How the Biofuel Industry is Growing in the US

Biofuels were once forgotten in the United States, mainly when huge petroleum deposits kept fuel prices low.  With the increase in oil prices recently, the biofuel industry in the US is rising significantly.  Experts predict that this green energy efficient industry will continue to grow within the next 7 to 10 years.

drop-in-biofuels

The Source of Biofuels

Those who are concerned with the prospect of global warming love the potential use of biofuels. Produced either directly or indirectly from used cooking oil, animal waste and plant materials, biofuels are less costly than other types of fuel.  Already in the national and global market, the trend for this fuel is rising.

Online Reverse Auction Software

Due to the growth of the biofuel industry, online software for energy brokers and energy suppliers is an available market for entrepreneurs.  The software to efficiently sell energy services to purchasers is a must have for suppliers and brokers.  The reverse auction process effectively conducts online business for those in the biofuel industry.

Both regulated and deregulated gas and electricity markets are involved in the reverse auction process in which the buyer and seller roles are reversed.  The buyer is given the option of testing and evaluating multiple pricing parameters to find a good fit.  Commercial, industrial, and manufacturing facilities take advantage of this platform.

Reverse Auction Benefits

Reverse auctions in the biofuel industry have been said to cut costs tremendously.  Although the seller pays a fee to the service provider, the bidding process cuts costs all around for both buyer and seller.  A situation in which both sides win is seen as a huge benefit by all involved.

As a very lucrative market, the biofuel industry benefits from reverse auctions.  Market efficiency is increased, and the process of obtaining the goods and services is enhanced.  Proper software and other technical aspects of the process is essential thus the reason that the online reverse auction software market is critical.  Quality and professional relationships are enhanced rather than compromised as is often the case in other markets.

Biofuel Market Projections and Uses

According to market research, the biofuel industry is expected to reach approximately 218 billion dollars by 2022.  A 4.5% growth is expected by 2022 as well.  Investors see these projections as an open door of opportunity.  By the year 2025, the increase is predicted to be at approximately 240 billion dollars.

Biofuel is used for other purposes besides first-generation fuel.  It is used in vegetable oil and cosmetics, and it is used to treat Vitamin A deficiency and other health issues. Biofuel is predicted to aid the improvement of economic conditions due to its health benefits and appeal to green energy supporters.  These factors explain the reasons for the projected growth and profit for this industry.

With the continued growth of the biofuel industry, reverse auctions will be a much-needed process.  The efficient software to accompany reverse auctions will keep the market flowing which will further aid the growth of the industry for years to come.

Bioenergy Resources in MENA Countries

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region offers almost 45 percent of the world’s total energy potential from all renewable sources that can generate more than three times the world’s total power demand. Apart from solar and wind, MENA also has abundant bioenergy energy resources which have remained unexplored to a great extent.

biomass_resources

Around the MENA region, pollution of the air and water from municipal, industrial and agricultural operations continues to grow.  The technological advancements in the biomass energy and waste-to-energy industry, coupled with the tremendous regional potential, promises to usher in a new era of energy as well as environmental security for the region.

The major biomass producing countries in MENA are Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Jordan. Traditionally, biomass energy has been widely used in rural areas for domestic purposes in the MENA region, especially in Egypt, Yemen and Jordan. Since most of the region is arid or semi-arid, the major bioenergy resources are municipal solid wastes, agricultural residues and organic industrial wastes.

Municipal solid wastes represent the best source of biomass in Middle East countries. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait rank in the top-ten worldwide in terms of per capita solid waste generation. The gross urban waste generation quantity from Middle East countries is estimated at more than 150 million tons annually.

Food waste is the third-largest component of generated waste by weight which mostly ends up rotting in landfill and releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The mushrooming of hotels, restaurants, fast-food joints and cafeterias in the region has resulted in the generation of huge quantities of food wastes.

In Middle East countries, huge quantity of sewage sludge is produced on daily basis which presents a serious problem due to its high treatment costs and risk to environment and human health. On an average, the rate of wastewater generation is 80-200 litres per person each day and sewage output is rising by 25 percent every year. According to estimates from the Drainage and Irrigation Department of Dubai Municipality, sewage generation in the Dubai increased from 50,000 m3 per day in 1981 to 400,000 m3 per day in 2006.

