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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Engineering and Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2024 | Viewed by 21800

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nuria Novas Castellano

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Guest Editor

Department of Engineering, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain
Interests: monitoring and sensing across multiple fields of application; measurements of natural phenomena in the ELF band; ambient variables monitoring in tourist caverns; dielectric measurements; biomedical monitoring; agricultural applications; renewable energies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Manuel Fernandez Ros

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Guest Editor

Department of Engineering, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain
Interests: electromagnetic natural phenomena; digital signal processing; real-time signal monitoring and measurement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is our pleasure to announce a new Special Issue of the journal Sustainability: “Solar Energy Utilization and Sustainable Development”.

Energy demand is a problem of modern society, provoking a strong social, economic and environmental impact. The implementation of renewable energy is of crucial importance to achieve sustainable development. Energy sustainability establishes a compromise between meeting current needs without compromising future energy generations. The implementation of renewable energy requires the active participation of governments and social awareness of sustainability. Of all the energies considered clean, solar energy is the most mature technology and the most widely used on our planet due to its low production and installation costs. Solar technologies include solar thermal (concentrated and unconcentrated) and photovoltaics (PV). Solar energy provides access to cheap energy and makes energy affordable and reliable with deployment from small scale in homes and small industrial facilities to large scale for industry and distribution networks. In addition, it provides long-term and durable energy security through appropriate investments, boosting economic activity, creating jobs and providing a cleaner and better environment for all. Solar and other renewable energies reduce the impact on climate change, reducing the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. The modernization of energy services towards sustainable generation is crucial to achieve a goal of economic growth and environmental stability.

Although the energy transition has seen changes in energy use and applications, progress is still needed on how to apply solar energy more and better to manage the environmental and societal challenges ahead. The greatest challenges to be solved are efficiency, solar equipment recycling, and the storage of surplus energy produced.

From the point of view of recycling, the environmental impact of solar equipment is a widely studied topic. The data used in the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) methodology cover all relevant process steps/technologies during the life cycle, starting with raw materials (cradle) and ending with waste (grave). From an LCA perspective, recycled materials are considered at the end of their life cycle, which also includes waste disposal. So, using LCA, the circular economy is supported.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present and compile the latest developments in the utilization of solar energy systems in the progress towards sustainable deployment. This topic involves the technological innovations, applications and developments, as well as energy policies and new factors for the management of solar power systems.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Opportunities, barriers and problems in the development of solar energy;
Analysis of the energy and environmental life cycle of solar energy;
Solar energy assessment for global sustainability;
Studies of sustainable energy transitions;
Innovative strategies for the use of solar energy;
Improving the efficiency of solar plants, solar facilities and solar equipment;
Advances in solar energy generation systems;
Advances in emerging solar energy production technologies;
Integration of solar-based subsystems into existing power plants;
Solar energy and microgrids;
Integration of solar energy systems in buildings and Smart Cities’
Application and purposes of solar energy;
e-Agriculture and solar applications;
Solar home systems;
Sensor networks and embedded systems in sustainable solar energy applications;
Research tools for solar application;
Environmental sustainability of solar energy systems;
Optimisation and improvement of sustainable solar energy systems;
Energy transition towards full decarbonisation;
Impact of solar energy on smart grids;
Health benefits of using solar energy for sustainable development;
Solar energy deployment and land use;
The role of solar energy in ensuring security of energy supply;
Advances in solar equipment recycling;
Solar energy and sustainability in developing countries;
Storage techniques for the surplus energy produced.

A non-exhaustive and non-limitative list has been established. Therefore, all papers related to the topics mentioned above that accomplish the purposes of the Special Issue will be accepted. The goal is the study of present advances in solar energy utilization and sustainable development.

Dr. Nuria Novas Castellano
Prof. Dr. Manuel Fernandez Ros
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sustainability
renewable energy
solar energy
exergy
energy efficiency
life cycle assessment
environmental impact
sustainability assessment
sustainable development
renewable energy sources
climate change
energy policy
sustainable development
ecological footprint
solar photovoltaic systems
solar thermal systems
emerging solar photovoltaic technologies

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3027 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Techno-Economic Feasibility of the Use of Floating Solar PV Systems in Oil Platforms

by Chellapillai Veliathur Chinnasamy Srinivasan, Prashant Kumar Soori and Fadi A. Ghaith

Sustainability 2024, 16(3), 1039; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031039 - 25 Jan 2024

