{"title":"Modeling and assessment of a hybrid pyramid solar still-humidification-dehumidification desalination system for sustainable freshwater production in SWGHs: A case study","authors":"Sevda Allahyari , Amirhossein Barzigar , Mohsen Fathi , Sasan Asiaei , Mahdi Moghimi , Arun S Mujumdar , S.M. Hosseinalipour","doi":"10.1016/j.seja.2026.100132","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seja.2026.100132","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Demand and the urgent need for energy conservation and sustainable resource management. Addressing this challenge requires desalination systems that are both energy-efficient and adaptable to climate variability. This study proposes a hybrid seawater greenhouse (SWGH) system that integrates humidification–dehumidification (HDH) desalination with a pyramid solar still (PSS) through thermal coupling to enhance overall energy utilization and freshwater productivity. To enable long-term performance assessment, convolutional neural network (CNN), gated recurrent unit (GRU), and hybrid CNN–GRU deep learning models were developed to predict freshwater production using historical and projected climatic data, including global horizontal irradiation (GHI) and air temperature (T2M), over the period 1985–2034. The CNN–GRU model demonstrated superior predictive performance and was coupled with thermodynamic simulations of the hybrid system to estimate long-term freshwater yield. Results indicate an annual cumulative freshwater production of approximately 4250-4400 L/m²·year. The HDH subsystem, with a surface area of 300 m², contributed 1450–1500 L/m²·year, while the 150 m² solar still unit produced 2800–2900 L/m²·year annually. These findings confirm that thermal integration between the desalination units significantly improves overall freshwater production while reducing thermal losses. The novelty of this work lies in the combined application of a CNN–GRU predictive framework with a thermally integrated hybrid solar desalination system, enabling reliable long-term forecasting under climate-sensitive conditions. The proposed approach provides a scalable, energy-efficient solution for sustainable freshwater generation and offers a data-driven decision-support tool for adaptive water management in arid coastal environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101174,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Advances","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100132"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147538892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar Energy AdvancesPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-02-23DOI: 10.1016/j.seja.2026.100130
Meiriele Alvarenga Cumplido , André Rodrigues Gonçalves , Fernando Ramos Martins , Paula Conde Santos Borba , Rodrigo Santos Costa , Felipe Husadel Poyer , Ricardo Rüther , Enio Bueno Pereira
{"title":"Renewable electricity supply in Amazonas: Energy modeling to decarbonize isolated systems","authors":"Meiriele Alvarenga Cumplido , André Rodrigues Gonçalves , Fernando Ramos Martins , Paula Conde Santos Borba , Rodrigo Santos Costa , Felipe Husadel Poyer , Ricardo Rüther , Enio Bueno Pereira","doi":"10.1016/j.seja.2026.100130","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seja.2026.100130","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluates hybrid systems using local renewable energy resources to decarbonize isolated systems (SISOL) in the Brazilian Amazon. Using the Calliope energy optimization framework, a model for SISOL was built and applied to two case studies: Careiro da Várzea and Rio Preto da Eva. The systems were analyzed under scenarios combining solar photovoltaic (PV), batteries (Bt), and green hydrogen (H<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>), considering two land-use settings for PV deployment: no spatial restrictions (default) and the minimum required area to meet local electricity demand. The installed PV and storage capacities correspond to the cost-optimal solutions obtained through optimization. In Rio Preto da Eva, the PV–Bt scenario under the default condition reduces the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) by 13% compared to the optimized fossil fuel (FF) baseline, and is characterized by 65 MW of PV capacity and 330 MWh of Bt storage. The PV–greenH<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>–Bt scenario increases the LCOE by 67%, with 117 MW of PV, 715 MWh of H<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> storage, and 2.2 MWh of batteries. Under the strictest land-use constraint, which differs between scenarios due to their distinct conversion and storage needs, the LCOE of the PV–Bt scenario exceeds that of the PV–greenH<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>–Bt scenario. In this setting, the PV–Bt system deploys 53 MW of PV and 1.4 GWh of Bt storage, while the PV–greenH<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>–Bt configuration relies on 94 MW of PV, 3.2 GWh of H<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> storage, and 36.6 MWh of batteries. Compared to FF, GHG emissions decreased by 92% in the PV–Bt scenario and by 85% in the PV–greenH<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>–Bt pathway. In contrast, Careiro da Várzea faces significant land constraints, making scenarios spatially infeasible under the evaluated conditions. These findings highlight the critical role of local context in designing possible strategies to deeply decarbonize isolated systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101174,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Advances","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100130"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147397377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar Energy AdvancesPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-04-01DOI: 10.1016/j.seja.2026.100136
John Bain , Emmanuella Akosua Appiah , Flavio Odoi-Yorke