The food processing industry in MENA produces a large number of organic residues and by-products that can be used as biomass energy sources. In recent decades, the fast-growing food and beverage processing industry has remarkably increased in importance in major countries of the region. Since the early 1990s, the increased agricultural output stimulated an increase in fruit and vegetable canning as well as juice, beverage, and oil processing in countries like Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

The MENA countries have strong animal population. The livestock sector, in particular sheep, goats and camels, plays an important role in the national economy of respective countries. Many millions of live ruminants are imported each year from around the world. In addition, the region has witnessed very rapid growth in the poultry sector. The biogas potential of animal manure can be harnessed both at small- and community-scale.

Overview of Biomass Pyrolysis Process

Biomass pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of biomass occurring in the absence of oxygen. It is the fundamental chemical reaction that is the precursor of both the combustion and gasification processes and occurs naturally in the first two seconds. The products of biomass pyrolysis include biochar, bio-oil and gases including methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.

The biomass pyrolysis process consists of both simultaneous and successive reactions when organic material is heated in a non-reactive atmosphere. Thermal decomposition of organic components in biomass starts at 350 °C–550 °C and goes up to 700 °C–800 °C in the absence of air/oxygen. The long chains of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen compounds in biomass break down into smaller molecules in the form of gases, condensable vapours (tars and oils) and solid charcoal under pyrolysis conditions. Rate and extent of decomposition of each of these components depends on the process parameters of the reactor temperature, biomass heating rate, pressure, reactor configuration, feedstock etc

Depending on the thermal environment and the final temperature, pyrolysis will yield mainly biochar at low temperatures, less than 450 0C, when the heating rate is quite slow, and mainly gases at high temperatures, greater than 800 0C, with rapid heating rates. At an intermediate temperature and under relatively high heating rates, the main product is bio-oil.

Slow and Fast Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis processes can be categorized as slow or fast. Slow pyrolysis takes several hours to complete and results in biochar as the main product. On the other hand, fast pyrolysis yields 60% bio-oil and takes seconds for complete pyrolysis. In addition, it gives 20% biochar and 20% syngas.  Fast pyrolysis is currently the most widely used pyrolysis system.

The essential features of a fast pyrolysis process are:

  • Very high heating and heat transfer rates, which require a finely ground feed.
  • Carefully controlled reaction temperature of around 500oC in the vapour phase
  •  Residence time of pyrolysis vapours in the reactor less than 1 sec
  • Quenching (rapid cooling) of the pyrolysis vapours to give the bio-oil product.

Advantages of Biomass Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis can be performed at relatively small scale and at remote locations which enhance energy density of the biomass resource and reduce transport and handling costs.  Heat transfer is a critical area in pyrolysis as the pyrolysis process is endothermic and sufficient heat transfer surface has to be provided to meet process heat needs. Biomass pyrolysis offers a flexible and attractive way of converting organic matter into energy products which can be successfully used for the production of heat, power and chemicals.

A wide range of biomass feedstock can be used in pyrolysis processes. The pyrolysis process is very dependent on the moisture content of the feedstock, which should be around 10%. At higher moisture contents, high levels of water are produced and at lower levels there is a risk that the process only produces dust instead of oil. High-moisture waste streams, such as sludge and meat processing wastes, require drying before subjecting to pyrolysis.

Furthermore, the bio-char produced can be used on the farm as an excellent soil amender as it is highly absorbent and therefore increases the soil’s ability to retain water, nutrients and agricultural chemicals, preventing water contamination and soil erosion. Soil application of bio-char may enhance both soil quality and be an effective means of sequestering large amounts of carbon, thereby helping to mitigate global climate change through carbon sequestration.  Use of bio-char as a soil amendment will offset many of the problems associated with removing crop residues from the land.

Biomass pyrolysis has been garnering much attention due to its high efficiency and good environmental performance characteristics. It also provides an opportunity for the processing of agricultural residues, wood wastes and municipal solid waste into clean energy. In addition, biochar sequestration could make a big difference in the fossil fuel emissions worldwide and act as a major player in the global carbon market with its robust, clean and simple production technology.

Agricultural Wastes in the Philippines

The Philippines is mainly an agricultural country with a land area of 30 million hectares, 47 percent of which is agricultural. The total area devoted to agricultural crops is 13 million hectares distributed among food grains, food crops and non-food crops. Among the crops grown, rice, coconut and sugarcane are major contributors to biomass energy resources.

