The Determinants of Energy Efficiency Investments in the U.S.

31 p.

Price Premium for High-Efficiency Refrigerators and Calculation of Price-Elasticities for Close-Substitutes: Combining Hedonic Pricing and Demand Systems

21 p.

Economic Efficiency, Environmental Effectiveness and Political Feasibility of Energy Efficiency Rebates: The Case of the Spanish Energy Efficiency 'Renove' Plan

29 p.

Economic Evaluation of Energy Efficiency Labelling in Domestic Appliances: the Spanish Market

30 p.

Design strategies for ultra-high efficiency photovoltaics

While concentrator photovoltaic cells have shown significant improvements in efficiency in the past ten years, once these cells are integrated into concentrating optics, connected to a power conditioning system and deployed in the field, the overall module efficiency drops to only 34 to 36%. This efficiency is impressive compared to conventional flat plate modules, but it is far short of the theoretical limits for solar energy conversion. Designing a system capable of achieving ultra high efficiency of 50% or greater cannot be achieved by refinement and iteration of current design approaches.

This thesis takes a systems approach to designing a photovoltaic system capable of 50% efficient performance using conventional diode-based solar cells. The effort began with an exploration of the limiting efficiency of spectrum splitting ensembles with 2 to 20 sub cells in different electrical configurations. Incorporating realistic non-ideal performance with the computationally simple detailed balance approach resulted in practical limits that are useful to identify specific cell performance requirements. This effort quantified the relative benefit of additional cells and concentration for system efficiency, which will help in designing practical optical systems.

Efforts to improve the quality of the solar cells themselves focused on the development of tunable lattice constant epitaxial templates. Initially intended to enable lattice matched multijunction solar cells, these templates would enable increased flexibility in band gap selection for spectrum splitting ensembles and enhanced radiative quality relative to metamorphic growth. The III-V material family is commonly used for multijunction solar cells both for its high radiative quality and for the ease of integrating multiple band gaps into one monolithic growth. The band gap flexibility is limited by the lattice constant of available growth templates. The virtual substrate consists of a thin III-V film with the desired lattice constant. The film is grown strained on an available wafer substrate, but the thickness is below the dislocation nucleation threshold. By removing the film from the growth substrate, allowing the strain to relax elastically, and bonding it to a supportive handle, a template with the desired lattice constant is formed. Experimental efforts towards this structure and initial proof of concept are presented.

Cells with high radiative quality present the opportunity to recover a large amount of their radiative losses if they are incorporated in an ensemble that couples emission from one cell to another. This effect is well known, but has been explored previously in the context of sub cells that independently operate at their maximum power point. This analysis explicitly accounts for the system interaction and identifies ways to enhance overall performance by operating some cells in an ensemble at voltages that reduce the power converted in the individual cell. Series connected multijunctions, which by their nature facilitate strong optical coupling between sub-cells, are reoptimized with substantial performance benefit.

Photovoltaic efficiency is usually measured relative to a standard incident spectrum to allow comparison between systems. Deployed in the field systems may differ in energy production due to sensitivity to changes in the spectrum. The series connection constraint in particular causes system efficiency to decrease as the incident spectrum deviates from the standard spectral composition. This thesis performs a case study comparing performance of systems over a year at a particular location to identify the energy production penalty caused by series connection relative to independent electrical connection.

I. The effects of variations in certain parameters upon the efficiency of in vivo hemodialysis with a Kiil dialyzer. II. Interfacial structure of concurrent air-water flow in a two-inch diameter horizontal tube.

Part I

Regression analyses are performed on in vivo hemodialysis data for the transfer of creatinine, urea, uric acid and inorganic phosphate to determine the effects of variations in certain parameters on the efficiency of dialysis with a Kiil dialyzer. In calculating the mass transfer rates across the membrane, the effects of cell-plasma mass transfer kinetics are considered. The concept of the effective permeability coefficient for the red cell membrane is introduced to account for these effects. A discussion of the consequences of neglecting cell-plasma kinetics, as has been done to date in the literature, is presented.

A physical model for the Kiil dialyzer is presented in order to calculate the available membrane area for mass transfer, the linear blood and dialysate velocities, and other variables. The equations used to determine the independent variables of the regression analyses are presented. The potential dependent variables in the analyses are discussed.

Regression analyses were carried out considering overall mass-transfer coefficients, dialysances, relative dialysances, and relative permeabilities for each substance as the dependent variables. The independent variables were linear blood velocity, linear dialysate velocity, the pressure difference across the membrane, the elapsed time of dialysis, the blood hematocrit, and the arterial plasma concentrations of each substance transferred. The resulting correlations are tabulated, presented graphically, and discussed. The implications of these correlations are discussed from the viewpoint of a research investigator and from the viewpoint of patient treatment.

Recommendations for further experimental work are presented.

Part II

The interfacial structure of concurrent air-water flow in a two-inch diameter horizontal tube in the wavy flow regime has been measured using resistance wave gages. The median water depth, r.m.s. wave height, wave frequency, extrema frequency, and wave velocity have been measured as functions of air and water flow rates. Reynolds numbers, Froude numbers, Weber numbers, and bulk velocities for each phase may be calculated from these measurements. No theory for wave formation and propagation available in the literature was sufficient to describe these results.

The water surface level distribution generally is not adequately represented as a stationary Gaussian process. Five types of deviation from the Gaussian process function were noted in this work. The presence of the tube walls and the relatively large interfacial shear stresses precludes the use of simple statistical analyses to describe the interfacial structure. A detailed study of the behavior of individual fluid elements near the interface may be necessary to describe adequately wavy two-phase flow in systems similar to the one used in this work.

