{"title":"Enhancing Solar Water Heating Performance with Stabilized Recycled Aluminum-Stearic Acid Composite Phase Change Materials","authors":"Alireza Akbari Vayghan, Mohammad Ghorbanpour","doi":"10.3103/S0003701X25603588","DOIUrl":"10.3103/S0003701X25603588","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This work reports the formulation and performance assessment of composite phase change materials (C-PCMs) for solar thermal energy storage, comprising stearic acid (SA), recycled aluminum (Al) powder (5–25 wt %), and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, 0–2.5 wt %). The approach addresses SA’s low thermal conductivity and dispersion instability. Optimal performance was achieved with 15 wt % Al and 1.5 wt % SDS, yielding a 29% reduction in heating time and 43% increase in discharge duration (<i>T</i> > 45°C) relative to pure SA. SDS minimized sedimentation, improved UV–Visible absorption, and enhanced collector efficiency to 54.5%. However, additives reduced latent heat by 32.9%. Characterization via FTIR, DSC, TGA, and UV–Vis confirmed physical interactions, improved stability, homogeneity, and photothermal properties. Using recycled Al promotes sustainability and cost-effectiveness. These C-PCMs offer a viable solution for efficient solar water heating, balancing enhanced heat transfer and optical properties against latent heat trade-offs.</p>","PeriodicalId":475,"journal":{"name":"Applied Solar Energy","volume":"61 6","pages":"632 - 645"},"PeriodicalIF":1.204,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606835","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}
Asad A. Naqvi, Ahsan Ahmed, Haider Ali, Talha Bin Nadeem
{"title":"Utilization of Energy Payback Approach for Techno-Economic Assessment of Off-Grid Photovoltaic Systems","authors":"Asad A. Naqvi, Ahsan Ahmed, Haider Ali, Talha Bin Nadeem","doi":"10.3103/S0003701X25601218","DOIUrl":"10.3103/S0003701X25601218","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Standalone Photovoltaic systems (PV) with battery storage are considered to be the economical and environmentally beneficial option as an alternative to conventional electricity. In this research, detailed technical, and economic comparison of PV systems with different batteries have been considered. Lead Acid Batteries, and Lithium-ion batteries are considered as an energy storage medium. In technical analysis, the capacity requirement for both cases have been examined by considering the daily energy demand for a residential building in Karachi, Pakistan. The technical analysis also includes the battery capacity and mass requirement. Further, the energy payback has been thoroughly studied to explore the overall impact of the system on the environment. The PV system with Lead Acid Batteries achieves an energy payback of 5 years and save around 50 tons of CO<sub>2</sub> production over the lifespan of 20 years. On the other hand, PV system with Lithium-ion significantly longer energy payback of 17.5 years and just save around 10 tons of CO<sub>2</sub> production. To assess the performance of both systems in real time scenario, simulation through PVsyst has been conducted. The economic aspects are also compared by determining the Net Present Value (NPV), Life Cycle Cost (LCC), Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), Life time Benefit (LTB), and simple payback and from overall analysis, PV with Lead Acid Batteries, with LCOE of $0.041/kWh was proved to be more economically beneficial as the other one using Lithium-ion batteries, $0.07/kWh as energy storage.</p>","PeriodicalId":475,"journal":{"name":"Applied Solar Energy","volume":"61 5","pages":"576 - 589"},"PeriodicalIF":1.204,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606395","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}
{"title":"Energy Savings in Building due to Integration of Daylight through Different Window Combinations in Indian Climatic Condition","authors":"Biswajit Biswas, Subhasis Neogi, Biswanath Roy","doi":"10.3103/S0003701X24602965","DOIUrl":"10.3103/S0003701X24602965","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Use of glass facades is increasing day by day in modern buildings in order to improve the daylight availability and aesthetic views of the building. Lighting load of the building is directly influenced due to daylight through the glass window of the building. Controlling artificial lighting system according to available daylight into the building space reduce energy consumption of the building. However penetration of daylight into the building space increases heat gain which results higher cooling load in most of the places in hot and worm climatic zones in India. External shadings devices are useful means to control heat gain inside the building space and reduces cooling as well as lighting load of the building. The present study focuses on the effect of daylight integration into the building modelled according to National Building Code 2016 (NBC) and Energy Conservation in Building Code 2017 (ECBC 2017) in India through window combinations. Three different daylight conditions and five different windows to wall ratio (WWR) have been studied in Kolkata, India and the result is validated with two other locations situated in higher and lower latitude compared to study location to verify the applicability of the result to other places. The result is compared to a reference building to quantify the benefits of daylight integration with artificial lighting system in terms of long term energy savings and economic benefit.</p>","PeriodicalId":475,"journal":{"name":"Applied Solar Energy","volume":"61 6","pages":"767 - 792"},"PeriodicalIF":1.204,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606473","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}
R. Kh. Rakhimov, B. A. Khikmatov, M. S. Mirzaev, K. A. Samiev