The most common agricultural wastes in the Philippines are rice husk, rice straw, coconut husk, coconut shell and bagasse. The country has good potential for biomass power plants as one-third of the country’s agricultural land produces rice, and consequently large volumes of rice straw and hulls are generated.

Rice is the staple food in the Philippines. The Filipinos are among the world’s biggest rice consumers. The average Filipino consumes about 100 kilograms per year of rice.  Though rice is produced throughout the country, the Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley are the major rice growing regions. With more than 1.2 million hectares of rain-fed rice-producing areas, the country produced around 19 million tons of rice in 2019.

The estimated production of rice hull in the Philippines is more than 2 million tons per annum which is equivalent to approximately 5 million BOE (barrels of oil equivalent) in terms of energy. Rice straw is another important biomass resource with potential availability exceeding 5 million tons per year across the country.

rice-biomass-philippines

With the passing of Biofuels Act of 2006, the sugar industry in the Philippines which is the major source of ethanol and domestic sugar will become a major thriving industry. Around 380,000 hectares of land is devoted to sugarcane cultivation. It is estimated that 1.17 million tonnes of sugarcane trash is recoverable as a biomass resource in the Philippines.

In addition, 6.4 million tonnes of surplus bagasse is available from sugar mills. There are 29 operating sugar mills in the country with an average capacity of 6,900 tonnes of cane per day. Majority is located in Negros Island which provides about 46% of the country’s annual sugar production.

The Philippines has the largest number of coconut trees in the world as it produces most of the world market for coconut oil and copra meal. The major coconut wastes include coconut shell, coconut husks and coconut coir dust. Coconut shell is the most widely utilized but the reported utilization rate is very low.  Approximately 500 million coconut trees in the Philippines produce tremendous amounts of biomass as husk (4.1 million tonnes), shell (1.8 million tonnes), and frond (4.5 million tonnes annually).

Maize is a major crop in the Philippines that generates large amounts of agricultural residues. It is estimated that 4 million tonnes of grain maize and 0.96 million tonnes of maize cobs produced yearly in the Philippines. Maize cob burning is the main energy application of the crop, and is widely practiced by small farmers to supplement fuelwood for cooking.

If you want to know about sustainable rice farming practices, check this link.

How to Start a Solar Panel Business in 2023

In the modern world, there is a growing culture of promoting eco-friendly products and adopting green practices. Demand for clean energy and solar power continues to be one of the growing trends. According to Fortune Business, the global market size for this industry is projected to reach USD 373.84 billion by 2029.

Obviously, green energy demand is going to keep gaining traction. So, if you are still not sure if it is a good venture to invest in, the answer is more than positive. In this guide, we will tell you the steps you need to take to launch a business in this thriving industry. Let’s dive in.

how to start a solar panel business

Start With Market Research

No matter what type of business you are intending to start, first of all, you need to conduct market research. In this case, you will need to deeply research the solar industry, including market trends, demand, and, of course, competition. Another important thing you should take into consideration is the potential of your local market. Ideally, you need to understand how accessible it will be for the market.

Form a Legal Entity

There are several business types you can use. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Ideally, you need to choose the structure that will be more lucrative. Some of them can shape your taxes.

One of the most widely spread types of solar businesses is an LLC. Additionally, forming an LLC can take a couple of minutes. You can simply generate a free LLC operating agreement.

Think About Costs and Investment

To start a solar panel business, you will require investment. Typically, this kind of business requires a high level of investment. Ideally, you need to define your budget and include costs for equipment, office space, marketing, and the like before the start. However, there are some costs that you can reduce.

For example, instead of having an in-house personal assistant, you can hire a virtual assistant. Today, many platforms are empowering you to hire a VA from the same location as you, so you can both work in the same time zone.

So, if you are located in the UK, hire virtual assistants in the UK and delegate your to-do list to remarkable and experienced VAs. They can manage your calendar, schedule meetings, send reminders, write email letters, and more.

As for the sources of funding, you can explore options such as personal savings, loans, grants, or investors. If you aim to engage investors, then create a competitive and robust business plan.

