifically the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, on the electrical power structure of the Great Plains region in the U.S. It discusses how these legislative measures aim to reduce carbon emissions from electricity generation, particularly from fossil fuel sources, and promote the development of renewable energy resources.

The Polish power system has been reducing its impact on the environment for a long time, mainly through modernization and investments in new generation capacities, including renewable energy technologies. However, its starting point is still more difficult compared to other less coal-dependent power systems in the European Union. The study was conducted in the direction of optimizing the Polish energy mix of electricity generation from the perspective of 2050. Two energy scenarios for the possible transformation of the Polish power system towards achieving at least a 95% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 with an increasing share of renewables were analyzed. The study was carried out with the use of the TIMES-PL model, which minimizes the total system cost over the analyzed time horizon. The model was calibrated according to data from 2018. The two scenarios show relatively similar pathways for CO2 emission reductions by 2050. In the case of no investment in nuclear power plants, power plants equipped with CO2 capture and storage systems are an alternative solution for achieving climate neutrality and increasing national energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is gaining importance on the agenda of senior decision makers in the private sector. Hence, corporate renewable electricity (RE) procurement may become more relevant to the energy transition. RE100 is the largest corporate initiative to foster RE procurement with 315 corporate members as of 2021. Yet, the contribution of such initiatives to the energy transition remains unclear, because public reporting is aggregated on the global level. Here, we develop an approach to map the electricity procured by RE100 companies to jurisdictions worldwide, which allows estimating whether and where RE100 can have a transformative impact. We find that these companies source electricity in 129 jurisdictions, accounting for <1% of total electricity generation (RE and non-RE), thus dampening the hopes about the impact of RE100 on the global energy transition. RE100 companies procure 1.4% of available RE, exceeding 20% in nine jurisdictions. To increase its impact, RE100 should focus on interim targets and expansion. By 2030, stringent and frequent interim targets could lead to a cumulated additional 361 TWh of RE procured by RE100 companies, and a realistic membership expansion could lead to procurement of 7.7% of globally available RE by RE100 companies. Corporate procurement initiatives, such as RE100, can increase their impact on the energy transition by formulating ambitious interim targets and sourcing requirements, and by orchestrating corporate interests in countries with less ambitious renewable energy targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing use of renewable energy sources in the production of electric power has certain adverse effects on power quality. A compensation system includes some additional devices, such as capacitors, compensators, or reactive power injection devices. FACTS devices, such as the Static Var Compensator (SVC), Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR), and Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC), have become popular as power electronics become more sophisticated. This study investigated the properties of three significant compensating devices: SVC, STATCOM with PI controller, and a hybrid STATCOM with a harmonic filter. Common power quality concerns, such as voltage sags and swells and the percentage of Total Harmonic Distortion (TDH), were taken into account during the initial modeling and performance analysis of the proposed system. The overall results showed that the proposed hybrid STATCOM system enhanced the power quality in wind energy systems more than the other two systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of this paper is to investigate the dynamic causal relationship between economic growth and renewable energy in Canada. The causal relationship is examined under the neoclassical production function framework. We employed a panel autoregressive distributed lag model controlling for different states of the economy by incorporating a dummy variable, which indicates the economic peak and trough. The data set consists of annual real GDP, capital formation, labor, and electricity generation by renewables for nine Canadian provinces covering from 1981 to 2015. The empirical results find that there is a unidirectional causality from renewable energy to economic growth in the long run. In the short run, a unidirectional causality going from renewable energy to economic growth only during the expansion period is observed. Our study suggests that renewable energy policies should be designed and implemented in a way that takes into account the nonlinear relationship between renewable energy and economic growth. This could involve promoting the development and deployment of renewable energy sources as part of their economic stimulus packages during economic upturns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with emission reduction targets, carbon abatement policies increasingly target the reduction of carbon intensity. In this context, uncovering factors that reduce carbon intensity is a timely research subject and carries significant policy implications. The goal of this study is to explore the dynamic relationships between carbon and energy intensity, renewable energy, economic development, structural transformation, and globalization in a global panel comprising 