by Alioune Sow, Saliou Seck, Mamadou Salif Mane, Amadou Ndiaye, Bachirou Ndiaye, El-Hadji Mamadou Keita, Babacar Mbow and Cheikh Sene
Original Research
All-inorganic perovskites based on CsPbI3-xBrx are promising halides for use in efficient photovoltaic devices due to their high stability. This generated a tremendous research interest from the scientific community to move towards this class of materials. However, perovskite solar cells based on CsPbI3-xBrx have not yet achieved the expected conversion efficiencies compared to their hybrid counterpart. In this work we used SCAPS 1D to model the all-inorganic CsPbI3-xBrx based solar cell, investigate and discuss the limitations of the device in order to improve its conversion efficiency. For this purpose, we used the normal (n-i-p) configuration with Al/ETL/CsPbI3-xBrx/HTL/ITO structuring. By varying the inorganic transport layers HTL and ETL, our study revealed that the best HTL/ETL combination is Cu2O as HTL and SnO2 as ETL. We otherwise have shown that acceptor and donor doping of Cu2O and SnO2 respectively offers a mean to reduce recombination in the device. The study showed that the acceptor (NA=1018cm-3) and donor (ND=1017cm-3) doping rates are the best dopant values for the cell. By optimizing the various study parameters, we obtained a high-performance normal structure PSC with a conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.87%.
American Journal of Energy Research. 2023, 11(2), 93-99. DOI: 10.12691/ajer-11-2-4
Pub. Date: May 14, 2023
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by Shree om Bade, Ajan Meenakshisundaram, Toluwase Omojiba and Olusegun Tomomewo
Original Research
Growing demands for renewable energy sources have resulted in the integration of wind and solar power in utility-scale power plants and the building of a hybrid power plant. This requires a deep understanding of the interactions between the different technologies. To overcome the inherent intermittency of these sources, batteries are often used as energy storage. However, the proper utilization of batteries in these hybrid power plants remains a challenge because of the dynamic nature of renewable energy sources. Additional research is required to investigate how different dynamic technologies interact and perform dispatch energy as a single convenient unit. This research provides a battery contribution control approach for utility-scale wind-solar hybrid power systems. The proposed control strategy incorporates a supervisory control framework with a focus on establishing oversight of active power and enhanced interaction with different technologies involving the battery’s state of charge. Using MATLAB simulations and dynamic modelling, the effectiveness of the suggested control approach is tested. The results indicate that the control technique improves battery use, and minimizes wind and solar power curtailment to fulfill the power demand. This research offers a promising solution for the battery contribution in utility-scale wind-solar-battery hybrid power plants thereby contributing to grid stability and the integration of renewable energy sources.
American Journal of Energy Research. 2023, 11(2), 82-92. DOI: 10.12691/ajer-11-2-3
Pub. Date: April 07, 2023
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by Michael Ryder, Solomon Evro, Caleb Brown and Olusegun S. Tomomewo
Original Research
Energy System Modeling tools are becoming ever-prevalent in global society to help decide factors in energy policymaking, power production methods, and means of environmental impact assessment. Energy system engineers need to be aware of the use of energy system models due to the complexity of the systems and the demand for model use in evaluating an energy system. This literature review will cover the importance of energy system models and the most recent advances in modeling technology, the accepted methods of model evaluation and validation before the use of an energy system model, and lastly, demonstrate a comparative analysis validation technique with three case studies using a multi-model approach, by applying two widely accepted global energy models. The two global energy models evaluated are the Integrated MARKAL-EFOM System (TIMES) and Energy-Rapid Overview and Decision-Support (EN-ROADS) models. The comparative analysis will be demonstrated by reviewing three base cases, whether 2.5°C average warming is achievable within the desired timeline, the projected global energy supply, and practical climate change mitigation scenarios. The comparative analysis results show that two globally accepted energy system models still predict different outcomes with the same inputs. The comparative analysis results exemplify the necessity for energy system engineers or other model users to properly benchmark and validate any model they decide to use for decision-making before accepting model results.
American Journal of Energy Research. 2023, 11(2), 63-81. DOI: 10.12691/ajer-11-2-2
Pub. Date: April 02, 2023
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by Gabriel Bamiyo Dirisu, Member Mark M. Ekpa and Chimezie Gabriel Dirisu
Original Research
Biogas production is an environmental-friendly biotechnology that minimizes environmental pollution by making use of wastes streams of various types. A biogas reactor (BGR) otherwise known as anaerobic digester is an industrial/environmental technology that employs anaerobic treatment (fermentation) of these wastes to produce biogas, leaving a slurry (digestate) that can serve as biofertilizer. Biogas is a mixture of methane (CH4), carbon (IV) oxide (CO2) and other trace gases. In this study, a BGR was designed using 50L steel plate reservoir connected with different pipes with valves for charging substrate, collection of biogas and removal of digester sludge. The biogas produced is collected by downward displacement of water. The substrates used in this study comprises 1:1 fresh cow dung and pawpaw fruit peel mixed with kitchen wastewater. The BGR was maintained for 28 days retention time. The volume of biogas produced and changes in pH and temperature were evaluated. Result shows that the cumulative biogas produced was 89.0 cm3 at optimum pH and temperature of 6.9 and 33.3°C respectively. It is recommended that the reaction process be scaled up for sustainable biogas production.
American Journal of Energy Research. 2023, 11(2), 56-62. DOI: 10.12691/ajer-11-2-1
Pub. Date: March 28, 2023
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