Comply With Regulations and Licensing Requirements

For any business, there are some regulations that entrepreneurs need to follow. Therefore, when embarking on the journey of establishing a solar panel business, make sure you are in strict compliance with the regulations specific to the solar industry in your region. It is also important not to overlook the importance of obtaining the necessary permits and licenses.

Otherwise, you may face legal consequences, safety risks, and the distrust of customers, which will damage your business reputation and can lead to other unpleasant results.

How to maximize solar energy in your home

Hire Skilled Installation Team

Another crucial component of a successful solar panel business is having a skilled installation team. First of all, you need to make sure that they are masters at their job, then equip them adequately and offer some platforms to simplify their job.

For example, one of the most common problems is finding the right route. To handle it effectively, you can use Circuit Route Planner to optimize routing, save time, and enhance customer service.

Build a Strong Marketing Team

Having a strong marketing team is pivotal for your business. Especially if you are going to enter the highly competitive market of the solar panel business, you will need to enshrine your strengths and engage people. And one of the foolproof options to build your brand image and propel it forward is having a strong marketing team.

The solar panel industry is a specific one, so it’s crucial to provide your staff with a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s significance and the benefits it offers. Make sure that you are on the same page with your staff.

To keep your marketing team motivated and driven, one effective strategy is to implement a reward system. For example, you can consider high-quality awards and plaques for your workers to recognize their achievements.

Get Business Insurance

Last but not least, get business insurance. It is critical, even though many business owners overlook its relevance. It can safeguard you from unanticipated cases that could have an unfavorable effect on your business.

For example, if the panels you put on your client’s property are destroyed, you will be responsible for the full cost of repairs or replacements if you do not have insurance. This can be very cost-effective.

Final Thought

Equipped with the crucial knowledge of how to start a solar panel business, you can feel confident to start your journey. This industry offers ample opportunities for growth and success. Make sure you comply with industry standards, have a skilled team and feel confident to start your journey.

Solar Marketing Strategy For Solar Companies

Solar power is an emerging, viable alternative energy supply for today’s increasing energy demands in light of the changing times of alternative energies. Solar companies are flourishing as more and more people opt for homes, offices, or even whole cities powered by rays from the sun. Though great solar technology is only sufficient in an aggressive market environment, an excellent solar advertising plan should exist. This article discusses the main aspects of an effective solar power marketing strategy for raising awareness about solar energy as the global society embraces sun power.

solar marketing strategy

The Power of Solar Energy

The green revolution has placed solar energy at the forefront due to its power source, which has no adverse impacts compared to other energy sources. However, the rapid adoption of solar panels and solar technology is not just because of green concerns, but it is, in fact, a sound economic decision. It is about more than saving the planet; it is about economical solar energy. Reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective; hence, a good point for owners and business people.

Crafting a Solar Marketing Strategy

Target Audience Identification

Any market strategy begins with a well-defined target audience, which can be done via a useful market intelligence platform. There exist locations where solar companies’ target customers can be located by considering energy use, environmental values, and even the most suitable sector. Customized and targeted marketing campaigns require a proper understanding of the target market.

Educational Content

The average person may find solar technology intricate. It is essential to deliver educational material about the benefits of solar energy in a simple way. Potential customers could be educated with blog pages, webinars, or videos about why such a switch is worth it. Vary content and strategies to address multiple learning styles. Consider eye-catching newsletter templates to create your own newsletters to keep your customers updated with educational topics.

Online Presence

Nowadays, having an effective web-based identity is imperative. Such measures comprising a good website, active social media handles, and compelling content, among other aspects, help potential customers determine possible savings using solar calculators. Many customers now seek information from the web; hence, having an elaborate online presence will make you stand out as the best place for a customer to inquire. Outsourcing your SEO is a game-changer, as it can significantly boost your website’s visibility on search engines, driving more organic traffic to your solar solutions.

Leveraging Customer Testimonials

You can only enhance your credibility as much by having satisfied customers willing to write testimonials or case studies. True-to-life stories are effective marketing instruments. Photo or video testimonials are highly personalized. You can use them as proof of the quality of your product. Before publishing those, increase the resolution of your photos with PicsArt’s AI tool to be more professional.

