Perovskite solar cells have rapidly emerged as a leading third-generation photovoltaic technology, driven by their high power-conversion efficiencies and compatibility with low-temperature processing. However, dominant lead–halide perovskite systems continue to face significant challenges related to toxicity and limited operational stability. Scientists are therefore investigating lead-free alternatives, such as the all-inorganic chalcogenide perovskite SrZrS₃. This material has strong optical absorption and has both thermal and chemical stability. Nevertheless, their photovoltaic performance remains constrained by transport-layer selection and interface- and defect-induced recombination losses. Thus, in this work, an ultra-thin all-inorganic SrZrS₃ device with the planar architecture of FTO/ZnO/α-SrZrS₃/NiOX/Ni has been numerically optimized using SCAPS-1D under AM1.5G illumination (100 mW/cm²) at 300 K. Unlike previous SrZrS₃ simulation studies that primarily focused on transport-layer or contact optimization, the novelty of the present work lies in the development of a comprehensive and defect-sensitive optimization framework that systematically integrates ETL selection, band alignment, interface-defect engineering, resistive-loss analysis, and absorber optimization to provide a more physically realistic assessment of device performance. With NiOX serving as the hole transport layer, a systematic screening of ETL candidates (ZnO, TiO₂, IGZO, and SnO₂) was conducted. Due to its favorable band alignment and superior device performance, ZnO has been identified as the most suitable ETL. The optimized structure maintains ZnO thickness, α-SrZrS3 thickness, ZnO donor density, and absorber doping density of 0.08 µm, 0.8 µm, 1016 cm-3, and 5 × 1017 cm-3 respectively. Keeping the layer defect density at 1014 cm-3, interface defect densities at 1014 cm-2, series resistance at 3 Ω. cm2 and shunt resistance at 5000 Ω. cm2, the refined configuration demonstrated an outstanding simulated performance, having VOC, JSC, FF, and peak efficiency of 0.997 V, 25.78 mA/cm2, 79.16%, and 20.35% respectively. Overall, this study demonstrates that a holistic optimization strategy encompassing systematic ETL selection, defect engineering, and thorough parametric tuning, offers an effective route for the development of high-performance α-SrZrS₃ chalcogenide perovskite solar cells.
This work presents a technical enhancement of the open-source Micro Grid User Energy Planning Tool Library (MiGUEL) to simulate hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) integrating green hydrogen. MiGUEL, originally developed for Photovoltaic generation (PV)+Diesel Generator+Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) microgrids, was expanded to include electrolysers, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells. These components were integrated into MiGUEL to enable energetic, economic, and environmental assessments. The updated tool was assessed using a case study of the remote community of Caiambé-Tefé in the Brazilian Amazon, based on measured load data. Simulation results were benchmarked against those obtained with HOMER Pro (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources), a widely used commercial software package for hybrid energy system optimisation. Evaluated at the same configuration of 3.5 MWp of PV, 5 MWh of battery, a 0.5 MW electrolyser, 4500 kg of hydrogen storage and a 0.5 MW fuel cell, the two tools agree closely: MiGUEL obtains a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of 0.53 USD/kWh and a total capital cost of 16.07 million USD, against 0.515 USD/kWh and 15.31 million USD in HOMER Pro, differences of 2.9 and 4.7 per cent respectively. The residual difference comes from the representation of the hydrogen conversion chain, which HOMER Pro models with a constant efficiency and MiGUEL with a part-load curve, and from the battery replacement schedule. The integration of hydrogen into MiGUEL enables the modelling of CO₂-free seasonal storage systems in remote microgrids and provides a flexible, accessible, and transparent tool for planning sustainable electrification in isolated regions.