126 countries and two income-based subpanels. Robust System-GMM estimators indicate that increasing renewable sources in the energy mix can assist countries in mitigating the carbon intensity of electricity generation. Moreover, current results highlight that economic growth is the most effective mitigating factor of carbon intensity at the global level, revealing that on average, countries have managed to decouple economic and pollution (carbon intensity) growth. Results document these links both in the short-and, most importantly, the long-run setting. Other important results reveal that the mitigating effect of renewable energy is stronger with the increase of economic development, whereas structural transformation only decreases carbon intensity in low- and middle-income countries. Consequently, consistent long-term climate policies that promote these mitigating factors and decrease documented driving factors such as energy intensity could work synergistically across multiple SDGs of the 2030 Agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid renewable energy sources and microgrids will determine future electricity generation and supply. Therefore, evaluating the uncertain intermittent output power is essential to building long-term sustainable and reliable microgrid operations to fulfill the growing energy demands. To address this, we proposed a robust mixed-integer linear programming model for the microgrid to minimize the day-ahead cost. To validate the proposed model piecewise linear curve is to deal with uncertainties of wind turbine, photovoltaic, and electrical load. The proposed solution is demonstrated through a case study compared under a robust worst-case scenario, deterministic model, and max–min robust optimization that aim to find optimal robustness. So, a piecewise linear curve is considered to obtain uncertain parameters in order to deal with uncertainties and predict the day-ahead cost. This study illustrates how the Uncertainty Budget Set selection used to integrate renewable energy sources into a microgrid, which manages the energy system. Therefore, the model complexity was slightly modified by adjusting the Uncertainty Budget Set to obtain the optimal decision and control the load demand and uncertainty of renewable energy sources. The comparative results demonstrate that the proposed robust optimization can achieve high solutions under microgrid's availability and is intended to confirm that the proposed method is more cost-effective than alternative optimization techniques. Additionally, the effectiveness and advantage of the proposed methodology in the IEEE 33-node system are validated in this case study by comparing it to the existing optimization. The comparison results show that the proposed robust optimization methods illustrate the model's efficiency, concluding remarks, and managerial insights of the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released a comprehensive roadmap for the global energy sector to achieve net-zero emission by 2050. Considering the sizeable share of (Sub-Sahara) Africa in the global population, the attainment of global energy sector net-zero emission is practically impossible without a commitment from African countries. Therefore, it is important to study and analyze feasible/sustainable ways to solve the energy/electricity poverty in Africa. In this paper, the energy poverty in Africa and the high renewable energy (RE) potential are reviewed. Beyond this, the generation of electricity from the abundant RE potential in this region is analyzed in hourly timestep. This study is novel as it proposes a Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) central grid as one of the fastest/feasible solutions to the energy poverty problem in this region. The integration of a sizeable share of electric vehicles with the proposed central grid is also analyzed. This study aims to determine the RE electricity generation capacities, economic costs, and supply strategies required to balance the projected future electricity demand in SSA. The analysis presented in this study is done considering 2030 and 2040 as the targeted years of implementation. EnergyPLAN simulation program is used to simulate/analyze the generation of electricity for the central grid. The review of the energy poverty in SSA showed that the electricity access of all the countries in this region is less than 100%. The analysis of the proposed central RE grid system is a viable and sustainable option, however, it requires strategic financial planning for its implementation. The cheapest investment cost from all the case scenarios in this study is $298 billion. Considering the use of a single RE technology, wind power systems implementation by 2030 and 2040 are the most feasible options as they have the least economic costs. Overall, the integration of the existing/fossil-fueled power systems with RE technologies for the proposed central grid will be the cheapest/easiest pathway as it requires the least economic costs. While this does not require the integration of storage systems, it will help the SSA countries reduce their electricity sector carbon emission by 56.6% and 61.8% by 2030 and 2040 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electricity demand has increased to 240% during the last decade in the Sultanate of Oman due to population growth and industrial expansion. Solar energy can act as an alternate source of energy production to meet the surge in demand for electric power. Also, the government has planned to derive 30% of the electricity from renewables by 2030. Moreover, agreements have been made to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by decreasing 7% by 2030. The main objective of this paper is to design a grid-connected PV solar system based on the real-time data collected from the location called Nizwa, Oman using Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Electric Renewables (HOMER) software. The real-time data of average high and low temperature, solar radiation, estimated monthly average daily sunshine and peak hours of solar radiation of Nizwa has been collected from Meteorological Office Oman for January to December 2022. Nizwa recorded a temperature max of 43 °C during summer and 12 °C in January. Daily sun radiation in July averages between 5,500 and 6,000 Wh/m2, and the average sunshine is 9 hours per day at the selected project area (Nizwa). The collected data has been analyzed and designed using HOMER software. HOMER is used to model, optimize and analyze an integrated energy system that primarily utilizes renewable and non-conventional resources for both grid connected and autonomous systems. A 9-kW grid-connected PV solar panel has been designed and implemented in the proposed system. The proposed PV solar system worked perfectly and gave the results of an estimated number of hours of operation to be 4,362 hrs/year; the cost of energy per kilowatt is $ 0.044 and the annual energy saving cost of the hybrid system is $ 173.696. For the environmental feasibility of producing 14,765 kWh/yr, carbon dioxide emissions have decreased from 7,230,440 g to 4,396.001 g, with a difference of 7,226,043.9 g of carbon dioxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dependable and cost-effective energy distribution scheme is the need in the current scenario of distributed generation of electricity. In the recent past, different economic dispatch techniques are proposed to address this challenge of cost-effectiveness. The fossil fuels issue of pollutant emission and the limited stock has pushed the research community to focus on the direction of renewable energy generation. The aim of this paper is to present a multi-objective cost-emission-based dynamic economic dispatch (MOCEDED) algorithm, which includes thermal, solar, and wind-based power plants. Moreover, the uncertainty of solar and wind power in terms of curtailment is also included in the formulation of the algorithm. The formulated objective function is quadratic constrained programming, which is implemented in General Algebraic Modeling System software. Two paradigms, i.e. only cost-based DED and MOCEDED algorithm, have been analyzed. The outcome of the proposed MOCEDED algorithm shows more promising results than cost-based DED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The share of renewable energy is expected to increase in South Africa's energy mix. Motivated by concerns about renewable energy sprawl, this study quantifies the current and future (2050) land requirements for electricity generation in South Africa and evaluates the likely impact on natural biomes. Currently, around 340 km2 has been transformed for electricity generation (mainly coal-powered) and an additional 1 400 km2 is used for spacing requirements. Direct land use is expected to increase to 755–1080 km2 by 2050, and spacing requirements will increase to 10 700–16 750 km2 (0.9–1.4% of South Africa's land area). South Africa has excellent potential for renewable energy generation, with 36% and 57% of the land area being suitable for solar and wind development, respectively. Assuming that future developments are built on the most suitable land in the Renewable Energy Development Zones, the Nama-Karoo Biome will be most affected. It is concluded that concerns about renewable energy sprawl should not limit South Africa's renewable energy capacity expansion plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of the rapidly escalating climate crisis, the electricity sector is moving toward renewable energy. To date, policies and strategies have focused on increasing overall renewable energy generation, with little regard for timing and location. The result has been a misalignment of supply and demand in renewable energy markets. Renewable power projects produce energy when and where it is least expensiue, leaving supply scarce at other times and places. Consumers, meanwhile, continue to use power when and where they need it. This mismatch increases the electricity grid's dependence on fossil fuel-fired electricity to meet electricity demand at times and places when renewable power remains scarce. For electricity consumers to escape their dependence on carbonemitting energy sources, renewable energy markets must incentivize generation of power when and where people and businesses need electricity. Policies and strategies that employ the emerging concept of 24 / 7 clean energy can address the existing mismatch by aligning generation and usage on an hourly basis so that renewable energy meets the full electricity needs of the US. economy. This Article explains how existing renewable energy policies and strategies have created a mismatch between renewable energy generation and use; how that misalignment distorts renewable energy markets and impedes efforts to decarbonize the electricity sector; how 24/7 clean energy can address the misalignment problem; and how policies and strategies can support the development of 24 / 7 clean energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most common sustainable energy resources that contributes a significant portion of the energy produced from renewable resources is solar photovoltaic energy. The research presented in this paper examines the behaviour of a 150.7 kWp grid-connected PV energy generation system in either feeding electrical loads to a site (a public university, GCU Faisalabad) or feeding into the utility grid when the generation from the PV system is greater than the demand from the on-site load. PVSyst 7.4 software was used in the system simulation together with Meteonorm to produce and measure climatic information sets (solar irradiance, ambient temperature, and wind speed). The