Environmental Focus

Highlight the importance of solar energy on the environment. Explain why solar energy reduces carbon footprints, facilitates a sustainable society, and serves CSR goals. The fact that many people decide to start doing solar because it is cheaper, as well as because they want to help the environment.

Incentives and Financing Options

Inform prospective clients about discounts, tax breaks, and financing packages to be made available. It is an investment that, in the case of solar, knowing the monetary advantage will make one more interested. Offer referrals, resources, or advice on finance options for interested customers.

Community Engagement

Be present in the community by taking part in the local happenings. You may host a workshop, participate in sustainability initiatives, and support local causes that will earn your brand the trust of many. Find ways of sharing costs and solar collectively, like partnering with local businesses.

Technological Innovations

This can include incorporating intelligent solar options, energy storage, and home energy systems. Highlight why such innovations promote efficient use of energy and ease users’ experiences.

energy efficient technologies

Bottom Line

Solar power leads the green transformation in the energy field about tomorrow. Solar companies help speed up the uptake of such an alternative energy source. However, a strategically planned solar marketing strategy is necessary for connecting to consumers, communicating the value of solar, and business development.

Solar companies can identify the right audience and provide various content through a solid online presence using customer testimonials and case studies, emphasizing environmental benefits and CSR alignment while educating them about incentives and finance options. With the increasing focus on harnessing solar energy globally, solar companies now stand a chance to blaze a trail for other organizations in this critical sector of an eco-friendly economy.

Cogeneration of Bagasse

Cogeneration of bagasse is one of the most attractive and successful biomass energy projects that have already been demonstrated in many sugarcane producing countries such as Mauritius, Reunion Island, India and Brazil. Combined heat and power from sugarcane in the form of power generation offers renewable energy options that promote sustainable development, take advantage of domestic resources, increase profitability and competitiveness in the industry, and cost-effectively address climate mitigation and other environmental goals.

bagasse_cogeneration

According to World Alliance for Decentralized Energy (WADE) report on Bagasse Cogeneration, bagasse-based cogeneration could deliver up to 25% of current power demand requirements in the world’s main cane producing countries. The overall potential share in the world’s major developing country producers exceeds 7%.

There is abundant opportunity for the wider use of bagasse-based cogeneration in sugarcane-producing countries. It is especially great in the world’s main cane producing countries like Brazil, India, Thailand, Pakistan, Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Philippines and Vietnam. Yet this potential remains by and large unexploited.

Using bagasse to generate power represents an opportunity to generate significant revenue through the sale of electricity and carbon credits. Additionally, cogeneration of heat and power allows sugar producers to meet their internal energy requirements and drastically reduce their operational costs, in many cases by as much as 25%. Burning bagasse also removes a waste product through its use as a feedstock for the electrical generators and steam turbines.

Most sugarcane mills around the globe have achieved energy self-sufficiency for the manufacture of raw sugar and can also generate a small amount of exportable electricity. However, using traditional equipment such as low-pressure boilers and counter-pressure turbo alternators, the level and reliability of electricity production is not sufficient to change the energy balance and attract interest for export to the electric power grid.

bagasse-cogen

On the other hand, revamping the boiler house of sugar mills with high pressure boilers and condensing extraction steam turbine can substantially increase the level of exportable electricity. This experience has been witnessed in Mauritius, where, following major changes in the processing configurations, the exportable electricity from its sugar factory increased from around 30-40 kWh to around 100–140 kWh per ton cane crushed.

In Brazil, the world’s largest cane producer, most of the sugar mills are upgrading their boiler configurations to 42 bars or even higher pressure of up to 67 bars.

Technology Options

The prime technology for sugar mill cogeneration is the conventional steam-Rankine cycle design for conversion of fuel into electricity. A combination of stored and fresh bagasse is usually fed to a specially designed furnace to generate steam in a boiler at typical pressures and temperatures of usually more than 40 bars and 440°C respectively.

The high pressure steam is then expanded either in a back pressure or single extraction back pressure or single extraction condensing or double extraction cum condensing type turbo generator operating at similar inlet steam conditions.

35MW-bagasse-coal-chp-plant-mauritius

35MW Bagasse and Coal CHP Plant in Mauritius

 

Due to high pressure and temperature, as well as extraction and condensing modes of the turbine, higher quantum of power gets generated in the turbine–generator set, over and above the power required for sugar process, other by-products, and cogeneration plant auxiliaries. The excess power generated in the turbine generator set is then stepped up to extra high voltage of 66/110/220 kV, depending on the nearby substation configuration and fed into the nearby utility grid.

