This research examines the extended performance of vertically positioned bifacial photovoltaic (BiPV) panels in actual environmental settings, considering various factors such as solar irradiance and the random surrounding structures. Two bifacial photovoltaic panel systems connected to the grid are set up on the roof of a residential structure. The first system consisted of seven panels installed at a tilt angle of 27^o, facing south. The second system comprises seven vertically installed panels facing west. A data acquisition system was employed to continuously monitor and record the electrical parameters of both systems. To quantify the performance of the systems, specific metric parameters, like the yearly energy output and the specific yield of the systems, are computed. The findings reveal that the vertically installed BiPV panels can achieve an energy yield as high as 100% compared with the tilted installation in certain months. Furthermore, the vertical installation demonstrated inherent anti-soiling properties akin to self-cleaning. Additionally, the vertical installation exhibited a multiple peak phenomenon, which could potentially alleviate the peak load issues on the electrical grid. The vertical installation also exhibited an exceptional ground coverage ratio, making it an attractive solution for space-constrained applications. The vertical installation exhibited a ~ 1678 kWh/kWp performance ratio, retaining ~82% of the tilted installation energy yield. The results underscore the feasibility and advantages of employing vertically installed bifacial photovoltaic panels in residential settings, particularly in limited areas. Moreover, the study provides insights into the viability and potential of this technology for small-scale residential applications.

In this study we report novel silicon nanowire (SiNW) array structures that have near-unity absorption spectrum. The design of the new SiNW arrays is based on radial diversity of nanowires with periodic diamond-like array (DLA) structures. Different array structures are studied with a focus on two array structures: limited and broad diversity DLA structures. Numerical electromagnetic modeling is used to study the light-array interaction and to compute the optical properties of SiNW arrays. The proposed arrays show superior performance over other types of SiNW arrays. Significant enhancement of the array absorption is achieved over the entire solar spectrum of interest with significant reduction of the amount of material. The arrays show performance independent of angle of incidence up to 70 degrees, and polarization. The proposed arrays achieved ultimate efficiency as high as 39% with filling fraction as low as 19%.

We present a technique for enhancing the performance of microwave absorbing materials in terms of weight, thickness, and bandwidth. The introduced technique is based on fabricating the microwave absorbing (MA) material in a structure comprised of an array of circular cylinder dielectric resonators (CDR) backed by a perfect electric conductor (PEC) ground plane. Numerical electromagnetic methods are employed to study the properties of the proposed MA array structures, where 3D full wave simulation using finite-element method is implemented. The obtained results show that the performance of the MA-CDR arrays significantly outperforms that of a flat layer composed of the same material and having equivalent thickness. A flat layer of MA material with thickness of 5 mm backed by perfect electric conductor (PEC) shows as low as -50 dB reflection loss (RL) peak and ~3 GHz 10-dB bandwidth, whereas an MA-CDR array, composed of the same MA material, of height of 4 mm can achieve as low as ~−50 dB RL peak and ~12 GHz 10-dB RL bandwidth.

Even though the Kingdom of Jordan is moving in the right direction and adopting clean energy sources such as PV plants, the waste problem will eventually emerge within a few decades and will be an overwhelming issue if not addressed early on. According to reports, the installed PV capacity worldwide was around 410 GW in 2017 and is projected to increase to 5000 GW by 2050. Global solar PV waste is anticipated to reach between 5% and 15% of total generation capacity by 2030, with a 25-year average panel lifespan. This study aims to provide an estimation of the amount of PV waste expected within the next decade, and finally expand on the economic and environmental effects. Moreover, this paper’s target is to explore the possible effects of PV waste materials in the northern part of Jordan, and the obtained results can be applied to other regions in Jordan. Information about renewable energy in Jordan, retrieved from databases of electricity companies, is utilized to reach an accurate estimation of the amounts of materials that will occur at the end of life. The solar PV panel end of life (EOL) management is a developing field that necessitates additional research and development The obtained findings, figures, and facts about the photovoltaic solar energy sector presented in this study highlight the urgency to develop a suitable system for the collection and management of photovoltaic modules at their end of life.

The treatment of olive mill (OM) residues from agricultural facilities is a daunting challenge since tremendous amounts are disposed per annum that should be treated. One of the promising treatment methods is the anaerobic methanogenic digestion of OM residues. In current investigations, the anaerobic digestion of the OM substrate is enhanced through mixing its slurries with sewage sludge (SS) or with cow manure (C), which consists of the kernels for the digestion process. Besides feedstock, other operational parameters such as hydraulic retention time (HRT), temperature and pH have a great impact on the biogas production rate and quality. Experimental investigations were conducted by means of the anaerobic biodegradation of the substrate for OM-SS and -C using a batch reactor under mesophilic conditions and foreseen HRT for 30 days. Almost neutral pH values of 7.4-7.6 were found for the anaerobic treatment of the substrate for OM-SS, and a slightly acidic pH in the range of 4.8-5.3 was found for the anaerobic treatment of the substrate for OM-C. The results revealed that the biogas production for OM-SS and -C exceeded 0.07 and 0.31 LBiogas/(LFerm·day), respectively. Regarding the COD reduction, its removal efficiency was obtained as 46.1 and 53.8% for OM-SS and -C respectively. For economic concerns, significant methane yields were attained as 56.8 and 115.8 [LCH4/kgCOD] for the OM-SS and -C substrates, respectively. In virtue of these remarkable merits, anaerobic methanogenic digestion should be adapted to a commercial scale for the treatment and biogas production of OM residues.