analysis of the simulated energy yields included determining the optimal energy generation photovoltaic array, the energy that is fed into the utility network, normalised energy generation per installed kWp, and performance ratio. The computed annual worldwide incident energy on the collector without optical adjustments was 1764.0 kWh/m2, and the annual effective global irradiance after optical losses was 1654.7 kWh/m2. With this irradiation, the solar (PV) array produced 218.12 MWh of DC energy annually, whereas 211.70 MWh of AC energy was injected into the national grid. The designed PV system collected 0.87 kilowatt-hour/kWp/day, with system losses of 0.120 kilowatt-hour /kWp/day and 3.85 kilowatt-hour /kWp/day of produced useful energy. The measured average yearly performance ratio (PR) was 79.64%. In the month of January, the highest PR value of 85.4% was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change threats demand unprecedented economic shifts around the world, including a fundamental transformation of the global energy system. An energy transition is underway in most regions, predominantly in the power sector. This research depicts the energy transition pathway for achieving 100% renewable energy systems through bioenergy in Pakistan. The growth rate of 20%, 30%, and 40% in biomass projects were considered for the study period 2023 to 2053 using the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) software. It presents a technology‐rich, multi‐sectoral and cost‐optimal energy transition pathway for limiting global mean temperature below 1.5°C. The results revealed that Pakistan's electricity generation undergoes a rapidly evolving transition from predominantly fossil fuels 62.1% in 2023 to 81.3% renewables in 2053, and entirely zero CO2 emissions by 2060. Hydro source is costly, wind and solar sources are seasonal so biomass emerges as the major electricity supply source in a cost optimal energy transition of Pakistan. Share of biomass is increasing from a mere 0.81% in 2023 to around 9.44% by 2053 under the 20% growth rate, which then increase to 39.67% by 2053 under the 30% growth rate and further increases to 78.33% by 2053 under the 40% growth rate. Pakistan contributes 0.8% of the global carbon footprint, but we are among the 10 most climate‐stressed countries on the planet in 2023 so this study helps to reduce cumulative CO2 emissions from 151.63 million metric tons to 8.90 million metric tons from 2023 to 2053 across the power, heat, transport, and desalination sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poland, which has been a European Union member since 2004, has undertaken compliance with its commitments to increase its share in the generation of energy from renewable sources. The target set for 2020, which is to attain a share of 15 percent of the gross final consumption of energy coming from renewable sources, has been met by Poland. The new targets for 2030, incorporated in the draft the Energy Policy of Poland 2040, assume an increase to at least 23 percent of the proportion of energy obtained from renewable sources in the gross final energy consumption. On the basis of data from the Central Statistical Office, the authors of this work analysed the changes in electricity generation based on renewable energy sources. In the period of 2004–2021, it was stated that the percentages of individual renewable sources constitute 43.7% for wind energy, 35.3% for solid biofuels, 14% for hydropower, 4.2% for biogas, 2.5% for solar energy, and 0.3% for other sources (municipal waste and liquid biofuels). In addition, this work indicates the maximal relative changes in production and the maximal changes in the portion of production, in addition to the annual and periodic rate of changes in the production of these energy sources in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current industrial civilization relies on conventional energy sources and utilizes large and inefficient energy conversion systems. Increasing concerns regarding conventional fuel supplies and their environmental impacts (including greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change) have promoted the importance of renewable energy (RE) sources for generating electricity and heat. This comprehensive review investigates integrating renewable energy sources (RES) with thermal energy storage (TES) systems, focusing on recent advancements and innovative approaches. Various RES (including solar, wind, geothermal, and ocean energy sources) are integrated with TES technologies such as sensible and latent TES systems. This review highlights the advantages and challenges of integrating RES and TES systems, emphasizing the importance of hybridizing multiple renewable energy sources to compensate for their deficiencies. Valuable outputs from these integrated systems (such as hydrogen production, electric power and freshwater) are discussed. The overall significance of RES–TES hybrid systems in addressing global energy demand and resource challenges is emphasized, demonstrating their potential to substitute fossil-fuel sources. This review provides a thorough understanding of the current state of RES–TES integration and offers insights into future developments in optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen energy is expected to become one of the most efficient ways to decarbonize global energy and transportation systems. Green hydrogen production costs are currently high but are likely to decline due to the economy of scale and learning-by-doing effects. The purpose of this paper is to forecast future green hydrogen costs based on the multicomponent learning curves approach. The study investigates the learning curves for the main components in hydrogen value chains: electrolyzers and renewable energy. Our findings estimate the learning rates in the