Global freshwater scarcity remains a major challenge, particularly in arid and developing regions where conventional desalination technologies may be costly or difficult to deploy. Solar stills provide a simple, decentralised, renewable-energy-based approach for producing potable water, although their relatively low productivity remains a significant limitation. This systematic review examines design and thermal modification strategies for improving solar still performance, focusing on phase change materials (PCMs), fin and extended-surface configurations, and basin water-depth variation. Following the PRISMA 2020 framework, 66 peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025 were systematically identified, screened, and critically analysed using Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. PCM integration improves thermal energy availability by storing heat during high solar irradiation and releasing it during reduced solar input, while fins enhance heat-transfer area and thermal interaction within the basin. Basin water depth influences thermal inertia, with shallow water generally promoting faster heating and evaporation. However, the critical synthesis reveals considerable variation in reported performance due to differences in solar still geometry, material properties, climatic conditions, operating parameters, experimental duration, and reference configurations. Consequently, no single enhancement technique can be considered universally superior. The findings highlight the need for standardised performance reporting, long-term validation, climate-specific optimisation, and systematic investigation of interaction effects among thermal storage, heat-transfer enhancement, and basin water depth. Future research should focus on integrated and practically scalable solar still designs that combine these complementary mechanisms to achieve reliable and sustainable freshwater production.
This study proposes and evaluates a solar-assisted high-temperature heat pump system in which pit thermal energy storage (PTES) acts as a large-scale, low-temperature solar heat buffer on the heat-pump evaporator side for continuous industrial steam generation at 150°C. The main contribution is the assessment of this configuration for achieving high annual heat fractions using representative industrial load profiles derived from measured data from 22 facilities. The study also contributes a systematic three-step methodological framework comprising; (a) derivation of representative industrial load profiles using k-means clustering based on real data from 22 industrial facilities, (b) development of a Python-based pre-sizing optimisation tool to explore the design space and identify near-optimal system configurations, and (c) detailed simulations of the selected configuration from the previous step using a dynamic model developed in TRNSYS. To capture a broad range of solar irradiation and operating conditions, simulations were performed for three European climates: Davos (Switzerland), Würzburg (Germany), and Seville (Spain). The analysed hybrid system supplied 83–99 % of the annual heating demand in all cases. The most competitive case was obtained in Seville, with a levelised cost of heat (LCOH) of 71 €/MWh at a 5 % discount rate and a 15 year economic lifetime. This corresponds to a 7.5-year discounted payback period at a baseline natural-gas heating cost of 70 €/MWh, including a CO₂ tax of 100 €/tCO₂. Electricity price strongly influenced system economics; achieving a 10-year payback in Würzburg and Davos requires electricity prices below 60 €/MWh and 100 €/MWh, respectively. CO₂ reduction, relative to a natural gas baseline, ranged from approximately 34 % to over 90 %, with the highest benefits achieved in Davos due to its low-carbon electricity mix. The results demonstrate that integrating pit thermal energy storage with solar collectors and a high-temperature heat pump enables high renewable fractions and cost-competitive decarbonisation pathways for industrial steam.
Residential photovoltaic (PV) deployment is central to the European Union’s decarbonisation strategy, however, current assessment practices often rely on simplified assumptions that overlook spatial variability and configuration-specific performance. In Ireland, the official Building Energy Rating methodology, DEAP, provides standardised dwelling energy assessment, but no nationally adopted framework enables detailed, spatially resolved evaluation of rooftop PV performance. This study addresses this gap by developing a statistically validated, spatially informed building-scale PV assessment framework. PV*SOL Premium simulations were conducted for 153 locations distributed across Ireland on a 0.25° latitude-longitude grid using Meteonorm meteorological data, considering nine roof orientations and three tilt angles (15°, 30°, and 45°). Two-way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc testing quantified and validated parameter significance and interactions. South-facing systems at 30° achieved the highest annual yields, while southeast and southwest orientations remained near-optimal, with reductions below 7%. North-facing systems experienced losses exceeding 45%. Identical PV configurations showed up to 18.6% variation in annual yield between locations, demonstrating substantial spatial climatic effects. Optimising orientation and tilt increased PV yield by up to 50% relative to the least favourable configuration. Comparison with DEAP revealed systematic underestimation of PV output by 4-11.6%, highlighting limitations in current national assessment practices. The proposed framework enables spatially and configuration-resolved PV assessment, supporting more accurate building energy modelling, improved regulatory methodologies and climate-responsive residential solar deployment.
