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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records

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DOE OSTI2026

Analyze Landscape of Solar Panel Installations and Retirements - Solar Prize Round 7 (CRADA CRD-24-30364 Final Report)

By projecting the solar capacity until 2050 at a granular, census tract level, we aim to define Participant's Total Addressable Market for Electra's registration service and examine the volumes and locations of panels reaching end-of-life with corresponding state policies and planned recycling locales. This dual-faceted data will be pivotal in developing a sustainable, per-watt pricing strategy for our state central funds and key areas for collection hubs, ensuring these volumes can adequately support our collection, hauling, and recycling provider network.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Overview of Solar Panel Recycling for Indigenous Communities

In recent years, Native tribes across the country have embraced solar energy to power their communities. However, in approximately 25-30 years after installation, the solar panels will enter end-of-life (EOL) status, meaning that they will begin to operate less efficiently than upon initial implementation. At this point, tribes can determine the outcome: they can continue to operate the array, or they can dispose of the panels. Recycling is an option that promotes the use of high-value recyclable materials in solar panels in the circular economy. There are several companies across the US that offer recycling of solar panels, but at various costs. It is important that a hazardous waste expert makes an initial assessment of the solar array to identify any solar panels that cannot be recycled. Currently, recycling solar panels is not cost-effective or environmentally sustainable, but significant research into improving the cost and carbon footprint is ongoing.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

The Hard Life of Floatovoltaics: Modeling Wind-Driven Oscillations of Floating Solar Panels

Modern, thin photovoltaic (PV) panels for solar power are susceptible to high stress loads in windy conditions. Manufacturers are eager to determine optimal installation practices to reduce these loads, including in the relatively new practice of installing PV on floating structures located on artificial and natural lakes. As part of our effort to develop simulation capabilities for stress on such floating PV systems, we here present our combined model-simulation approach, which simulates the dynamic wind loading and uses modeled elements to capture both the hydrodynamic and mooring-line forces. We discuss the forces important for our model and the challenges inherent in our simulation. Of particular interest is our model of the hysteresis response displayed by the attached mooring lines, which are engineered to damp motion and oscillation of the floating panel system. We validate our approach against the benchmark problem of vortex-induced vibration of a cylinder, which is driven by the same dynamic forces present in floating PV panels.

floating↗

DOE OSTI2025

Novel Solar Panel Defect Detection Hardware and Defect Analysis Software (CRADA Final Report)

The CRADA work involved 1) the development of a machine learning software architecture to automatically detect defects within Electroluminescence images of solar panels, and 2) demonstrations of the usefulness of UV Fluorescence (UVF) defect detection for a wide variety of defect types across many different solar panel technologies with different field or environmental chamber histories.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Novel Solar Panel Defect Detection Hardware and Defect Analysis Software (CRADA Final Report)

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Do solar panels contain PFAS?

The presence and potential leaching of PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) from solar panels are increasingly mentioned in news articles, raising public concerns. Such concerns may slow the adoption of photovoltaic (PV) technology, despite its central role in the renewable energy sector. The limited transparency from manufacturers about fluorinated materials used in PV modules, along with the scarcity of publicly available testing data, contributes to uncertainty and speculation. This perspective aims to clarify the current state of PFAS presence in solar PV. Although certain fluoropolymers are used in PV manufacturing, the scientific consensus on their toxicity indicates they should not be classified as PFAS. Portraying fluoropolymers as toxic PFAS unnecessarily amplifies concerns and unfairly undermines the perceived environmental sustainability of PV technology.

environmental impact↗

DOE OSTI2025

Reconciling Heliostat and Solar Panel Wind Loads To Develop a Reduced-Order Model for Heliostat Wind Loads

This work has been carried out as part of the HelioCon Field Deployment subtask, with the aim to distill published literature in papers and standards on heliostat and solar panel wind loads to develop a reduced order model for heliostat wind loads. It is intended to be understood and applied by structural engineers and heliostat designers as inputs to determine wind loads on heliostats due to the underlying derivations and factors that influence the complex structural dynamics and wind-induced behavior of heliostats.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Solar Panel Anti-Soiling Evaluation (CRADA Final Report)

NREL and Pellucere Technologies, Inc. will cooperate to leverage NREL’s existing testing and data analysis capability to evaluate solar panel anti-soiling coating in both laboratory testing conditions and from actual solar array field data.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Solar panel

A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingled manner and conductively bonded to each other in their overlapping regions to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module.