Viewed by 878

Abstract

Offshore facilities have high energy demands commonly accomplished with local combustion-based power generators. With the increased commercialization of the marine renewable energy sector, there is still a need for research on floating photovoltaic installations on their performance and economic perspective. This paper investigates the techno-commercial feasibility of installing a battery-integrated floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) system for an offshore oil platform facility in Abu Dhabi. The performance analysis of two floating PV design schemes has been evaluated using the PVsyst design tool. The proposed system’s annual solar energy availability from the PVsyst 7.2.21 output was validated with MATLAB Simulink R2022b with a deviation of 1.85%. The optimized solution achieved the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) of 261 USD/MWh with a Discounted Payback Period of 9.5 years. Also, the designed system could reduce carbon emissions by 731 tons per year. Furthermore, it was recognized that the contribution of the marine sector to the construction of floating platforms influences the success of floating PV systems. Independently authorized floating PV system designs would guarantee insurability from the viewpoints of investors and end users. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Energy Utilization and Sustainable Development)

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14 pages, 3892 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Management Analysis on the Performance of Different Solar Drying Methods for Drying Vegetables and Fruits

by Ganesh Radhakrishnan, Teodora Odett Breaz, Al Waleed Ahmed Al Mahrouqi, Nasser Ahmed Al Zakwani, Mohammed Hamed Al Fahdi, Ahmed Said Al Shuraiqi, Said Almur Al Awamri, Rashid Sultan Al Aamri and Kadhavoor R. Karthikeyan

Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 775; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020775 - 16 Jan 2024

Viewed by 629

Abstract

Drying is the process of moisture removal which is applied to many foodstuffs including fruits and vegetables for preservation and storage purposes. Since solar energy is one type of environmentally friendly renewable energy, open-type solar dryers, natural convective type solar dryers and greenhouse type solar dryers were designed and fabricated in this study for the preservation of fruits and vegetables. A comparative study among various solar drying methods was performed to study the drying performance by maintaining the quality and texture of the dried foodstuffs. Factors such as solar radiation, ambient temperature, moisture in the air, materials used for glazing, inclination, etc., were considered during the fabrication of the solar dryer so that a better estimate of the performance of the solar dryer could be obtained. The lowest drying rate was observed when convective drying was used as an indirect mode of heating. The maximum drying rate observed in open drying was 0.088 kg/kgh, whereas in convective drying under the same conditions, it was 0.03 kg/kgh, which was almost 65% less. This in turn also resulted in the dried samples displaying a better texture and better color. The shrinkage effect on the samples was less pronounced for those samples in the convective dryer than it was for those in the open and greenhouse dryers, as the method uses indirect drying. Comparing convective and greenhouse drying, more shrinkage and a greater browning effect were observed for the open drying method. Out of three types of solar dryers, the greenhouse dryer was selected to study thermal performance because of its better drying rate. DHT11 sensors controlled through Arduino programming were employed in this study to record the temperature and moisture at various locations in the greenhouse dryer setup. The range of energy efficiency of the greenhouse solar dryer was estimated to be from around 15% to 25% on average. This might be due to a greater extent of energy losses. No significant difference was observed in the energy efficiency with respect to the samples used for drying. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Energy Utilization and Sustainable Development)

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22 pages, 3098 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The End of Life of PV Systems: Is Europe Ready for It?

by Mladen Bošnjaković, Mato Galović, Jasmin Kuprešak and Tomislav Bošnjaković

Sustainability 2023, 15(23), 16466; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316466 - 30 Nov 2023

Viewed by 2625

Abstract

Like other plants, every photovoltaic (PV) power plant will one day reach the end of its service life. Calculations show that 96,000 tons of PV module waste will be generated worldwide by 2030 and 86 million tons by 2050. Such large quantities of waste can endanger the environment and people if they are not disposed of properly. This paper investigated how photovoltaic waste is currently handled, how this problem is legally regulated and to what extent reuse, recycling and disposal are represented. As recycling is the best option in terms of environmental protection and a circular economy, an overview of recycling technologies and recovery rates for the materials contained in the PV system is given. Currently, there are a small number of recycling plants for PV modules in Europe, but none in the Balkan countries. The main reason for this is the small amount of PV waste in these countries, which is far below the profitability threshold for the recycling of 19,000 t/year, and even below the reduced threshold of 9000 t/year. The analysis shows that only seven EU member states will exceed this threshold by 2040, and more than half of the EU member states will not even reach this threshold by 2050. For this reason, PV modules (after dismantling the aluminum frame and cables) are mostly disposed of in landfills in these countries. This is an indication that this problem should be seriously addressed in the EU. In this context, the main obstacles to the reuse and recycling of PV modules are listed, together with guidelines for their removal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Energy Utilization and Sustainable Development)

