Abstract: The current energy transition will no doubt position renewables strategically in the global energy mix from 2040, with Solar and Wind Energy playing dominant roles in the energy mix. However, the paper noted that though wind energy conversion is more efficient than solar energy, the availability, unpredictability and variability of wind is harder to forecast, than solar energy which can easily be predicted: is only available during the day except when there are clouds. Solar technology therefore can easily become a game changer for many developing countries as it can promote wide-spread energy security due its lower cost compared with fossil fuel in many countries. It can also provide universal access to electricity, with a shorter construction timeline, and has ability to provide firm power when combined with battery storage. The paper further noted that solar electricity generation can also potentially mitigate against climate change risk if used at global scale, which is driven by efficient Photovoltaic (PV) technology, which can also become the most significant electricity generation contributor among all other candidates of renewable energy by 2040. In spite of these prospects the paper recognized some challenges with PV technology in large scale electricity generation, such as the less than 25 percent efficiency in commercial photovoltaic cells, a measure that determines how much of the radiation can be converted and be usable. There is also the issue of Nitrogen trifluoride, a common byproduct of electronics manufacture, including those used in solar cells, that generates greenhouse gas of about 17,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Another major challenge, is in the full integration of solar power with existing electricity grid, as most of the electric distribution systems are designed, operated and protected on the assumption that there is a single source of voltage on each distribution feeder. Finally, the paper recommended that to deploy a sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective solar energy system that can play more significant roles in the global energy mix, would require consistent engineering and technological innovations, and that these technological advances must be backed up by policies that will encourage both government and private funding of R&D in innovative solar technologies, and to also establish Commercial frameworks that will facilitate trade and business transactions within the solar energy spectrum.
Keywords: Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Photovoltaic Cells, Electricity generation, Grid System, Innovative technologies.
Title: Prospects and challenges of Photovoltaic Solar Power System in the Global Energy Mix
Author: AMIEYEOFORI VALENTINE FELIX
International Journal of Engineering Research and Reviews
ISSN 2348-697X (Online)
Research Publish Journals
