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Globally, solar energy has become a major contributor to the rapid adoption of renewable energy. Significant energy savings have resulted from the widespread utilization of solar energy in the industrial, residential, and commercial divisions. This review article comprises research conducted over the past 15 years (2008–2023), utilizing a comprehensive collection of 163 references. Significantly, a considerable focus is directed towards the period from 2020 to 2023, encompassing an extensive investigation into the latest developments in solar panel technology in civil engineering. The article examines the incorporation of solar panels into building designs and addresses installation-related structural considerations. In addition, the present review examines the applications of solar panels in terms of innovative infrastructure development applications of solar panels, such as photovoltaic parking lot canopies and photovoltaic noise barriers, which contribute to improved energy efficiency. It also emphasizes their role in water management systems, including water treatment plants, water pumping and irrigation systems, energy-efficient solar desalination technologies, and promoting sustainable water practices. In addition, this study examines how solar panels have been incorporated into urban planning, including smart cities and public parks, thereby transforming urban landscapes into greener alternatives. This study also examined the use of solar panels in building materials, such as façade systems and solar-powered building envelope solutions, demonstrating their versatility in the construction industry. This review explores the diverse applications of solar energy, which promotes sustainable practices in various industries. Owing to the ongoing research, solar energy holds great promise for a greener and cleaner future.

The rapid increase in the penetration of photovoltaic (PV) power plants results in an increased risk of grid failure, primarily due to the intermittent nature of the plant. To overcome this problem, the flexible power point tracking (FPPT) algorithm has been proposed in the literature over the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm. These algorithms regulate the PV power to a certain value instead of continuously monitoring the maximum power point (MPP). The proposed work carries out a detailed comparative study of various constant power generation (CPG) control strategies. The control strategies are categorized in terms of current-, voltage-, and power-based tracking capabilities. The comparative analysis of various reported CPG/FPPT techniques was carried out. This analysis was based on some key performance indices, such as the type of control strategy, irradiance pattern, variation in G, region of operation, speed of tracking, steady-state power oscillations, drift severity scenario, partial shading scenario, implementation complexity, stability, fast dynamic response, robustness, reactive power, cost, and tracking efficiency. Among existing FPPT algorithms, model-based control has a superior performance in terms of tracking speed and low steady-state power oscillations, with a maximum tracking efficiency of 98.57%.

The present work aims at optimizing the geometry of curved trapezoidal winglets to enhance heat transfer rates (expressed as Colburn factor, j) and minimize pressure losses (expressed as friction factor, f). A fin-and-tube heat exchanger was analyzed with winglets mounted on the alternate tube and on either side of the fins. Multi-objective optimization was performed using the genetic algorithm (GA) to maximize j and minimize f. Two surrogate models, viz. response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN), were considered as inputs to GA. To reduce the number of runs, a sensitivity analysis was first performed to select the most influential geometrical parameters for optimization. The values of j and f in the design of the experiments table were computed using CFD. The Pareto front points elucidated a significant improvement compared with the reference model along with a broad choice for the designers, not only for the design condition but also for the off-design inlet condition.

Liquid biowaste represents more than 98% of the total municipal waste streams on wet basis and 4–5% on dry basis. Recent attention has been focused on how to manage it optimally, and several novel technologies are being developed to valorize it. Among the developing alternatives is a technology that operates continuously by integrating a hydrothermal reactor, a gasifier and condenser to recover hydrochar using any produced gases to power the system. This study introduces the “3-step evolution model” in order to simulate the hydrothermal reactor. The model has been developed in a MATLAB/Cantera environment and calculates the outputs as the products of a series of sub-stoichiometric char-gas reactions. Experiments with chicken manure slurry as feedstock were implemented for the validation of the model. Treatment of 32.16 kg/h of chicken manure produces 4.57 kg/h of hydrochar and 3.45 kg/h of syngas. The 3-step evolution model simulated the correct ratio of solid-to-gas, 57–43% (excluding the liquids). The experimentally measured carbon dioxide is used as a correction factor to calculate all the other parameters that cannot be assessed during the continuous operation of the hydrothermal reactor. The simulated compositions for carbon dioxide and methane were 94–96% and 0.5–0.8%, respectively. The values were close to the experimental results that ranged from 94.7% to 95.6% for the carbon dioxide and from 0.5% to 0.7% for the methane. The model predicts that higher temperatures of operation would increase carbon monoxide composition from 4–5% up to 7–8%.