As the sugar industry operates seasonally, the boilers are normally designed for multi-fuel operations, so as to utilize mill bagasse, sugarcane trash, crop residues, coal and other fossil fuel, so as to ensure year round operation of the power plant for export to the grid.

Latest Trends

Modern power plants use higher pressures, up to 87 bars or more. The higher pressure normally generates more power with the same quantity of Bagasse or biomass fuel. Thus, a higher pressure and temperature configuration is a key in increasing exportable surplus electricity.

In general, 67 bars pressure and 495°C temperature configurations for sugar mill cogeneration plants are well-established in many sugar mills in India. Extra high pressure at 87 bars and 510°C, configuration comparable to those in Mauritius, is the current trend and there are about several projects commissioned and operating in India and Brazil. The average increase of power export from 40 bars to 60 bars to 80 bars stages is usually in the range of 7-10%.

A promising alternative to steam turbines are gas turbines fuelled by gas produced by thermochemical conversion of biomass. The exhaust is used to raise steam in heat recovery systems used in any of the following ways: heating process needs in a cogeneration system, for injecting back into gas turbine to raise power output and efficiency in a steam-injected gas turbine cycle (STIG) or expanding through a steam turbine to boost power output and efficiency in a gas turbine/steam turbine combined cycle (GTCC).

Gas turbines, unlike steam turbines, are characterized by lower unit capital costs at modest scale, and the most efficient cycles are considerably more efficient than comparably sized steam turbines.

The Latest Developments On Solar Energy Technology

Twenty years ago, solar panels on residential homes were virtually non-existent. In today’s age, they’re becoming more and more prevalent. That’s due to several factors, including plummeting costs, advances in tech, and more. Homeowners also have some attractive incentives to go solar, including tax breaks and lower utility bills.

By the end of Q3 2020, the US had enough solar panels to power an impressive 16.4 million homes. While that trend slowed a bit recently due to component shortages, it’s sure to continue to rise in the future. A lot is happening in the world of solar energy lately, including some exciting new research. As efficiencies in technology continue to improve, prices will continue to fall. As such, solar power will become more accessible to residential homes in America. Here’s a look at some of the latest developments related to solar panels and renewable energy.

Trends in Solar Energy Technology

NREL and Improving Solar Panel LID Defects

As of October 2021, researchers at the US Department of Energy have been designing improvements for solar panels. The DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory partnered with the Colorado School of Mines to do so. Their goal is to develop a new technique to identify defects in silicon solar cells. These defects are what cause significant drops in a solar panel’s efficiency. That’s known as light-induced degradation (LID), and it’s long been a problem for solar panels.

Researchers are working at the atomic level to identify LID defects in silicon solar panels. Light-induced degradation can strip the efficiency of a solar panel by 2%. While that may not seem like much, it does a lot to wear away at a panel’s typical 30-40 year lifespan. Solar panels made from silicon make up more than 96% of the panels on the market today. The potential improvements that the team at the NREL can create from their research are massive. If they can discover a way to combat LID, they can revolutionize the way manufacturers strengthen their solar panels.

Bringing Solar Technology Indoors

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are finding indoor uses for solar. Doing so would significantly increase the energy efficiency of buildings and smart devices. NIST researchers used a series of small modular PV devices made of different materials. The goal was to test the indoor charging capabilities of these devices. To do so, they hooked up the lowest efficiency module to a wireless temperature sensor.

The results were exciting. The silicon module, absorbing light from an LED, could supply more power than it consumed. That suggests that the device could run indefinitely while the lights stay on. That would remove the need for exchanging or recharging batteries. In the past, flipping on a light switch meant expending energy. With the recent discoveries at NIST, flipping a light switch can mean producing energy too.

The world continues to move toward a transition to renewable energy. Solar panels are more affordable than ever, and solar technology is improving all the time. It’s easier now more than ever for a homeowner to install solar panels.

The Need-to-Know About Solar Panel Degradation

Some things get better with age – a bottle of whisky, a jar of pickles, or even a life full of wisdom. However, it is contradictory for an electronic device such as the solar power system. Solar panels and their system components are fated to degrade over time despite the lifespan of 20 to 30 years which depends on the manufacturer.