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22 pages, 8794 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Extreme Weather Conditions on PV Systems

by Mladen Bošnjaković, Marinko Stojkov, Marko Katinić and Ivica Lacković

Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 16044; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152216044 - 17 Nov 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1639

Abstract

We are witnessing significant climatic changes and increasingly frequent extreme weather conditions affecting every part of the globe. In order to reduce and stop these unfavourable climate changes, there has been a shift to the use of renewables, and in this sense, a significant contribution of the photovoltaic (PV) power plant is planned. This paper analyses the safety, reliability, and resilience of PV systems to extreme weather conditions such as wind storms, hail, lightning, high temperatures, fire, and floods. In addition to using available information from the literature, temperature measurements were also carried out on the rooftop PV power plant in Slavonski Brod, as well as a numerical stress analysis at extreme wind speeds using Ansys software. The results of the analysis show that existing PV systems are very resilient to extreme weather conditions. Utility-scale PV systems can usually withstand wind speeds of up to 50 m/s without any problems, and only at higher speeds do local stresses occur in certain parts of the structure that are higher than permissible. Resistance to hail is also very high, and manufacturers guarantee resistance to hail up to 25 mm in size. At high air temperatures, the temperature of the panel frame can reach about 70 °C, the panel temperature up to 85 °C, and the temperature of the cable insulation over 60 °C, as measurements have shown. Such high temperatures lead to a drop in electricity production up to 30% but do not pose a fire hazard to the cables and the roof if the roof insulation is conducted correctly. Forest fires do not usually pose a direct threat to PV systems, but the smoke that spreads over a large area reduces the solar radiation reaching the PV panel. It can also cause an unfavourable “wiggle effect”. Lightning strikes to a PV panel are not common, although they are possible. With built-in safeguards, no major damage should occur. Flooding is always a possibility, but with properly designed drainage systems, the damage is minimal in most cases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Energy Utilization and Sustainable Development)

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26 pages, 2304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Environmental Impact of PV Power Systems

by Mladen Bošnjaković, Robert Santa, Zoran Crnac and Tomislav Bošnjaković

Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11888; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511888 - 02 Aug 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6306

Abstract

In response to the problem of increasing climate change and energy security, investment in renewable energy sources has increased significantly both in Europe and globally. Wind and solar power plants are expected to be the largest contributors to global decarbonization, ranking first and second in projected capacity by 2050. As all power plants have a certain impact on the environment, so do PV power plants, and due to their planned large capacities, it is necessary to assess their impact on the environment. Improving the manufacturing technology of PV system components, increasing the efficiency of solar cells, and using materials that are less harmful to the environment will reduce these impacts. Manufacturing PV system components is a highly energy-intensive process that involves greenhouse gas emissions. As new renewable energy capacity is built, the amount of “green” electricity on the grid increases, reducing CO₂ emissions per kWh consumed. The objective of this paper is to analyze the current status of the environmental impact of PV power plants under these changing conditions in terms of CO₂ emissions, land use, pollutant and noise emissions, and water consumption. The capacity installed to date will reach the end of its lifetime by 2050, which means that the amount of waste associated with it will increase over time. This can have a significant impact on the environment, which is why part of the work is dedicated to this problem. In addition to the available information from the literature, the authors also made their own estimates of land use based on data on newly installed PV power plants and PV modules available on the market. The results of the analysis show that there is enough land both in Europe and worldwide to install the planned capacities of rooftop and ground-mounted PV power plants. CO₂ emissions are at the same level as for concentrated solar power, with a decreasing trend. Pollutant emissions, noise, and water consumption are not major problems compared to other types of power plants. Overall, it can be concluded that the expansion of PV capacity has a very positive impact on the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Energy Utilization and Sustainable Development)

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14 pages, 6546 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feasibility and Techno-Economic Evaluation of Hybrid Photovoltaic System: A Rural Healthcare Center in Bangladesh

by Polash Ahmed, Md. Ferdous Rahman, A. K. M. Mahmudul Haque, Mustafa K. A. Mohammed, G. F. Ishraque Toki, Md. Hasan Ali, Abdul Kuddus, M. H. K. Rubel and M. Khalid Hossain

Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1362; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021362 - 11 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1702