Lin, Yafu↗

DOE OSTI2026

Solar Panel Installation at Goucher College

As part of our multi-phased sustainability initiative, Goucher College is implementing a series of necessary changes to become a model “green” campus. This comprehensive approach includes implementing systems designed to reduce energy consumption, water usage, and waste production by 2030. The first phase of this holistic endeavor is to develop two independent solar projects. One will be on the Facility Management Services building (FMS) and the other will be on the Central Utility Plan (CUP). The anticipated duration of this project is expected to be 24 months. When completed, the new photovoltaic panels (PVPs) and resulting solar array system will help offset campus energy consumption. The projects will also help the College achieve its goal of working towards operating primarily on renewable energy. During initial review of the project, it was revealed replacing the roofs prior to installing new PVPs would not only provide a sound structural foundation for the projects, but the new roofing systems will also aid de-carbonization. The project’s scope is divided between two buildings. Building A: FMS is the first building and Building B: CUP is the second building.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

The Triple Effect: Unraveling the Joint Impact of Electric Vehicles, Solar Panels, and Work-From-Home Patterns on Household Electricity Costs

Solutions for deep decarbonization need to be sustainable as well as affordable to garner widespread adoption. The past two decades have seen the introduction of new technologies and paradigms such as electric vehicles (EVs), solar photovoltaics (PVs), and increased work-from-home (WFH), which impact the overall energy consumption and cost of a household in different ways. However, much attention has not been paid to explore the joint impact these technologies have on a household's energy (electricity cost) burden. Leveraging Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS), this study presents an integrated model to unravel the extent to which the bundled adoption of EV-PV and stay-at-home decisions impact the total electricity cost of households. RECS data revealed that, compared to the baseline (i.e., households that did not own any of these technologies), households that own EVs, PVs, and engage in WFH observed a 13.5% decline in their electricity bills, despite a 25% increase in electricity consumption. The model results indicated that bundled adoption of EVs-PVs reduces electricity costs more significantly for a household, compared to the increased costs imposed by more household members staying at home. This holistic assessment presents an opportunity for decision makers to contextualize the changing energy costs and design effective strategies to foster a sustainable and affordable future. Policies such as bundled incentivization to motivate co-adoption, education about energy-management strategies, and add-on subsidies to adopt energy-efficient appliances, will not only accelerate decarbonization but increase household financial savings.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

An Advanced Cooling Device for Concentrated Photovoltaic Systems

Concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) have the potential to significantly enhance the energy conversion utilization of solar panels and reduce solar generation costs, making them a crucial area of advancement in solar power generation technology. However, the concentration of sunlight can lead to overheating of solar panels, resulting in a notable reduction in both the efficiency of solar power generation and the lifespan of the panels. This challenge remains the predominant technical hurdle that hinders the application of concentrated photovoltaic power generation technology. In this study, we propose a new cooling method for concentrated photovoltaic power generation systems via an integrated approach of incorporating Phase-Change Thermal Storage (PCTS) and Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) technology. This new method not only enhances the overall system's electricity generation efficiency but also effectively resolves the technical challenge of concentrated photovoltaic panel overheating issues, ensuring the continuity of concentrated photovoltaic power generation and extending the lifespan of solar panels and their components. In order to make full use of the wasted heat generated by photovoltaic power generation and effectively improve the power generation efficiency of the system, this work developed a phase change heat storage device based on a phase change material. This device uses the temperature difference between day and night to recover wasted heat from photovoltaic power generation. Through integration with the thermoelectric power generation system, thermal energy can be converted into electrical energy. In addition, the Peltier effect of thermoelectric materials is used to construct a photovoltaic panel overheating protection system, which significantly improves the reliability and service life of the system.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