{"title":"Advancing solar energy financing in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review of trends, progress, and pathways to sustainable development","authors":"John Bain , Emmanuella Akosua Appiah , Flavio Odoi-Yorke","doi":"10.1016/j.seja.2026.100136","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seja.2026.100136","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Access to affordable and sustainable energy remains a significant development challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where over 600 million people lack electricity despite the region's abundant solar resources. Financing constraints, weak institutional frameworks, and high capital costs continue to hinder the deployment of solar energy technologies. This study assessed the evolution, trends, and key drivers of solar energy financing in SSA. Using the Scopus database, research publications from 1995 to 2025 were systematically screened in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework. Bibliometric analyses were conducted using the Bibliometrix package in R-Studio to map publication trends, country contributions, collaboration networks, and thematic evolution. The findings revealed growth in research output since 2019, demonstrating global interest in clean energy access. The United Kingdom and South Africa lead contributions, while Ghana and Nigeria are emerging hubs. Key research themes include energy access, renewable energy policy, financing models, and climate change mitigation. Persistent barriers, including high upfront costs, inadequate financial mechanisms, and institutional weaknesses, hinder investment flows. The study identified potential areas for future research on solar energy financing in SSA. The study's findings highlight the importance of innovative financing instruments, local capacity-building, and policy consistency in attracting private investment. These insights are crucial for policymakers, investors, and researchers aiming to develop inclusive, sustainable, and scalable solar energy financing frameworks in SSA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101174,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Advances","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100136"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147600284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar Energy AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-01-31DOI: 10.1016/j.seja.2025.100091
Flavio Odoi-Yorke , Richard Opoku , Francis Davis , George Yaw Obeng
{"title":"Advancing the solar cooking revolution: Insights into the evolving landscape of solar PV-based electric cooking","authors":"Flavio Odoi-Yorke , Richard Opoku , Francis Davis , George Yaw Obeng","doi":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100091","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100091","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, there has been a significant emphasis on transitioning to sustainable energy technologies. Among these, electric cooking (e-cooking) has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional cooking methods. This study employed a systematic review and bibliometric analysis to investigate emerging trends and advancements in solar PV-based e-cooking technology. The systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines, and the bibliometric analysis utilised the R Studio Bibliometrix software package in conjunction with the Biblioshiny interface. The findings revealed a growing research interest in solar PV-based e-cooking, driven by concerns about climate change, energy security, and environmental sustainability, such as deforestation, indoor air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. The thematic analysis identified core research areas, including solar PV systems, renewable energy integration, developing clean and efficient cooking solutions, and addressing socio-economic factors for widespread adoption. Advancements were observed in areas such as solar PV-powered cooking devices, integrating PV e-cooking into microgrids and mini-grids, and exploring solar PV-based hydrogen production for cooking. Socio-economic and cultural factors were recognised as pivotal for successful technology adoption. The study highlights the potential of solar PV-based e-cooking as a sustainable and clean cooking solution and proposes future research directions, including optimisation of cooking devices, integration with advanced technologies, and comprehensive assessments of techno-economic viability and life-cycle impacts. The study findings are vital to researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders advancing the e-cooking sector for sustainable development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101174,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Advances","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100091"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143168227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar Energy AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-08-12DOI: 10.1016/j.seja.2025.100116
Maryam Nooman AlMallahi , Mohamed Y.E. Selim , Mahmoud Elgendi
{"title":"Exploring the evolution of solar-driven interfacial evaporation: Bibliometric and trends analyses","authors":"Maryam Nooman AlMallahi , Mohamed Y.E. Selim , Mahmoud Elgendi","doi":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100116","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100116","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The interfacial solar evaporation (ISE) field has gained significant attention since its emergence due to its potential for harnessing solar radiation and developing novel photothermal materials. The present study conducts a bibliometric analysis to explore ISE research over the past decade from 2014 up to November 2024, using VOSviewer software and Bibliometrix package. Key metrics such as publication trends, affiliation, countries, keyword analysis, citations, and dynamic mapping were examined. The results showed a remarkable growth in the research output, with an impressive cumulative annual growth rate of 43.35 % and publications peaking in 2024. Desalination journal emerged as a leading source with 112 publications. Countries like China, the United States, and Australia have demonstrated a strong interest in this field. Keyword analysis revealed that terms like evaporation, desalination, steam generators, light absorption, photothermal, and water absorption are the most frequently used words. Materials such as graphene, carbon, cellulose, hydrogels, and biomass are often featured in ISE research. The conclusions and remarks presented can offer scholars a quantitative understanding of the interdisciplinary and multi-perspective approaches, highlighting the trends and advancements in the field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101174,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Advances","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100116"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar Energy AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.seja.2025.100125