production of PEM and AE electrolyzers as 4%, which is quite conservative compared to other studies. The estimations of learning rates in renewable energy electricity generation range from 14.28 to 14.44% for solar-based and 7.35 to 9.63% for wind-based production. The estimation of the learning rate in green hydrogen production ranges from 4% to 10.2% due to uncertainty in data about the cost structure. The study finds that government support is needed to accelerate electrolysis technology development and achieve decarbonization goals by 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic operation and reliable supply‐demand balance are problems of paramount importance in power grids with a massive share of intermittent renewable energy sources (RESs) of great interest. This paper sought an optimal coordinated generation scheduling for day‐ahead power system operation considering RESs and energy storage units. Renewable power generation, particularly, wind and photovoltaic are uncontrollable, whereas can be predicted using forecasting models. Within the proposed framework, a hyperparameter‐optimized long short‐term memory (LSTM) regression model is employed to forecast the day‐ahead weather from the historical time‐series weather data. Eventually, an empirical formula is used to estimate the power conversion from the day‐ahead weather forecasts for a selected PV module and wind turbine. The objective of the scheduling framework is to keep a delicate supply‐demand balance at the lowest possible cost of generation while maintaining the prevailing generation and system constraints. A variance measure uncertainty handling‐based grey wolf optimizer (GWO) technique is used to find the optimal day‐ahead generation schedules and dispatches under RESs forecast uncertainty. The proposed generation scheduling framework is examined on the IEEE 6 and 30‐bus systems. In the studied scenarios, the coordinated operation of generators can decrease the total day‐ahead operating cost for the modified IEEE 6‐bus system by 2.57% compared to supplying electricity generation with conventional generators alone. Likewise, the total operating cost from the coordinated operation of all generation portfolios was reduced by 6.93% from the operating cost of generation during base case simulation (supply only from dispatchable thermal units) on the modified IEEE 30‐bus system. Moreover, the case studies show that coordinated generation scheduling can mitigate the RESs power variability problem, provide secure supply‐demand operation, and minimize the operating cost of electricity generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parabolic trough concentrated solar power (CSP) plants are particularly promising renewable sources of energy, whose easy integration with thermal energy storage (TES) systems allows to mitigate the intermittency of electricity generation. Currently, molten nitrates, with two tanks arrangement, are mainly used for sensible heat accumulation. To reduce costs and make the CSP storage systems more manageable, single tank configurations have been proposed, where the cold and hot fluids are stored in the same container and separated because of their density difference. The aim of the present work is to study the storage performances presented by two novel ternary and quaternary mixtures, proposed within the European project IN POWER. An experimental campaign was preliminarily performed to investigate the fluids thermo-physical properties, and the obtained values were utilized as input data to model the discharge phase in a thermocline tank. The simulation results were compared with the ones acquired considering two commercial materials, namely, solar salt and Hitec XL®. Overall, considering same temperature ranges, higher discharging times are obtained for the quaternary and ternary mixtures, with the ternary presenting a smaller thermocline thickness than the solar salt while this parameter is the same considering the quaternary and Hitec XL®. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fishermen are the main livelihood for coastal communities in West Sulawesi. In fishing activities, especially at night, fishermen use lights to attract fish for a greater chance of catching fish. However, fishermen need a supply of electricity to turn on their lights when at sea. Fishermen usually use batteries. This is a significant problem for fishermen because batteries require a relatively high operational level. Researchers found the idea by developing a battery replacement tool to reduce high operating costs. This study aims to utilize seawater as an alternative energy source to overcome the problem of high operational costs for fishermen. The tool developed in this study uses two electrodes (Zn and Cu) placed vertically in a container and then filled with seawater. The two electrodes are connected in series, producing a high output voltage to light an LED. After the initial measurement, the resulting output voltage is 5V and can turn on the LED with a bright enough light. In periodic measurements for 96 hours with data collection every 4 hours, the voltage, current, and power do not decrease significantly, so the seawater lamp is suitable for coastal communities and fishermen's use as lighting when going to sea at night. Series and parallel combinations must be developed to achieve higher voltage and power values and obtain brighter light. The results of this research can be an alternative and renewable energy source that can be widely used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the integration of wind, electricity and heat, the combined heat and power system has the characteristic of multi‐time scales, in which the wind power has high uncertainty, the thermal system is difficult to synchronize with the power system for the large inertia and delay. Therefore, the