{"title":"Solar Dryers: A Brief Review","authors":"R. Kh. Rakhimov, B. A. Khikmatov, M. S. Mirzaev, K. A. Samiev","doi":"10.3103/S0003701X25601048","DOIUrl":"10.3103/S0003701X25601048","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The rapid increase in global energy demand and the limited availability of traditional energy resources require the development of renewable energy sources. Solar energy is one of the renewable energy sources with a very high potential for use. Accordingly, solar dryers are one of the areas of use of solar energy, which is relevant in issues such as ensuring food security, preventing crop losses, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This work provides a short review of research published in the journal Applied Solar Energy (English translation of Geliotekhnika) on solar dryers. A total of 41 articles from 2007 to 2025 (as of May 1, 2025) were found and downloaded in Applied Solar Energy (English translation of Geliotekhnika). After analyzing the annotations of these articles, it was found that 20 articles presented the results of scientific research on solar dryers designed for drying agricultural products based on solar energy. The full text of these articles was analyzed and the main data and experimental results were summarized. The main parameters of solar dryers, such as thermal efficiency, drying efficiency, activation energy, product loading volume, and thin drying model for drying speed, were studied.</p>","PeriodicalId":475,"journal":{"name":"Applied Solar Energy","volume":"61 5","pages":"500 - 511"},"PeriodicalIF":1.204,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606518","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}
A. Sellami, K. Kandoussi, R. El Otmani, M. Tlemcani, A. Hajjaji
{"title":"Experimental Study of Phase Change Material Effect as a Passive Cooling Method on the Daily Electrical Performance of a Photovoltaic Panel under Moroccan Climate","authors":"A. Sellami, K. Kandoussi, R. El Otmani, M. Tlemcani, A. Hajjaji","doi":"10.3103/S0003701X25600547","DOIUrl":"10.3103/S0003701X25600547","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A photovoltaic system using a phase change material as cooling technology (PV-PCM) is analyzed under Morocco’s climatic environment in order to evaluate the performance of the system in terms of daily energy saving. A paraffin wax type of PCM with a melting temperature of 25°C is integrated in the back of photovoltaic panel to analyze the effect of this added material on temperature profile and also on the output power generated by the PV panel used. A numerical simulation with finite element method, contains a coupling between the Navier–Stokes equation and the general heat equation is developed and validated with an experimental setup in the aim to predict the thermal behavior of the phase change material used in the back of PV panel under daily temperature and illumination conditions. As a result, an important reduction in PV temperature is observed and also a significant increase in PV output power due to cooling produced by PCM has been noticed and quantified presented by a gain in daily PV productivity more than 10% is obtained using this type of phase change material under hot environment conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":475,"journal":{"name":"Applied Solar Energy","volume":"61 6","pages":"646 - 654"},"PeriodicalIF":1.204,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606735","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}
{"title":"Modeling Analysis of Solar Driven Hydrogen Generation via Water Harvester and Solar Panels under Hot and Cold Climate Conditions","authors":"Rania S. Nada, Hamdy Hassan","doi":"10.3103/S0003701X25603667","DOIUrl":"10.3103/S0003701X25603667","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A transient analysis of a standalone hybrid system that integrates atmospheric water harvesting of desorption solar still and PV solar panels supplying power to an electrolyzer for green hydrogen production is proposed and analyzed. The study is carried out and assessed under the climate conditions of Alexandria, Egypt. The harvesting unit produces the freshwater and the panels produce the power required for powering the electrolyzer. The subsystem models for the PV panels, harvesting silica gel unit, and electrolyzer, as well as the linkage model of the overall hybrid system, are presented using MATLAB, validated, and analyzed. Subsystems and the hybrid system performance parameters are investigated and evaluated. Moreover, the impact of solar intensity on the performance of the system is evaluated. The results show that the PV current, voltage, and power for the electrolyzer input rise with rising the solar intensity yielding together hydrogen and freshwater production rates with electrolyzer efficiency in the range of 70–71%. In the harvesting solar still, silica gel temperature rises with hourly solar intensity reaching its peak in the afternoon. At 1 m<sup>2</sup> of the PV Panel area, 0.0275 kg of hydrogen is produced in summer and requires a solar still area of 0.022 m<sup>2</sup> with a silica gel mass of 1.312 kg. PV, AWH solar still, electrolyzer, and overall system efficiencies have the ranges of (11.2–6%%), (48 to 18%), (70.78 to 69.34%), and (1.7 to 0.6%) with changing the solar intensity from 400 to 1200 W/m<sup>2</sup>, respectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":475,"journal":{"name":"Applied Solar Energy","volume":"61 6","pages":"804 - 828"},"PeriodicalIF":1.204,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606470","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}
{"title":"Methodology for Measuring the Current–Voltage Characteristics of a Photovoltaic Module under Field Test Conditions","authors":"A. B. Tarasenko","doi":"10.3103/S0003701X25601565","DOIUrl":"10.3103/S0003701X25601565","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The current–voltage (<i>I</i>–<i>V</i>) characteristic of a photovoltaic module is a source of a large amount of information about its condition and operation. In this work, a method for recording the <i>I</i>–<i>V</i> characteristic of a photovoltaic module by discharging it into a supercapacitor bank is proposed. The results of experimental investigations are presented, including those obtained using alternative methods for recording the characteristic. It is shown that the main problem is the variability of the incident solar radiation intensity during the time required to record the <i>I</i>–<i>V</i> characteristic of the module. Further development of the methodology requires optimization of the supercapacitor bank capacity depending on the measurement conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":475,"journal":{"name":"Applied Solar Energy","volume":"61 5","pages":"529 - 536"},"PeriodicalIF":1.204,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606519","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}