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate a techno-economic evaluation of the photovoltaic system, along with a diesel generator as a backup supply, to ensure a continuous twenty-four hours power supply per day, no matter the status of the weather. Healthcare centers in Bangladesh play a vital role in the health issues of the residents of rural areas. In this regard, a healthcare center in Baliadangi—Lahiri Hat Rd, Baliadangi, Thakurgaon, Bangladesh, was selected to be electrically empowered. The simulation software Hybrid Optimisation Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) and the HOMER Powering Health tool were used to analyze and optimize the renewable energy required by the healthcare center. It was found that the healthcare center required a 24.3 kW solar PV system with a net current cost of $28,705.2; the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) was $0.02728 per kW-hours, where renewable energy would provide 98% of the system’s total power requirements. The generator would provide 1% and the grid would supply the remaining 1%. The load analysis revealed that the hybrid PV system might be superior to other power sources for providing electricity for both the normal function and the emergencies that arise in healthcare’s day-to-day life. The outcome of the study is expected to be beneficial for both government and other stakeholders in decision-making. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Energy Utilization and Sustainable Development)

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19 pages, 3969 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Triangle-Shaped Obstacles on the Energy and Exergy Performance of an Air-Cooled Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) Collector

by Byeong-Hwa An, Kwang-Hwan Choi and Hwi-Ung Choi

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13233; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013233 - 14 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1401

Abstract

A photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collector is a type of solar collector that can simultaneously produce electrical and thermal energy from solar energy. In this research, the daily and annual performances of an air-cooled PVT collector with triangle-shaped obstacles were investigated and compared with those of a conventional air-cooled PVT collector. Based on the thermal circuit model, a numerical model of the air-cooled PVT collector containing triangle-shaped obstacles has been developed and validated using experimental results. A typical meteorological year’s weather data from Ulsan, Korea was used as the weather data. From the results, it was seen that the daily average thermal, electrical, and overall energy and exergy efficiencies for the PVT collector with triangle-shaped obstacles were 24.73%, 15.59%, 62.83%, and 15.57%, respectively, while those values of conventional PVT collector were 17.08%, 15.30%, 54.47%, and 15.13%, respectively. The results also showed that the annual energy and exergy outputs of the PVT collector with triangle-shaped obstacles were 12.84% and 1.98% greater than those of the conventional air-cooled PVT collector. From these results, it was clearly confirmed that the triangle-shaped obstacles can enhance the energy and exergy outputs of the air-cooled PVT collector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Energy Utilization and Sustainable Development)

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22 pages, 32403 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mathematical Modeling of Efficiency Evaluation of Double-Pass Parallel Flow Solar Air Heater

by Varun Pratap Singh, Siddharth Jain, Ashish Karn, Ashwani Kumar, Gaurav Dwivedi, Chandan Swaroop Meena and Raffaello Cozzolino

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10535; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710535 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 2239

Abstract

To investigate the influencing range and optimize values of different operational and system parameters on the double-pass parallel flow solar air heater’s (DPPFSAH) thermal, effective, and exergetic efficiencies, an iterative method was used to analyze the governing energy equations using a theoretical model written in MATLAB based on the Nusselt number (Nu) and friction factor (f) correlations developed in the work performed earlier. A comparison between double-pass and single-pass SAHs for mathematical and experimental outcomes was conducted, and the results were found to be fairly consistent. According to the thermo-hydraulic performance indicators, similar to single-pass SAHs, perforated multi-V rib-roughened DPPFSAHs achieve optimum thermal performance for lower Reynolds numbers, which does not change much as the Reynolds number increases above 18,000. This finding can be taken into account when designing any DPPFSAH. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Energy Utilization and Sustainable Development)

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18 pages, 7660 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimisation of Campus Grid-Connected Hybrid Renewable Energy System Using HOMER Grid

by T. M. I. Riayatsyah, T. A. Geumpana, I. M. Rizwanul Fattah, Samsul Rizal and T. M. Indra Mahlia

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7735; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137735 - 24 Jun 2022

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 3098

Abstract

This study aimed to conduct a techno-economic performance and optimisation analysis of grid-connected PV, wind turbines, and battery packs for Syiah Kuala University, situated at the tip of Sumatra island in the tsunami-affected region. The simulation software Hybrid Optimisation Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) was used to analyse and optimise the renewable energy required by the institution. The methodology began with the location specification, average electric load demand, daily radiation, clearness index, location daily temperature, and system architecture. The results revealed that the energy storage system was initially included in the simulation, but it was later removed in order to save money and optimise the share of renewable energy. Based on the optimisation results, two types of energy sources were chosen for the system, solar PV and wind turbine, which contributed 62% and 20%, respectively. Apart from the renewable energy faction, another reason for the system selection is cost of energy (CoE), which decreased to $0.0446/kWh from $0.060/kWh. In conclusion, the study found that by connecting solar PV and wind turbines to the local grid, this renewable energy system is able to contribute up to 82% of the electricity required. However, the obstacle to implementing renewable energy in Indonesia is the cheap electricity price that is mainly generated using cheap coal, which is abundantly available in the country. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Energy Utilization and Sustainable Development)

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