An Advanced Cooling Device for Concentrated Photovoltaic Systems

Gou, Yimeng↗

DOE OSTI2024

Innovative recycling of high purity silver from silicon solar cells by acid leaching and ultrasonication

Precious and scarce silver (Ag) is used as a front electrical contact in silicon solar panels. With massive amounts of solar panel waste coming to end-of-life, it is imperative to recover all the Ag from these modules. In this paper, we propose a novel method to easily reclaim Ag from end-of-life silicon solar cells using low concentration sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) leaching followed by ultrasonication. Our process simplifies the Ag recycling procedure by directly recovering the Ag contacts from solar cells, eliminating the need for secondary precipitation/electrodeposition. First, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to study the leaching and ultrasonication process on rejected solar wafers. Next, a solar panel from landfill was heated in a furnace to burn off the polymer encapsulant. The silicon wafers were then collected from the burning process and leached in 2 M H 2 SO 4 at two different shaking speeds for 48 hours at room temperature. Finally, the end-of-life silicon wafer pieces were collected, sonicated in water, and then the sonication water was centrifuged to show a proof-of-concept to recover the Ag contacts. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICPOES) is used to monitor dissolved elements in the leachate as a function of time and shaking speed. XPS is used to evaluate the composition of the silicon cell wafer surface before and after H 2 SO 4 leaching. SEM is used to image the recovered Ag contacts morphology and EDX confirms the recovered particles contain high amounts of Ag. Furthermore, a proposed schematic illustrates the authors’ hypothesis for the peeling mechanism.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

CAD-based Energy & Cost Models Prove Affordable Net Zero Energy Performance for WonderWindows + 24" On-center Framing

Windows are thermally the “weakest link” in the building envelope. Increasing the thermal resistance of windows can make buildings more energy efficient and reduce the cost of electricity needed for conditioning the building. The proper design and placement of framing can also help to reduce the thermal bridging that occurs near the window frame area. This study investigates the energy performance of multi-pane acrylic windows fitting 24" on-center framing. Initial parametric analysis is done for a single zone accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Then, an energy model was developed for three types of wood-framed buildings: townhomes, stacked flats and hotels. A whole building energy simulation is performed for each of these building types in hot-humid Houston, mixed-humid New York, and cold-humid Minneapolis climates. The results show up to a 39% reduction in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) related electricity consumption for the cold climate compared to the Base case which has window and wall properties based on ASHRAE standard 90.1 2019. In the hot climate, a modest increase in electricity consumption was seen due to an increase in cooling electricity demand. The ADU achieved Net Zero Energy performance in all 3 Climate Zones despite having the highest exterior surface area-to-floor area ratio: the ADU also had the highest PV kW to floor area ratio compared to the other multi-story building types. The townhomes, hotel and stacked flats respectively met 73, 52 and 57 % of electrical use in Houston, 71, 48 and 56 % in New York, and 63, 40 and 53 % in Minneapolis from energy produced by rooftop solar. If 400 W solar panels are used instead of 320 W panel used for energy simulation, it is estimated that in the townhomes, hotel and stacked flats rooftop solar can meet 91, 65 and 71 % of electrical use in Houston; 89, 60 and 70% in New York, and 79, 50 and 66 % in Minneapolis. A preliminary evaluation of cost shows that such superior performance can potentially be achieved at less first cost with this 24"on-center solution than conventional construction. All the building types at the three locations used for simulation had net energy use intensity under 20 kBtu/sf/year with 320 W solar panel and under 17 kBtu/sf/year with 400 W solar panel. Further tailoring of building envelope R-values and window solar heat gain to particular Climate Zone locations for each building type shows promise in reducing the HVAC electricity use that comprises almost half of building energy use.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2024

Little prairie under the panel: testing native pollinator habitat seed mix establishment at three utility-scale solar sites in Minnesota

