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Sustainable solar energy conversion to chemical and electrical energy

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  • Moheimani, Navid Reza
  • Parlevliet, David

Abstract

The Earth receives around 1.9×106EJ of energy in visible light each year and only a fraction of this light energy is being converted to biomass (chemical energy) via the process of photosynthesis. Out of all photosynthetic organisms, microalgae, due to their fast growth rates, have been identified as potential source of raw material for chemical energy production. Solar panels have also been used worldwide for electrical energy production. Here we explore and introduce a novel methodology on combining solar panels with microalgae cultivation systems. These two methods of energy production would appear to compete for use of the same energy resource (sunlight) to produce either chemical or electrical energy. However, some groups of microalgae (i.e. Chlorophyta) only require the blue and red portions of the spectrum whereas certain types of solar cells absorb strongly in the green part of the solar spectrum but not as much in the red or blue portion of the spectrum. This suggests that a combination of the two energy production systems would allow for a full utilisation of the solar spectrum allowing both the production of chemical and electrical energy from one facility making efficient use of available land and solar energy. In this review we propose to introduce a solar panel as a filter above the algae culture to modify the spectrum of light received by the algae and utilise the unused parts of the spectrum to generate electricity.

Suggested Citation

  • Moheimani, Navid Reza & Parlevliet, David, 2013. "Sustainable solar energy conversion to chemical and electrical energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 494-504.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:27:y:2013:i:c:p:494-504
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2013.07.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nwoba, Emeka G. & Parlevliet, David A. & Laird, Damian W. & Alameh, Kamal & Louveau, Julien & Pruvost, Jeremy & Moheimani, Navid R., 2020. "Energy efficiency analysis of outdoor standalone photovoltaic-powered photobioreactors coproducing lipid-rich algal biomass and electricity," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    2. Akinyele, D.O. & Rayudu, R.K. & Nair, N.K.C., 2015. "Global progress in photovoltaic technologies and the scenario of development of solar panel plant and module performance estimation − Application in Nigeria," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 112-139.
    3. Bai, Attila & Popp, József & Balogh, Péter & Gabnai, Zoltán & Pályi, Béla & Farkas, István & Pintér, Gábor & Zsiborács, Henrik, 2016. "Technical and economic effects of cooling of monocrystalline photovoltaic modules under Hungarian conditions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1086-1099.
    4. Boruff, Bryan J. & Moheimani, Navid R. & Borowitzka, Michael A., 2015. "Identifying locations for large-scale microalgae cultivation in Western Australia: A GIS approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 379-391.
    5. Sajjadi, Baharak & Chen, Wei-Yin & Raman, Abdul. Aziz. Abdul & Ibrahim, Shaliza, 2018. "Microalgae lipid and biomass for biofuel production: A comprehensive review on lipid enhancement strategies and their effects on fatty acid composition," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 200-232.
    6. Chang, Wenjuan & Li, Yanpeng & Qu, Yanhui & Liu, Yi & Zhang, Gaoshan & Zhao, Yan & Liu, Siyu, 2022. "Mixotrophic cultivation of microalgae to enhance the biomass and lipid production with synergistic effect of red light and phytohormone IAA," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 819-828.
    7. Ramanna, Luveshan & Rawat, Ismail & Bux, Faizal, 2017. "Light enhancement strategies improve microalgal biomass productivity," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 765-773.
    8. Chaudry, Sofia & Bahri, Parisa A. & Moheimani, Navid R., 2015. "Pathways of processing of wet microalgae for liquid fuel production: A critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1240-1250.
    9. Nikkhah, Amin & Royan, Mahsa & Khojastehpour, Mehdi & Bacenetti, Jacopo, 2017. "Environmental impacts modeling of Iranian peach production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 677-682.
    10. Raeisossadati, Mohammadjavad & Moheimani, Navid Reza & Parlevliet, David, 2019. "Luminescent solar concentrator panels for increasing the efficiency of mass microalgal production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 47-59.
    11. Singh, Ramkishore & Lazarus, Ian J. & Souliotis, Manolis, 2016. "Recent developments in integrated collector storage (ICS) solar water heaters: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 270-298.
    12. Honggu Yeo & Woochan Seok & Soyong Shin & Young Cheol Huh & Byung Chang Jung & Cheol-Soo Myung & Shin Hyung Rhee, 2019. "Computational Analysis of the Performance of a Vertical Axis Turbine in a Water Pipe," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-15, October.
    13. Shahnazari, Mahdi & Bahri, Parisa A. & Parlevliet, David & Minakshi, Manickam & Moheimani, Navid R., 2017. "Sustainable conversion of light to algal biomass and electricity: A net energy return analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 218-229.
    14. Ishika, Tasneema & Moheimani, Navid R. & Bahri, Parisa A., 2017. "Sustainable saline microalgae co-cultivation for biofuel production: A critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 356-368.

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