What is Solar Panel Degradation?

Solar panels deteriorate slowly over time. Degradation in solar panels means they generate less power output from the same amount of sunlight as they age. The period of degradation is measured against the lifespan of the solar panels.

what is solar panel degradation

Why Solar Panels Degrade Over Time?

The degradation of solar panels has been a challenging problem for manufacturers in the industry. However, advancements and developments pop up to lower the degradation rate while keeping up the power output. Although it is still a safe investment, the solar power system is expected to deteriorate at or below a specific rate.

The average degradation rate of the panels is at one percent each year. Nevertheless, a study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows that quality panels degrade at a rate of 0.4% over time which is remarkably lower.

Types of Solar Panel Degradation

There are three types of solar panel degradation to keep tabs on.

1. Light-Induced Degradation (LID)

Despite slow degradation as time goes by, it is crucial to know what happens to the solar power system once installed for the first time in residences, industries, or businesses. The degradation rate is significantly higher, which is at one to three percent within a short amount of time due to the sun exposure of the panels. This type of degradation is the Light-Induced Degradation or LID.

Without a doubt, sunlight is also considered a factor that contributes to the deterioration of the panels. To address this matter, manufacturers added UV blockers to protect the panels from the intense radiation from the sun.

2. Potential-Induced Degradation (PID)

The Potential-Induced Degradation or PID affects different components in the solar power system, such as the photovoltaic cells or panel frame. Once these components are disrupted, it causes voltage leaks which lowers the amount of electricity the panel can generate.

Although this type of degradation does not typically occur, it can significantly dent the panels’ performance by 30%.

3. Aging-Related Degradation

The solar power system will never be able to evade natural wear and tear. Various external factors contribute to the degradation of the panels. One of these factors, which is also difficult to control, is the weather. The adverse weather conditions in the country, such as snow, ice, hail, strong winds, and heavy rainfall, reduce the panels’ efficiency. These age-related degradations can cause microcracks.

Microcracks are very tiny cracks that form in the crystalline silicon of solar cells. Once these microcracks form, electrical connections also deteriorate. And if this happens, the photons from the sun have fewer paths to flow into; hence, less energy goes to the solar inverter that supplies electricity to the residence, industry, or business.

Microcracks are also caused by thermal cycling. Thermal cycling involves cycling two extreme temperatures rapidly. Warm temperature makes the panel and its components expand, while cold temperature enables it to contract. The constant cycling rapidly between these two extreme temperatures strains the panels and forms microcracks.

Water can get inside since these microcracks create holes on the panel’s surface and damage the seal. Other than these degradations, adverse weather conditions can also cause the hardening of the silicon, eroding of the frames, and contaminating the solar cells.

solar panels pigeon issue

Other reasons that contribute to the deterioration of solar panels

1. Quality of Materials

Some manufacturers will produce substandard or low-quality materials to keep the panels’ price low. These materials and components include solar glass, solar cells, and aluminum frames. Cheap materials increase the risk of product failure, which would eventually lead to more expenditures.

2. Installation

The way the panels are assembled and installed can affect their degradation rate. Installers need to be careful with the handling of solar modules. Since these panels are carried on top of their hardhats, the constant flexing, rocking, and bouncing back and forth can result in microcracks, scratches, and improper installations of electrical connections. Moreover, incompatible components and materials can speed up LID or PID on the panels.

3. Cleaning and Maintenance

Although the solar panel requires little maintenance, it is still vital to periodically monitor and check it to clear any debris or build-up that may affect its performance. It is also essential to check regularly the other components in the system, such as the cables, connections, and inverters, to ensure optimal performance.

Although the degradation of the solar power system is inevitable, it is paramount to understand the reasons they deteriorate in due time. Understanding their life cycle helps set your expectations and get the most out of your superb long-term investment.

Overview of Biomass Energy Technologies

A wide range of bioenergy technologies are available for realizing the energy potential of biomass wastes, ranging from very simple systems for disposing of dry waste to more complex technologies capable of dealing with large amounts of industrial waste. Conversion routes for biomass wastes are generally thermo-chemical or bio-chemical, but may also include chemical and physical.