{"title":"Solar Energy Interval Prediction Based on Online Learning and Kernel Density Estimation","authors":"Maoxin He, Chixin Xiao","doi":"10.3103/S0003701X25603710","DOIUrl":"10.3103/S0003701X25603710","url":null,"abstract":"<p>To enhance the effectiveness of solar power (SP) prediction, particularly in the face of variability and uncertainty, this study proposes an advanced prediction approach focusing on three key areas: feature extraction, data training, and online learning. The feature extraction process involves clustering historical data using a self-organizing map network and reducing dimensionality through kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) to extract the most relevant features from input-output pairs. The data training phase employs interval prediction methods, which address uncertainty and variability more comprehensively than conventional point prediction methods. Finally, the proposed method incorporates online learning, which is not widely used in SP prediction. This method enhances adaptability to real-time weather uncertainties by continuously validating and updating models with new data, thereby improving SP interval prediction accuracy. Simulation results, based on a set of comparisons using real-world SP datasets, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.</p>","PeriodicalId":475,"journal":{"name":"Applied Solar Energy","volume":"61 5","pages":"563 - 575"},"PeriodicalIF":1.204,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606520","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}
{"title":"Comparative Analysis of Long Short-Term Memory and Transformer for Wind Speed Prediction: Performance, Challenges, and Optimization","authors":"M. Nazari, S. Shahbeyk","doi":"10.3103/S0003701X25601188","DOIUrl":"10.3103/S0003701X25601188","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study compares the performance of Long Short-Term Memory and Transformer models in predicting wind speed, optimized using the hybrid PSO-SA algorithm. Accurate wind speed prediction is critical for efficient wind farm management, reducing carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. Hourly wind speed, air pressure, relative humidity, and air temperature data from the Alta Wind Energy Center (2020–2022) were used. Key hyperparameters for both models were optimized, and ensemble methods like Random Forest, XGBoost, CatBoost, and Stacking were applied. Random Forest emerged as the most accurate model, demonstrating superior performance in integrating LSTM and Transformer outputs. This research emphasizes the strengths and limitations of each approach and underscores the role of advanced machine learning techniques in enhancing the efficiency and reliability of wind power generation.</p>","PeriodicalId":475,"journal":{"name":"Applied Solar Energy","volume":"61 5","pages":"590 - 608"},"PeriodicalIF":1.204,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606521","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}
M. A. Kuralov, A. S. Halimov, A. Y. Usmanov, T. I. Juraev, A. E. Khaitmukhamedov, D. Y. Jalilov, Kh. F. Sayfieva, O. A. Abdulkhaev, O. E. Abdurakhmonov, S. L. Lutpullaev, J. S. Akhatov
{"title":"Analysis of the Current Status and Research Prospects for Integrating Nanomaterials into the Membrane Surfaces of Membrane-Based Desalination Systems using Renewable Energy Sources","authors":"M. A. Kuralov, A. S. Halimov, A. Y. Usmanov, T. I. Juraev, A. E. Khaitmukhamedov, D. Y. Jalilov, Kh. F. Sayfieva, O. A. Abdulkhaev, O. E. Abdurakhmonov, S. L. Lutpullaev, J. S. Akhatov","doi":"10.3103/S0003701X25601437","DOIUrl":"10.3103/S0003701X25601437","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This paper presents a systematic review of the engineering aspects of thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane fabrication and their integration with renewable energy sources (RES) to enhance the efficiency of desalination systems. Particular attention is given to a synergistic approach that combines the advantages of nanomodified membranes with solar and wind energy systems. The review analyzes types of nanophases, integration methods, interfacial interaction mechanisms, and their impact on operational performance. The results show that TFN membranes provide a 30–100% increase in water flux, extend service life to 7–10 years, and reduce cleaning frequency by 30–50%, while maintaining high selectivity 98% salt rejection. A critically important advantage is the energy compatibility of nanomembranes with RES: they exhibit enhanced resistance to on–off cycling, thermal stability under solar-assisted operation, and enable a 15–25% reduction in operating pressure, which is crucial for power-constrained systems. The paper also analyzes the implementation experience of hybrid solar–desalination systems under various climatic conditions and proposes adapted solutions for regions with high solar potential, such as Uzbekistan. Integration of TFN membranes with RES can reduce the carbon footprint of desalination processes by 60–85% and enable autonomous water supply in remote areas. Key scientific challenges are identified, including the need for standardized testing methodologies, scaling-up issues, and long-term stability of nanomodified membranes.</p>","PeriodicalId":475,"journal":{"name":"Applied Solar Energy","volume":"61 6","pages":"680 - 714"},"PeriodicalIF":1.204,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606737","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}