This contribution elaborates on a futuristic hybrid concept for the multifunctional employment of a liquid air energy storage (LAES) system for combined heat, cold and power production (tri-generation) in a food factory, thereby providing a substantial part of the energy demand for various unit operations and enhancing the round-trip efficiency (RTE) of LAES. A processing line for frozen French fries, with relatively high heating and refrigeration demands, is used as a case study. The total useful energy output per charge/discharge cycle is 61,677 kWh (i.e., 38,295 kWh of electricity, 19,278 kWh of heating, and 4104 kWh of refrigeration). The estimated tri-generation RTE of the studied system reaches 55.63%, which appears to be 1.2 times higher than the RTE of a classical standalone LAES system with the same power input, considered as a baseline. In a broader context, such a performance enhancement by amalgamating food and energy technologies can make cryogenic energy storage a more viable grid balancing option capable of substantially increasing the share of renewables in the energy supply mix.

This study presents an analysis of the influence of weather conditions on the performance of a multicrystalline silicon photovoltaic module, which operates under constant resistive load and is situated near a limestone quarry. The quarry is a significant source of dust, and hence the focus of the study is on the weather factors influencing the presence of soiling on the module’s surface. The analysis encompasses a three-week period, during which the global horizontal irradiance and wind speed were recorded at 10-min intervals by an on-site weather station. The current, voltage, and back temperature of the module were also measured. Supplementary weather data were obtained from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service and the NASA POWER databases. The primary objective is to assess whether any influence of the observed weather conditions on the presence of soiling can be inferred from the recorded data. The contribution is in part intended to test how different techniques can be used to extract useful information on the weather-related effects from somewhat limited data, assembled from various sources, while dealing with the underlying uncertainties. The analysis indicates a persistent deterioration of the module’s performance because of soiling and its subsequent improvement due to a favourable weather event.

The presented paper analyzes the impact of limestone dust accumulation on photovoltaic (PV) panel performance, focusing on the specific surrounding conditions near quarries. The results from the performed field measurements show that high concentrations of limestone dust accumulate significantly faster in these areas, and a hard layer is formed in the presence of moisture. This layer of dust is resistant to removal, even in moderate precipitation and winds with speeds between 6 and 9 m/s, making it a significant problem for the long-term performance of the systems. The analysis revealed that the lack of systematic cleaning of the panels leads to a drop in efficiency of over 20%, with this loss pointedly limiting the return on investment. This study highlights the need for innovative maintenance approaches, such as regular cleaning, use of special coatings and adapting designs to specific environmental conditions. This is essential for the development of strategies to manage, maintain and improve PV systems in areas with high levels of dust pollution.