Mohsen Salimi Khanghah, Axel Bonvin, Fariba Moghaddam
{"title":"IoT-enabled experimental validation of fuzzy logic control for in solar thermal collector systems","authors":"Mohsen Salimi Khanghah, Axel Bonvin, Fariba Moghaddam","doi":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100125","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100125","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The operational performance of flat plate solar thermal collectors (STCs) is strongly influenced by circulation pump control, which regulates heat transfer between the collector and the storage tank. Conventional on–off controllers with hysteresis are widely used due to their simplicity but often provide limited adaptability and reduced effectiveness in utilizing available solar energy. This study presents an experimental validation of a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) for pump regulation in a domestic scale IoT-enabled STC system equipped with a load side heat exchanger to emulate hot water consumption. The FLC was developed through a three-tier framework consisting of MATLAB design, Simulink validation, and industrial programmable logic controller deployment, ensuring both theoretical rigor and practical feasibility. Comparative experiments between the on–off and fuzzy controllers were conducted under variable irradiance conditions. The results show that the fuzzy controller achieves 181.8% higher average thermal efficiency, delivers 136.3% greater average thermal power output (560 W vs. 237 W), and provides 67.4% reduction in temperature control error compared with conventional on–off control. The FLC maintains tank temperature within the target range with 12.8% higher time-in-range accuracy while demonstrating superior environmental adaptability, with 72% stronger correlation between heating rate and solar irradiance. Moreover, the fuzzy controller demonstrates greater adaptability to environmental variations and a smoother system response, thereby reducing pump wear and enhancing user comfort. Moreover, the FLC heats the water significantly faster, contributing to improved user comfort by maintaining a consistent temperature in the tank. These findings establish fuzzy logic control, integrated with IoT-based monitoring and control infrastructure, as a practical and superior alternative for improving efficiency, reliability, and adaptability in domestic solar thermal systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101174,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Advances","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100125"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar Energy AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-03-21DOI: 10.1016/j.seja.2025.100102
Inga Miadowicz, Daniel Maldonado Quinto, Robert Pitz-Paal, Michael Felderer
{"title":"An action research study on the digital transformation of concentrated solar thermal plants","authors":"Inga Miadowicz, Daniel Maldonado Quinto, Robert Pitz-Paal, Michael Felderer","doi":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100102","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100102","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The fourth industrial revolution (I4.0) marks the beginning of a new data-based age in which people, machines, products, and facilities are interconnected to realize smart factories. However, in practice many industrial facilities still rely on conventional automation pyramid system infrastructures according to the third industrial revolution (I3.0) paradigm. Particularly concentrated solar thermal (CST) technologies can benefit from the advances of I4.0, which can increase efficiency, flexibility, and productivity while reducing costs. However, the domain is still in its infancy with respect to the digitization and automation of its infrastructure. Comprehensive digital transformation approaches and integrated technical solution strategies are essential to illustrate how current CST facilities can update their operations and leverage I4.0 technologies holistically.</div><div>To bridge the gap between scientific progress, technological advances, and practical application, this study conducts action research in a CST plant. The goal is to demonstrate the digital transformation of an existing facility into a cyber–physical system according to the principles of I4.0. Thus, the study covers the entire development lifecycle of an I4.0 middleware layer that allows to subsequently retrofit CST plants into smart factories in brownfield scenarios. As a result, we generate theory from practice and generalize the learnings as a blueprint for the digital transformation of solar energy systems and comparable industrial environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101174,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Advances","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100102"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143696952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar Energy AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-02-06DOI: 10.1016/j.seja.2025.100093
Flavio Odoi-Yorke , Bismark Baah , Richard Opoku