Abstract As more land is being utilized for large-scale solar energy projects, there are increasing discussions from stakeholders on how to utilize land under solar panels to promote biodiversity. One path is to plant habitat beneficial to pollinators and other insects, but there have been few long-term studies that examine how different vegetation and seed mixes establish underneath solar panels. This study addresses a scientific gap to determine whether native pollinator seed mixes successfully establish over time under solar arrays using a systematic assessment of eight seed mixes planted at three utility-scale solar sites in Minnesota. We assess establishment with a percent native coverage metric, which is an assessment of native species observations compared to total observations during percent cover analyses in our vegetative test plots. The percent native coverage metric allows for a measurement of how the seed mix established and how the seed mix persists over time. The percent native coverage under and in between the solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays rose from 10% after one year of planting to 58% after three years across all sites, while the native coverage of the full sun control area rose from 9.6% to 70% under the same period, showing that native prairie and pollinator plants successfully established under the array, although to a lesser extent than in full sun conditions. Percent native coverage under the PV arrays rose 5- to 8-fold for each of the three sites from over the course of the study, while the coverage of weeds decreased for all three sites over the same period. Percent native coverage varied by seed mix over the project years, but every seed mix experienced a higher percent native coverage year after year under the PV arrays. Our results did not indicate a difference in establishment across placement within the array; the center, west, and east portions of the areas in between panels had similar establishment rates at two out of three sites, indicating that the same seed mix can be applied throughout the array. Out of 101 plant species seeded, we observed the establishment of 68 species in our vegetative test plots, and we detailed the top 20 observed species to inform future seed mix development. Based on these findings, native pollinator vegetation can establish over time at solar arrays, and it can be suitable for creating habitat at utility-scale solar sites.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Modeling Wind in Agrivoltaics and its Impact on Eddy Covariance Flux Measurements

Silicon Ranch is conducting a research study at their 138MW Bancroft Station agrivoltaics site, the largest agrivoltaics research array in the US, in which they are using an eddy covariance flux tower to measure the carbon budget. They are interested in finding out if the presence of the panels changes the effectiveness of these measurements. To investigate this topic, NLR performed numerical simulations of wind through the agrivoltaic array to identify under what environmental conditions (wind speed, wind direction, temperatures) and panel tilt angles the mean wind speeds at the measurement heights are significantly altered by the presence of the solar panels. NLR adapted and used the PVade simulation tool [1] to model wind in Silicon Ranch's agrivoltaic array and found that at the height of the flux tower (6m), the wind speed measured is not significantly altered by the presence of solar panels. The percent difference is less than 4% and is generally greatest during daytime conditions at higher wind speeds and perpendicular wind direction. Closer to the ground, the flow is significantly altered (wind speeds are reduced) by the presence of solar panels and the percent difference increases in strong winds. The work confirmed that eddy covariance flux towers can be used within the context of a solar array field.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Technoeconomic feasibility of photovoltaic recycling

Abstract Photovoltaic (PV) modules are a key technology to aid the imminent transition from carbon‐based energy. End‐of‐life crystalline silicon PV modules produce a waste stream that is predominantly landfilled due to the recycling challenges associated with PV reuse economics. Current practices recycle the aluminum frame and repurpose the junction box but landfill the rest of the module. The primary challenge in recycling the remaining module is finding a technoeconomically viable method for separating the silicon and glass from the ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) layers. This issue will rapidly expand with time as it is estimated that flat glass production for solar panels is currently unable to meet the demand for PV. Current literature suggests that chemical, thermal, and mechanical delamination offer economically feasible solutions under ideal circumstances. In this work we evaluate these methods using end‐of‐life panels and assess the economic viability. The technoeconomic study presented here suggests the most economically viable option for disposing of end‐of‐life solar panels, given current technology, is landfilling. Thermal delamination may offer an alternative route in the future. Financial incentives, which can be quantified with this work, may be required to kickstart PV recycling to help bridge externalities around environmental impact.

Crespo, Beatrice↗