Abstract

This study aims at investigating the technical potential of using Zeolite as a thermochemical energy storage in a distributed district heating system. Different storage sizes were simulated and combined with an existing local pellets boiler at a medium sized school building as a case study. A test rig was built to monitor how the Zeolite was charged through desorption where heat was added and then discharged when vapour was added to the Zeolite. The storage sizes were assessed in various scenarios. A seasonal storage unit sized to cover the challenging low-load thermal demand during summer was reasonably sized and weighted. The seasonal storage can also provide heat for almost a week during winter out of a resilience perspective.

Abstract

This study presents a computational fluid dynamics analysis to quantify the influence of wind speed on the microclimate and aerodynamic performance of vertical bifacial photovoltaic arrays within an agrivoltaic system. The simulations are conducted using the experimental facility in Sweden (59.5545° N, 16.7625° E), composed of three rows of fixed, vertical bifacial photovoltaic modules. A series of numerical simulations were performed for four wind profiles with reference velocity ranging from 1 m/s to 15 m/s. The boundary conditions for ambient temperature, wind velocity profile (logarithmic inlet via user-defined function), and incident solar irradiance refer to June 23, 2022. The standard k-ε turbulence model was adopted to resolve turbulent atmospheric flow, while radiative heat transfer was captured using the discrete ordinates radiation model. Simulated panel surface temperatures were rigorously validated against published field measurements. The results demonstrate a strong dependence of aerodynamic forces on wind speed, with higher wind velocities significantly enhancing both convective heat transfer and mechanical loading on the PV structures. Specifically, the panel temperature decreases by 42% as the reference wind speed increases from 1 m/s to 15 m/s, while the wind load intensifies by a factor of 191. These findings underscore the critical influence of wind-induced effects on the thermo-structural performance of agrivoltaic systems and highlight the importance of integrated CFD-based assessments for their design and resilience optimization.

Abstract

This paper presents a computational performance analysis of the photovoltaic (PV) cell string configuration of a concentrating photovoltaic thermal (CPVT) collector. It is observed that the bottom PV cells of the receiver are significantly impacted by shading, and the performance degrades at elevated temperatures. Shading analysis reveals partial shading in certain cases, while other scenarios show complete shading of all bottom-side PV cells. Additionally, simulations reveal that elevated temperatures cause significant performance degradation in these PV cells, highlighting the need to reconsider existing PV cell technology and potentially replace it with more advanced alternatives. The findings from this study are expected to provide insights into strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of shading and temperature-related performance losses, contributing to the development of more efficient PV cell string configuration designs for CPVT systems. This research will inform future optimization approaches to enhance the overall performance and reliability of such collectors.

Abstract

This study addresses the urgent need to decarbonise heat-intensive processes in the food and beverage (F&B) sector by proposing a standardised Balance of Plant (BoP) framework for integrating Solar Heat for Industrial Processes (SHIP) with High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) pasteurisation systems. A modular BoP configuration is designed to streamline implementation, reduce costs, and enhance scalability across industrial contexts. Using Quality Function Deployment (QFD), operational needs are systematically translated into engineering specifications, ensuring reliableoperation, ease of integration, hygienic safety, andthermal performance. The QFD analysis revealed that Instrumentation and Control components, particularly pressure regulation, are critical for ensuring system reliability. The obtained insights on requirement prioritisation and correlation will serve as base considerations for the design of the standardised BoP P&ID.This work contributes to overcoming key market barriersto SHIP adoption by offering a practical, data-driven framework tailored to the specific demands of the F&B industry.

Abstract

This study assessed the environmental impactof two novel photovoltaic and thermal (PVT)collector prototypes developed within thePVT4EUproject: a polymer-based retrofit solution (V1 PVT-SP) for upgrading existing PV panels, and a low-concentration CPC-based system (V1 PVT-MG) designed for higher-temperature applications up to 140°C. Life cycle assessment following a cradle-to-grave analysis of these collectors using OpenLCA software and Ecoinvent database demonstrated low carbon emissionsof 16.51kg CO₂-eq/m² with 100% water and 18.49kg CO₂-eq/m² using a 40% glycol-water mixture as HTF, and an EPBT of 1.04 and 1.44 years,respectively,for V1 PVT-SP. Similarly, V1 PVT-MG has a carbon emissionof 539.6 kg CO₂-eq/m² and an Energy Payback Time (EPBT) of 6.34 years. The study identifies design improvements for both technologies, emphasizingmaterial optimization, modularity, and supply chain efficiency to enhance sustainability. These findings provide critical insights intoadvancing PVT systems in resilient energy infrastructuresand help policymakers compare PVT systems with conventional energy solutions.

