Open-Access Model of a PV–BESS System: Quantifying Power and Energy Exchange for Peak-Shaving and Self Consumption Applications

Energy storage is vital for a future where energy generation transitions from a fossil fuels-based one to an energy system that relies heavily on clean energy sources such as photovoltaic (PV) solar energy. To foster this transition, engineers and practitioners must have open-access models of PV systems coupled with battery storage systems (BESS...

The long road to universal electrification: A critical look at present pathways and challenges

Nearly 840 million people still lack access to electricity, while over a billion more have an unreliable electricity connection. In this article, the three different electrification pathways-grid extension, centralized microgrids, and standalone solar-based solutions, such as pico-solar and solar home systems (SHS)-are critically examined...

Quantifying the Benefits of a Solar Home System-Based DC Microgrid for Rural Electrification

Off-grid solar home systems (SHSs) currently constitute a major source of providing basic electricity needs in un(der)-electrified regions of the world, with around 73 million households having benefited from off-grid solar solutions by 2017. However, in and of itself, state-of-the-art SHSs can only provide electricity access with adequate...

Exploring the boundaries of Solar Home Systems (SHS) for off-grid electrification: Optimal SHS sizing for the multi-tier framework for household electricity access

With almost 1.1 billion people lacking access to electricity, solar-based off-grid products like Solar Home Systems (SHS) have become a promising solution to provide basic electricity needs in un(der)-electrified regions. Therefore, optimal system sizing is a vital task as both oversizing and undersizing a system can be detrimental to system...

Selecting a suitable battery technology for the photovoltaic battery integrated module

The use of batteries is indispensable in stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems, and the physical integration of a battery pack and a PV panel in one device enables this concept while easing the installation and system scaling. However, the influence of high temperatures is one of the main challenges of placing a solar panel close to a battery...

Preclinical evaluation of binimetinib (MEK162) delivered via polymeric nanocarriers in combination with radiation and temozolomide in glioma

Background and purpose: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive subtype of malignant gliomas, with an average survival rate of 15 months after diagnosis. More than 90% of all GBMs have activating mutations in the MAPK/ERK pathway. Recently, we showed the allosteric MEK1/2 inhibitor binimetinib (MEK162) to inhibit cell...

Energy Management System for the Photovoltaic Battery Integrated Module

Given the complementary nature of photovoltaic (PV) generation and energy storage, the combination of a solar panel and a battery pack in one single device is proposed. To realize this concept, the PV Battery-Integrated Module (PBIM), it is fundamental to analyze the system architecture and energy management. This paper focuses on selecting a...

Harvesting Roadway Solar Energy-Performance of the Installed Infrastructure Integrated PV Bike Path

Solar road technology provides an opportunity to harvest the vast, albeit dispersed, photovoltaic (PV) energy, while maximizing the land utilization. Deriving experience from the pioneering 70-m solar bike path installed in the Netherlands, this paper highlights the operational challenges and performance parameters using the first-year...

Estimating battery lifetimes in Solar Home System design using a practical modelling methodology

The rapid increase in the adoption of Solar Home Systems (SHS) in recent times hopes to ameliorate the global problem of energy poverty. The battery is a vital but usually the most expensive part of an SHS; owing to the least lifetime among other SHS components, it is also the first to fail. Estimating battery lifetime is a critical task for...

Integrating a photovoltaic storage system in one device: A critical review

Due to the variable nature of the photovoltaic generation, energy storage is imperative, and the combination of both in one device is appealing for more efficient and easy‐to‐use devices. Among the myriads of proposed approaches, there are multiple challenges to overcome to make these solutions realistic alternatives to current systems. This...

Constructing accurate equivalent electrical circuit models of lithium iron phosphate and lead-acid battery cells for solar home system applications

The past few years have seen strong growth of solar-based off-grid energy solutions such as Solar Home Systems (SHS) as a means to ameliorate the grave problem of energy poverty. Battery storage is an essential component of SHS. An accurate battery model can play a vital role in SHS design. Knowing the dynamic behaviour of the battery is...

Coastal and riverine ecosystems as adaptive flood defenses under a changing climate

Adaptation planning for flood risk forms a significant part of global climate change response. Engineering responses to higher water levels can be prohibitively costly. Several recent studies emphasize the potential role of ecosystems in flood protection as adaptive risk reduction measures while also contributing to carbon fixation. Here, we...

The effectiveness, costs and coastal protection benefits of natural and nature-based defences

There is great interest in the restoration and conservation of coastal habitats for protection from flooding and erosion. This is evidenced by the growing number of analyses and reviews of the effectiveness of habitats as natural defences and increasing funding world-wide for nature-based defences-i.e. restoration projects aimed at coastal...