{"title":"Scientific mapping of experimental research on solar cookers: Global trends, evolution, and future directions","authors":"Flavio Odoi-Yorke , Bismark Baah , Richard Opoku","doi":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100093","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100093","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar cooking technologies represent a critical sustainable energy solution for addressing global energy poverty and reducing the environmental impacts of traditional cooking methods. Despite growing research interest, comprehensive systematic bibliometric reviews of experimental research on solar cookers research remain limited. This bibliometric study aims to analyze experimental research on solar cooker trends, technological innovations, and knowledge development from 1994 to 2024. Utilizing the Scopus database, we applied the PRISMA systematic review methodology to analyze 581 peer-reviewed publications. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using R software's Bibliometrix package, examining scientific production, global collaboration patterns, keyword dynamics, and thematic evolution. The study findings reveal a consistent 7.46 % annual growth in experimental research on solar cookers, with significant advancements in thermal performance, energy efficiency, and technological design. India emerged as a research leader with strong international collaborations, particularly in Africa and Latin America. Emerging research themes include phase change materials, thermal energy storage, and innovative collector designs. The analysis identified a progressive shift from fundamental design considerations to more sophisticated, multidisciplinary approaches integrating sustainability, performance optimization, and socio-economic contexts. This comprehensive review provides critical insights into experimental research on solar cooking trajectories, highlighting the field's technological growth and potential to address global energy challenges. The findings emphasize the importance of continued interdisciplinary research and international collaboration in advancing sustainable cooking technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101174,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Advances","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100093"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143372388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar Energy AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1016/j.seja.2025.100119
Mark Goldsworthy
{"title":"Solar PV self-consumption trends in Australia","authors":"Mark Goldsworthy","doi":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100119","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100119","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rooftop solar photovoltaic systems usually sit ‘behind-the-meter’ with electricity metering measuring power imported to or exported from the electricity grid to the site. Consumption, the power or energy used by devices at a home or business is no longer separatable from generation making the underlying electricity demand invisible. This has important implications, for example in understanding how demand changes over time, in estimating overall rooftop generation, and for estimating the emissions intensity of grid consumed electricity. In this study we analyse site level electricity metering data linked to separately metered solar generation data from over 27,000 dwellings and directly calculate the average hourly solar-self consumption fraction, daily underlying consumed energy and daily imported energy in the 5 regions of the Australian National Electricity Market. Annual average solar self-consumption rates are found to be significantly higher at between 0.69 and 0.8 depending on region for 2023 as compared to a previous national estimate (0.47) from a 2019 study, with rates decreasing over time. Daily consumed and imported energy are found to be increasing at a greater rate than indicated by one existing source. These results may be useful for understanding electricity demand and consumption changes and for computing grid emissions intensity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101174,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Advances","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100119"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar Energy AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-02-13DOI: 10.1016/j.seja.2025.100096
Md. Shazzad Hossain , Md. Rakibul Islam , Tanjim Ahmed , Al Sani , Md. Sazzat Hossain Sarker , Md. Akhtaruzzaman , S. M. Shamiul Alam
{"title":"Design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of an indirect solar-powered vegetable dryer","authors":"Md. Shazzad Hossain , Md. Rakibul Islam , Tanjim Ahmed , Al Sani , Md. Sazzat Hossain Sarker , Md. Akhtaruzzaman , S. M. Shamiul Alam","doi":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100096","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seja.2025.100096","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar energy is a versatile resource that can be harnessed for a wide range of applications, including heating, drying, electricity generation through solar cells, and more. In this context, the study focuses on the design and construction of an indirect solar drying (ISD) system to reduce agricultural product waste and enhance preservation. The system utilizes solar energy to heat air, which is then directed into a drying chamber. Designed to overcome the limitations of traditional sun drying, including sunlight exposure, pest vulnerability, and high mechanical drying cost, this affordable dryer was constructed using locally available materials such as wood, glass, aluminium sheets, and galvanized steel wire tray. The dryer was found to be operated efficiently increasing air temperature in the drying chamber to 51–57 °C from the surrounding temperature of 29–35 °C. Experimental results demonstrated that the dryer could reduce the moisture content of red amaranth, moringa, and coriander leaves at 36.11 %, 25 %, and 15 % respectively within four hours—significantly faster than open sun drying (OSD). Additionally, the dryer preserves the color of the products more effectively. The solar dryer achieved efficiencies of 34.67–39.08 %, with faster drying rates and better model fit than OSD highlighting its viability. Economic analysis shows a payback period of 0.78 years, an attribute of 3.21, and a lifecycle benefit of BDT 255,868 (USD 2,132). With high efficiency, sustainability (energy payback: 4.77 years), and superior heat generation, it outperforms traditional methods. This makes it a cost-effective and sustainable solution for Bangladesh and similar regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101174,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Advances","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100096"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143510432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}