This paper presents three new and improved non-isolated topologies of quadratic boost converters (QBC). Reduced voltage stress across switching devices and high voltage gain with single switch operation are the main advantages of the proposed topologies. These topologies utilize voltage multiplier cells (VMC) made of switched capacitors and switched inductors to increase the converter’s voltage gain. The analysis in continuous conduction mode is discussed in detail. The proposed converter’s voltage gain is higher than the conventional quadratic boost converter, and other recently introduced boost converters. The proposed topologies utilize only a single switch and have continuous input current and low voltage stress across switch, capacitors, and diodes, which leads to the selection of low voltage rating components. The converter’s non-ideal voltage gain is also determined by considering the parasitic capacitance and ON state resistances of switch and diodes. The efficiency analysis incorporating switching and conduction losses of the switching and passive elements is done using PLECS software (Plexim, Zurich, Switzerland). The hardware prototype of the proposed converters is developed and tested for verification.

The output of a photovoltaic array is reduced considerably when PV panels are shaded even partially. The impact of shading causes an appreciable loss in power delivery, since the PV panels are connected in series and parallel to contribute to the required voltage and power for the load. The prevailing research on mitigating the shading impact is mostly based on complex reconfiguration strategies where the PV panels are subjected to complex rewiring schemes. On the other hand, to disperse the shading many studies in the literature defend the physical rearrangement of the panels. The available intensive reconfiguration schemes, such as the series parallel (SP), bridge link (BL), honeycomb (HC), and total cross tied (TCT) schemes, try only to mitigate the shading impact and there is no scope for compensation; as a result, a loss of output power is inevitable. In the proposed research work, both the mitigation of and the compensation for the losses incurred due to shading are studied. In this work, an optimal reconfiguration scheme is adopted to reduce the shading impact and a power electronic circuit with a battery source is designed to compensate for the shading losses in all aspects. In the optimal reconfiguration scheme, a bifurcation strategy is adopted in each column and the electrical connections of the PV panels are interchanged such that the shading impact is dispersed. The power electronic circuit consists of a half-bridge buck converter with a battery source that injects the current required by a shaded column. This setup compensates for the shaded PV array’s power and improves the efficiency of the total system. The proposed scheme was implemented in a 3200 W system and subjected to various shading patterns, including single panel shading, corner shading, long and wide shading, and random shading. The proposed scheme was simulated in the MATLAB Simulink environment and compared with static 4 × 4 PV array configurations, including the series parallel (SP), bridge link (BL), honeycomb (HC), and total cross tied (TCT) configurations. The comparative performance was assessed in terms of mismatch power loss, fill factor, and efficiency. The proposed system is suitable for all shading patterns and was proved to be very efficient even in the worst shading, where 1353 W was saved.

The goal of this study is to look into how changes in crude oil prices affect GDP per capita and exchange rate fluctuations.to investigate the influence of crude oil price shocks on GDP per capita and exchange rate movements. This research employed yearly time series data for the price of crude oil, exchange rate (USD/INR), and GDP per capita, from 1990 to 2020. Arithmetical tools such as Descriptive, Unit Root, Granger Causality Test, and OLS Model were applied. The present study discovered a strong bi-directional Granger causality effect of Dubai crude oil prices on exchange rates, as well as a bi-directional Granger influence of exchange rates on WTI crude oil prices. The diagnostic tests were successfully passed by the estimated models. According to the OLS model, the exchange rate was driven only by the price of Dubai crude oil, although the price of WTI crude oil influenced both the GDP per capita and the exchange rate over the research period. The key policy recommendation derived from this analysis is that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) must depreciate the rupee, first to restore much-needed exchange rate stability, then to stimulate domestic manufacturers, and finally, to attract foreign capital inflows.

The pollution caused by gas flaring is hazardous to the health of flora, fauna, and humans settled around the flaring site. Gas flaring also incurs economic loss as natural gas, an energy source, is wasted in flares. Furthermore, the unreliable electrical infrastructure is a roadblock for oil and gas companies attempting to achieve their production targets. This paper presents a framework to design hybrid energy systems (HES) which utilize the gas flare waste along with the locally available renewable energy sources to generate electricity. A novel dispatch strategy to suit the requirements of the oil and gas fields has been used for real-time simulations and optimization of the HES. As a test case, six different hybrid energy configurations, modelled for two gas flaring sites, Lakwa and Geleky in Assam—India, were analyzed and compared on the basis of economic and environmental factors. The best suitable configuration comprised 2000 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) panel sets, one 200 kW gas microturbine, two 30 kW gas microturbines, and grid connection. The proposed system economically outperformed the existing power system in the area by 35.52% in terms of the net present cost. Moreover, it could save 850 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, and it has a renewable fraction of 93.7% in the total energy generation. Owing to these merits, the presented technique would be a promising option for generation of electricity from flare gas waste and to mitigate pollution.