fixed time‐scale dispatching is unable to guarantee the reliability of the system. Given the above problems, this paper proposes a time‐scale adaptive dispatching strategy of the combined heat and power system considering thermal inertia. This strategy analyzes the time characteristics of wind power forecasting error and the thermal inertia, while later establishing time‐scale adaptive dispatching sub‐main model of combined heat and power system. Specifically, in the time‐scale adaptive method, the system available reserve model is improved due to the power support of the thermal inertia. Based on the existing fixed time‐scale dispatching, this method dynamically adjusts the steps of forecasting and the time‐scales of dispatching when the system available reserve is inadequate to compensate for the wind power forecasting error. Taking the 4‐h fixed time‐scale dispatching as an example, the simulation results suggest that the proposed strategy achieves the dynamic dispatching of the combined heat and power system, while improving its reliability and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of renewable energy sources for electricity generation is necessary for sustainable development in India. Thus, the present study examines the effects of renewable and non-renewable electricity generation on economic growth in India during 1991–2019. In this regard, the robust time series econometric tools like autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and non-linear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) models are applied to the formulated economic growth function in the presence of both renewable and non-renewable electricity generation as key determinants. Moreover, the outcome of ARDL and NARDL models confirms the long-run relationship between the sample variables. Further, the long-run result shows that economic growth is positively affected by renewable and non-renewable electricity generation, according to the ARDL model. At the same time, the finding from NARDL indicates that a negative change in non-renewable electricity generation leads to an increase in economic growth in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The African continent includes 54 countries which are different by their size, economic power, demography, and resources. These disparities naturally reflect in regional and national energy and electricity situations before drawing those of the continent. Under the probable end of the production of electrical energy with fossil fuels. The energy sector, and particularly electricity one, induces economic, political, social, technical, environmental and climatic issues, inseparable. This article examines the political options and the economic cooperation of African countries for renewable electricity generation that are still emerging, and their costs are evolving relatively rapidly, notably as a result of technological advances and economies of scale. It is therefore important to invest in renewable energy and improve energy efficiency to reduce these negative effects in Africa. The extent to which these are used will determine the future combination of renewable energies in Africa and especially in Algérie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity generation from renewable energy sources is emerging as a result of global carbon emission reduction policies. However, most renewable energy sources are non-dispatchable and cannot be adjusted to meet the fluctuating electricity demands of society. A flexible operation process has been proposed as an effective solution to compensate for the unstable nature of renewable energy sources. Thermal load fluctuations during flexible operation may cause creep–fatigue damage to the high-temperature components of thermal power plants, as they are designed with a focus on creep damage under a constant power level. This study investigated the residual life of high-temperature components, such as a superheater tube and a reheater header, to failure under flexible operation conditions using finite element analysis and empirical models. First, we determined an analytical solution for the straightened superheater tube under thermal conditions and compared it with the numerical solution to verify the numerical models. Through the verified finite element model, the creep–fatigue life of the reheater header was estimated by considering flexible operation factors and employing the Coffin–Manson and Larson–Miller models. Although fatigue damage increases with decreasing minimum load and ramp rate, we confirmed that creep damage significantly affects the residual life during flexible operation. In addition, a surrogate model was proposed to evaluate the residual life of the reheater as a function of the flexible operation factors using the machine learning methodology, based on the results of finite element methods. It can be used to predict its residual life without performing complex thermo-structural analysis and relying on empirical models for fatigue and creep life. We expect our findings to contribute to the efficient operation of thermal power plants by optimizing the flexible operation factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian Point Energy Center (IPEC) supplied approximately 25% of New York City and the surrounding area's electricity. As of April 2021, the nuclear power plant has been shut down, creating the need for other energy sources to meet the demand. This scoping analysis study examined the ability of different renewable pathways (solar photovoltaic (PV), willow biomass, onshore wind, and two combinations of these) to replicate the IPEC's electricity generation profile. Five renewable electricity generation supply profiles were developed and analyzed from monthly and seasonal perspectives. The timing and alignment of the different generation supply profiles