Abstract

This study investigates the feasibility of reutilisingwaste heat from data centres (DCs) for district heating (DH) networks, focusing on a case study in Turkey. As DCs continue to expand globally, their significant energy consumption, particularly for cooling, presents both a challenge and an opportunity for sustainable energy solutions. The research evaluates the technical, economic, and environmental viability of integrating DC waste heat into DH systems using a MATLAB-based simulation tool. Key parameters such as server efficiency, heat exchanger performance, and network losses are analysedto determine the potential for heat recovery. Economic assessments include calculations ofthe Returnon Investment and Payback Period, while environmental benefits are quantified through reductions in CO₂ emissions. The results indicate that while the system offers technical and environmental benefitsby recovering 78,358 kWh of heat annually and reducing CO₂ emissions by 15,672 kg. However, its economic viability is low, with a 66.3-year payback period. This study concludes that for such projects to be successful, they must be implemented under optimal conditions, including using more efficient servers, minimisingpipeline distances, and establishing cost-sharing models. The developed MATLAB tool can assess similar future projects to identify optimal locations with a high density of heat consumers.

Abstract

Electric trucks (ETs) offer a potential route towards decarbonizing the transportation sector and reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, deploying many ETs brings about operational difficulties regarding optimizing charging strategies which mitigate the cost while guaranteeing stability on grid level. In this paper, we propose a new application of the Lévy Arithmetic Optimization (LAO) algorithm to address the challenges of ET charging schedule optimization. Incorporating high-resolution, real-time load data from Sweden’s electricity grid, the proposed framework dynamically adjusts ET charging power based on grid capacity and electricity prices. The results show that for a fleet of 100 ETs the optimization can give15.53% savings in total charging costs compared with a baseline scenario. In addition, the method improves state-of-charge (SOC) management and lightens load on the grid, giving scalable, cost-effective and grid-friendly electrification of heavy-duty transportation.

Abstract

The assessmen of solar photovoltaic (PV) potential onurban building façades is pivotal for sustainable urbanplanning, yet is often constrained by manual, time-intensive methods. This study introduces a novel end-to-end framework, The Semantic Façade Solar-PV Assesse-ment (SF-SPA) , that pioneers a paradigm shift by lev-eraging generalist foundation models for this task. Ourpipeline integrates vision foundation models (VFMs) andlarge language models (LLMs) for rapid, automated,and accurate façade-based PV assessment from single2D street-view images. The framework was validatedon a diverse dataset of 80 buildings from four cities ac-ross different climates and architectural styles. Re-sults show high accuracy, with an average area estim-ation error of 6.2% against expert-defined ground truth,and exce-ptional efficiency at approximately 100 sec-onds per bui-lding. This work demonstrates a scalableand data effici- ent alternative to traditional methodsthat rely on 3D data or specialized trained models,paving the way for large scale urban energy analysis.

Abstract

The fastest growing renewable energy technology in Europe is solar photovoltaic (PV). Despite no burning fossil fuels during its operation, the production of PV modules and other components cause the emission of greenhouse gases. The global warming potential (GWP) associated with the generation of PV energy can be higher than that from the grid in some locations. This study explores the fraction of the year, and its related energy generation, during which PV energy has a lower global warming potential than the local grid. This analysis is done in seven different locations within Europe, for three PV systems with different GWP. The results show that in most cases the PV systems have the capacity of reducing the GWP from the grid 100% of the time. However, there are a few exceptions in countries with a low-carbon grid such as France, Sweden and Norway with a GWP reduction related to only 46%, 16% and 17% of the energy generation respectively.

Abstract

This study conducts a techno-environmental assessment of a fully electrified rural single-family house in Västerås, Sweden, functioning as a resilient, sustainable prosumer. It evaluates: (i) grid independence under normal conditions; (ii) thermal resilience during power outages with various enhancement strategies; and (iii) operational COâ‚‚ emission reductions versus combustion-based heating. Using IDA ICE simulations, the building’s energy performance is analyzed with integrated renewable energy (RE) systems: PV, solar thermal, batteries, thermal storage, electric heater, and heat pump. Key performance indicators include self-sufficiency rate (SSR), operational COâ‚‚ emissions equivalent, and thermal resilience metrics. Results show that combining RE technologies significantly improves year-round reliability and emissions reduction. PV-only systems perform well during long outages, while battery-only setups suffice for short ones. Even basic electric heaters maintain habitability during 3-day outages. The findings offer practical insights into enhancing resilience and sustainability in rural prosumer buildings through distributed RE systems.