Thermal Technologies

The three principal methods of thermo-chemical conversion corresponding to each of these energy carriers are combustion in excess air, gasification in reduced air, and pyrolysis in the absence of air. Direct combustion is the best established and most commonly used technology for converting wastes to heat.

During combustion, biomass is burnt in excess air to produce heat. The first stage of combustion involves the evolution of combustible vapours from wastes, which burn as flames. Steam is expanded through a conventional turbo-alternator to produce electricity. The residual material, in the form of charcoal, is burnt in a forced air supply to give more heat.

Co-firing or co-combustion of biomass wastes with coal and other fossil fuels can provide a short-term, low-risk, low-cost option for producing renewable energy while simultaneously reducing the use of fossil fuels. Co-firing involves utilizing existing power generating plants that are fired with fossil fuel (generally coal), and displacing a small proportion of the fossil fuel with renewable biomass fuels.

Co-firing has the major advantage of avoiding the construction of new, dedicated, waste-to-energy power plant. An existing power station is modified to accept the waste resource and utilize it to produce a minor proportion of its electricity.

Gasification systems operate by heating biomass wastes in an environment where the solid waste breaks down to form a flammable gas. The gasification of biomass takes place in a restricted supply of air or oxygen at temperatures up to 1200–1300°C. The gas produced—synthesis gas, or syngas—can be cleaned, filtered, and then burned in a gas turbine in simple or combined-cycle mode, comparable to LFG or biogas produced from an anaerobic digester.

The final fuel gas consists principally of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane with small amounts of higher hydrocarbons. This fuel gas may be burnt to generate heat; alternatively it may be processed and then used as fuel for gas-fired engines or gas turbines to drive generators. In smaller systems, the syngas can be fired in reciprocating engines, micro-turbines, Stirling engines, or fuel cells.

Pyrolysis is thermal decomposition occurring in the absence of oxygen. During the pyrolysis process, biomass waste is heated either in the absence of air (i.e. indirectly), or by the partial combustion of some of the waste in a restricted air or oxygen supply. This results in the thermal decomposition of the waste to form a combination of a solid char, gas, and liquid bio-oil, which can be used as a liquid fuel or upgraded and further processed to value-added products.

Biochemical Technologies

Biochemical processes, like anaerobic digestion, can also produce clean energy in the form of biogas which can be converted to power and heat using a gas engine. Anaerobic digestion is a series of chemical reactions during which organic material is decomposed through the metabolic pathways of naturally occurring microorganisms in an oxygen depleted environment. In addition, wastes can also yield liquid fuels, such as cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel, which can be used to replace petroleum-based fuels.

Anaerobic digestion is the natural biological process which stabilizes organic waste in the absence of air and transforms it into biogas and biofertilizer. Almost any organic material can be processed with anaerobic digestion. This includes biodegradable waste materials such as municipal solid waste, animal manure, poultry litter, food wastes, sewage and industrial wastes.

An anaerobic digestion plant produces two outputs, biogas and digestate, both can be further processed or utilized to produce secondary outputs. Biogas can be used for producing electricity and heat, as a natural gas substitute and also a transportation fuel. Digestate can be further processed to produce liquor and a fibrous material. The fiber, which can be processed into compost, is a bulky material with low levels of nutrients and can be used as a soil conditioner or a low level fertilizer.

A variety of fuels can be produced from biomass wastes including liquid fuels, such as ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, and gaseous fuels, such as hydrogen and methane. The resource base for biofuel production is composed of a wide variety of forestry and agricultural resources, industrial processing residues, and municipal solid and urban wood residues.

The largest potential feedstock for ethanol is lignocellulosic biomass wastes, which includes materials such as agricultural residues (corn stover, crop straws and bagasse), herbaceous crops (alfalfa, switchgrass), short rotation woody crops, forestry residues, waste paper and other wastes (municipal and industrial).

The three major steps involved in cellulosic ethanol production are pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and fermentation. Biomass is pretreated to improve the accessibility of enzymes. After pretreatment, biomass undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis for conversion of polysaccharides into monomer sugars, such as glucose and xylose. Subsequently, sugars are fermented to ethanol by the use of different microorganisms. Bioethanol production from these feedstocks could be an attractive alternative for disposal of these residues. Importantly, lignocellulosic feedstocks do not interfere with food security.