• Energy Research
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Solar radiation data for the selected cities as well as LCCA and DPP calculation for BIPV system.

These files have the raw data and GenStat analysis outputs for final biomass and percentages, allometric analyses, LAI data and analyses and RUE data and analyses

Perennial plants go through noticeable morphological, developmental, and physiological changes as they age. Whether these age-related changes are driven by ontogenetic differences, are the result of different environmental conditions, or an artifact of plant size remains unknown. In this research we used the warm-season grass Miscanthus × giganteus as model herbaceous perennial species to study age-related changes on phenology.Age-related experiments are usually based on field experimental design that confound growing season and age effects and ignore variability generated during the establishment of the stand. Here, we used a staggered-start experimental design where stands are repeatedly planted over subsequent years providing the ability to separate plant age effects from environmental effects. We hypothesized (i) M. × giganteus would produce more plant structures and reach more advanced developmental stages in a given growing season as it aged. (ii) Juvenile stands would have faster developmental rates and start development sooner and (iii) Mature stands would start senescence sooner in the growing season. Finally, we studied nitrogen (N) fertilization effects on M. × giganteus phenology as to assess whether age-related changes could be an artifact of size and N dilution in mature bigger individuals. We hypothesized that (iv) fertilized juvenile stands would have similar dynamics as mature unfertilized stands.Data were collected bi-weekly on all established stands during 2016 and 2017. Ten stems were harvested from each plot and staged at the lab according to M. × giganteus morphological scale developed by Tejera & Heaton (2017). Time series progression were then analyzed using non-linear models and parameters were compared across stand ages, N treatments and growing seasons.R scripts used to analyze the data are available upon request.

Fig. 6. The thermal behavior of cells in the experimentally investigated seven cases: (a) first case, (b) second case, (c) third case, (d) fourth case, (e) fifth case, (f) sixth case and, (g) seventh case.Fig. 7. The time evolution of module maximum temperature for the seven investigated cases.Fig. 8. The time evolution of module maximum temperature difference for the seven investigated cases.

This contains the python script and EnergyPlus IDF template for the energy simulations.

Halide perovskites are the leading candidates for next-generation, low-cost optoelectronics with power conversion efficiencies well above 25%. However, operational stability remains a key challenge. Although there is an understanding that the microscale and nanoscale play a consequential role in determining the macroscopic performance and stability, significant gaps remain in the mechanistic understanding of degradation processes at the nanoscale and the mechanisms for stability in cation-alloyed systems. Nanoscale hexagonal phase impurities have been identified as problematic for operational stability, leading to both performance losses and morphological degradation. However, it is still unclear at what stage these phase impurities originate. Understanding this better is critical in order to mitigate the harmful effects of these phase impurities on performance and operational stability. Cation alloying is a commonly used technique in the field to mitigate these hexagonal phase impurities, although not without its challenges. In this thesis study, the nanoscale structural landscape of key halide perovskite compositions is studied. By taking snapshots of the perovskite at different states of the annealing process, the impact of phase impurities on device performance is characterised. Thereon, the mechanism by which composition dictates photostability in FA-rich perovskite absorber layers is studied. It is demonstrated that the composition impacts the degree of octahedral tilt, which is essential to restricting the transition to hexagonal phase impurities. Additionally, it is demonstrated that while a judicious mix of A-site cations can be used to stabilise the photoactive black phase of halide perovskites, it is challenging to achieve this homogeneously over large areas, necessitating a search for alternative or complementary approaches to stabilise perovskite via octahedral tilt. Using scanning electron diffraction (SED) studies, the spacegroup of additive-stabilised-CsPbI3 is demonstrated to be a low symmetry tilted γ-phase. Furthermore, using SED, the nanoscale structural landscape of mixed-phase CsPbI3 absorber layers is studied and it is demonstrated that both narrow-bandgap γ-phase and wide-bandgap δ-phase co-exist at the nanoscale, enabling stable and bright white-light emission. Overall, this thesis provides insights into the role of nanoscale structure in dictating the properties and behaviour of halide perovskites and offers rational guidelines for their optimisation and use in optoelectronic devices. Additionally, it is demonstrated that SED is a powerful tool for studying these materials at the atomic scale, allowing for the detailed characterisation of their structures and properties.

Self-organizing nanopatterns can enable economically competitive, industrially applicable light-harvesting platforms for thin-film solar cells. In this work, we present transparent solar cell substrates having quasiperiodic uniaxial nanowrinkle patterns with high optical haze values. The self-organized nanowrinkle template is created by controlled heat-shrinking of metal-deposited pre-stretched polystyrene sheets. A scalable UV nanoimprinting method is used to transfer the nanopatterns to glass substrates on which single-junction hydrogenated amorphous silicon p-i-n solar cells are subsequently fabricated. The structural and optical analyses of the solar cell show that the nanowrinkle pattern is replicated throughout the solar cell structure leading to enhanced absorption of light. The efficient broadband light-trapping in the nanowrinkle solar cells results in very high 18.2 mA/cm2 short-circuit current density and 9.5% energy-conversion efficiency, which respectively are 35.8% and 39.7% higher than the values obtained in flat-substrate solar cells. The cost- and time-efficient technique introduces a promising new approach to customizable light-management strategies in thin-film solar cells.