• Energy Research
• 2025-2025close
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In the quest for effective solutions to address Environ. Pollut. and meet the escalating energy demands, heterojunction photocatalysts have emerged as a captivating and versatile technology. These photocatalysts have garnered significant interest due to their wide-ranging applications, including wastewater treatment, air purification, CO2 capture, and hydrogen generation via water splitting. This technique harnesses the power of semiconductors, which are activated under light illumination, providing the necessary energy for catalytic reactions. With visible light constituting a substantial portion (46%) of the solar spectrum, the development of visible-light-driven semiconductors has become imperative. Heterojunction photocatalysts offer a promising strategy to overcome the limitations associated with activating semiconductors under visible light. In this comprehensive review, we present the recent advancements in the field of photocatalytic degradation of contaminants across diverse media, as well as the remarkable progress made in renewable energy production. Moreover, we delve into the crucial role played by various operating parameters in influencing the photocatalytic performance of heterojunction systems. Finally, we address emerging challenges and propose novel perspectives to provide valuable insights for future advancements in this dynamic research domain. By unraveling the potential of heterojunction photocatalysts, this review contributes to the broader understanding of their applications and paves the way for exciting avenues of exploration and innovation.

Background: In recent years, the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid has increased exponentially. However, one significant challenge in integrating these renewable sources into the grid is intermittency. Objective: To address this challenge, accurate PV power forecasting techniques are crucial for operations and maintenance and day-to-day operations monitoring in solar plants. Methods: In the present work, a hybrid approach that combines Deep Learning (DL) and Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) with electrical models for PV power forecasting is proposed Results: The outcomes of the study involve evaluating the performance of the proposed model in comparison to a Physical model and a DL model for predicting solar PV power one day ahead and two days ahead. The results indicate that the prediction accuracy of PV power decreases and the error rates increase when forecasting two days ahead, as compared to one day ahead. Conclusion: The obtained results demonstrate that DL models combined with NWP and electrical models can improve PV Power forecasting compared to a Physical model and a DL model.

The key to this study is to explore the relation between renewable energy and trade openness under climate change impacts on international trade. This study is based on the analyses of trade openness index and the Notre Dame-Global Adaptation Index in measures of research of the transfer of renewable energy technologies globally, promotion of the growth of renewable energy share, and the country's current vulnerability to climate disruptions. Research is focused on evaluation of low-carbon trade, analysis of renewable heat, and estimation of the impact of renewable energy on trade openness under climate disruptions. Research verified that development of renewable energy can reduce the human impact on climate change, but such technologies are not available to all countries; because of this, different countries may be affected by climate change to varying degrees. The implementation of renewable energy technologies should help countries become more resilient to climate change through the availability of appropriate means of producing renewable energy; however, this is possible subject to the country's openness to the arrival of goods and technologies from outside-increasing trade openness level. Countries with open and competitive markets are more inclusive to adopt and support the renewable energy technologies and their development. From another position, development of trade and deep integration of economy can create external dependence on imported energy sources and block the development of domestic renewable energy sectors. The economic challenges in the field of renewable energy need the focus of governments and policy makers on supporting the stability of renewable generation facilities, increasing the reliability of energy supply, protection from seasonal changes in demand for electricity, support of the energy cooperatives and private consumers of renewable energy, and transition the public transport sector for renewable energy sources. Further research in this direction has prospects, because globalization is a stable trend of recent decades, and allows for an even distribution of efforts to produce various products and provide them to the population, but decarbonization potential of renewable energy production is untapped as fossil fuels dominate in largest world markets.

In the last decade, the manufacturing capacity of silicon, the dominant PV technology, has increasingly been concentrated in China. This has led to PV cost reduction of approximately 80%, while, at the same time, posing risks to PV supply chain security. Recent advancements of novel perovskite tandem PV technologies as an alternative to traditional silicon-based PV provide opportunities for diversification of the PV manufacturing capacity and for increasing the GHG emission benefit of solar PV. Against this background, we estimate the current and future cost-competitiveness and GHG emissions of a set of already commercialized as well as emerging PV technologies for different production locations (China, USA, EU), both at residential and utility-scale. We find EU and USA-manufactured thin-film tandems to have 2 to 4% and 0.5 to 2% higher costs per kWh and 37 to 40%and 32 to 35% less GHG emissions per kWh at residential and utility-scale, respectively. Our projections indicate that they will also retain competitive costs (up to 2% higher)and a 20% GHG emissions advantage per kWh in 2050.