relative to that of IPEC were analyzed. Productivity in MWh hectare−1 year−1 and economic feasibility of the renewable electricity pathway scenarios were assessed. This study identified the solar PV pathway as the most efficient in terms of electricity land productivity at 731.9 MWh hectare−1 year−1, while the willow biomass pathway was the least efficient at 15.2 MWh hectare−1 year−1. However, in terms of net electricity output to the grid, the solar PV pathway was the least productive at 137,610 MWh/year, while the onshore wind with willow biomass pathway produced the highest net output at 894,801 MWh/year. These findings are important at a time when policymakers are considering or implementing plans to phase out nuclear power in favor of renewable electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of research is the process of using a hydrogen fuel cell to generate and accumulate electricity. The study highlights the feasibility of using a hydrogen fuel cell to provide electrical load. The potential of using hydrogen as an alternative energy source was evaluated. SWOT analysis was used as a research method, based on the results of which recommendations were developed. The proposed measures could be taken to increase the use of hydrogen energy as an alternative to traditional energy sources. The use of hydrogen technologies in an administrative building connected to an existing electrical network was analyzed. The economic and environmental aspects of the use of hydrogen fuel cells to meet the demand for electrical load were investigated. Six schemes of energy supply of the building and comparing them to select the optimal solution have been developed. In the study, the assessment tool was the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software. The considered schemes were evaluated in accordance with a single generalized indicator. As a result, it was determined that the use of a hydrogen fuel cell could increase the efficiency of the traditional system by 85 %. For renewable energy systems, there was an increase in efficiency of 7 % (for the wind generator) and 10 % (for the photocell). The practical use of the results will contribute to the efficiency of the process of electricity production by equalizing the stability of energy supply in hybrid systems. The economic and environmental assessment conducted demonstrates the prospects of using a hydrogen fuel cell. This assessment is designed to strengthen consumer confidence in the use of hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar power occupies a significant position among global renewable energy sources due to its abundant energy potential. Consequently, its contribution to electricity generation is steadily increasing. However, obtaining peak efficiency from fixed solar photovoltaic (PV) panels is a formidable task due to their limited ability to consistently tap into solar energy. To tackle this issue and mitigate energy efficiency losses, the utilization of solar tracking systems has emerged as an exceptionally effective solution. These systems enable continuous adjustment of the panels' position to align with the sun's trajectory, optimizing energy absorption and enhancing overall performance. This paper presents the performance and cost analysis of three distinct solar panel tracking systems, namely, a fixed system, a single-axis system, and a dual-axis system. The systems are operated under identical coordinates and conditions. The production data are collected over a period of 15 days for comparative analysis. The tracking movements of the systems are controlled using Arduino. The mechanical components are specifically designed for the establishment of each system. The findings of this study indicate that both single-axis and dual-axis solar tracking systems outperformed fixed systems in terms of power generation. The single-axis system demonstrated a 24.367% increase in power production, while the dual-axis system showed a 32.247% increase compared to the fixed system. Moreover, a cost analysis was carried out considering the installation expenses and power production data of the three systems. It was determined that the single-axis tracking system achieved payback in 0.39 years less compared to the fixed system, while the dual-axis system achieved payback in 1.48 years less compared to the fixed system. Overall, this study underscores the advantages of implementing solar tracking systems, particularly in the single-axis and dual-axis configurations, as they contribute to higher power generation and cost-effectiveness compared to fixed systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the ongoing transformation of electricity generation from large thermal power plants to smaller renewable energy sources (RESs), such as wind and solar, modern renewable power systems need to address the new challenge of the increasing uncertainty and complexity caused by the deployment of electricity generation from RESs and the integration of flexible loads and new technologies. At present, a high volume of available data is provided by smart grid technologies, energy management systems (EMSs), and wide-area measurement systems (WAMSs), bringing more opportunities for data-driven methods. Deep reinforcement learning (DRL), as one of the state-of-the-art data-driven methods, is applied to learn optimal or near-optimal control policy by formulating the power system as a Markov decision process (MDP). This paper reviews the recent DRL algorithms and the existing work of operational control or emergency control based on DRL algorithms for modern renewable power systems and control-related problems for small signal stability. The fundamentals of DRL and several commonly used DRL algorithms are briefly introduced. Current issues and expected future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]