Efficiency and inefficiency in the operation of the Bureau of Power and Light of Los Angeles, California

In work of this nature it is advisable to state definitely the problem attempted in order that the reader may have a clear understanding of the object of the work undertaken. The problem involved is to determine the efficiency and inefficiency in the operation of the Bureau of Power and Light of Los Angeles, California, as it exists at the present time. This will be more on the order of a government investigation than a purely engineering thesis. An engineering thesis consists or reports based on experiments and tests, etc., while the present undertaking will consist of investigation of the facts concerning the organization, operation and conduct of the business of the Bureau of Power and Light. The facts presented were obtained from several sources: (1) the writer's knowledge of the business; (2) books written on municipal ownership; (3) reports published by the Bureau, and (4) personal interviews with men connected with the organization. I have endeavored to draw conclusions from the facts thus obtained, as to the present status of the Bureau of Power and Light.

Respiration and the efficiency of energy during embryonic development of Asellus aquaticus L. (Crustacea) [Translation from: Vestsi Akademii Navuk Belorusskoi SSR, Seriya Biyal. 1978(5) 112-114, 1978]

Experimental studies were carried out on the transformation of matter and energy during embryonic development of the isopod Crustacea Asellus aquaticus L. under two constant temperatures. Material for the experiments was collected in the quarry lakes of the Kurasovshchin-zone (city-Minsk) at 9°C in April and at 18°C in June, 1977. The rate of consumption of oxygen per specimen by eggs and embryos of Asellus aquaticus was observed and dynamics of the basic biological characteristics during embryonic development studied.

Readout of a real-time hologram in bacteriorhodopsin film with high diffraction efficiency and intensity

A scheme for the readout of a hologram recorded in bacteriorhodopsin film with high diffraction efficiency and intensity is suggested and demonstrated. Two weak coherent continuous beams function as the recording beams, and a strong light pulse is used to read the real-time hologram. The width of the readout light pulse is modulated to be short compared with the erase time of the reading beam; the time space between two adjacent pulses is ensured to be longer than the time the beams take to recover the hologram, and high diffraction efficiency and intensity (similar to 11 mW/cm(2)) can be obtained. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America.

Effect of absorption on the diffraction efficiency in Fe : LiNbO3 crystal with 90 degrees recording geometry

In this paper the saturated diffraction efficiency has been optimized by considering the effect of the absorption of the recording light on a crossed-beam grating with 90 degrees recording geometry in Fe:LiNbO3 crystals. The dependence of saturated diffraction efficiency on the doping levels with a known oxidation-reduction state, as well as the dependence of saturated diffraction efficiency on oxidation-reduction state with known doping levels, has been investigated. Two competing effects on the saturated diffraction efficiency were discussed, and the intensity profile of the diffracted beam at the output boundary has also been investigated. The results show that the maximal saturated diffraction efficiency can be obtained in crystals with moderate doping levels and modest oxidation state. An experimental verification is performed and the results are consistent with those of the theoretical calculation.

High-efficiency reflective diffraction gratings in fused silica as (de)multiplexers at 1.55 mu m for dense wavelength division multiplexing application

We describe high-efficiency, high-dispersion reflection gratings fabricated in bulk fused Silica illuminated by incident lights in the C + L bands as (de)multiplexers for dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) application. Based on the phenomenon of total internal reflection, gratings with optimized profile parameters exhibit diffraction efficiencies of more than 90% under TM- and TE-polarized incident lights for 101-nm spectral bandwidths (1520-1620 nm) and can reach an efficiency of greater than 97% for both polarizations at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Without loss of metal absorption, without coating of dielectric film layers, and independent of tooth shape, this new kind of grating should be of great interest for DWDM application. (C) 2005 Optical Society of America.

The efficiency of plankton in the utilization of the sun radiation [Translation from: Briroda, 12, 29-35, 1948]

The efficiency of utilisation of the sun's radiation by natural communities has not been properly demonstrated with what so far has been obtained of reliable values, and it represents a great interest in many respects. A systematic study of the biotic balance of lakes was done in the course of a succession of summers starting in 1932, extensive material was obtained, which permitted to compute a value fear the utilisation of the sun's radiation by plankton in lakes, and to compare this with corresponding values for marine plankton and terrestrial vegetation.

Deep-etched high-density fused-silica transmission gratings with high efficiency at a wavelength of 1550 nm

We describe the design, fabrication, and excellent performance of an optimized deep-etched high-density fused-silica transmission grating for use in dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) systems. The fabricated optimized transmission grating exhibits an efficiency of 87.1% at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Inductively coupled plasma-etching technology was used to fabricate the grating. The deep-etched high-density fused-silica transmission grating is suitable for use in a DWDM system because of its high efficiency, low polarization-dependent loss, parallel demultiplexing, and stable optical performance. The fabricated deep-etched high-density fused-silica transmission gratings should play an important role in DWDM systems. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

High-efficiency diffraction gratings in fused silica at the wavelength of 632.8 nm

We describe high-efficiency diffraction gratings fabricated in fused silica at the wavelength of 632.8 nm by rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA). High-density holographic gratings, if the groove density falls within the range of 1575-1630 lines/mm and the groove depth within the range of 1.1-1.3 microns, can realize high diffraction efficiencies at the wavelength of 632.8 nm, e.g., the first Bragg diffraction efficiency can theoretically achieve more than 93% both in TE- and TM-polarized incidences, which greatly reduces the polarization-dependent losses. Note that with different groove profiles further optimized, the maximum efficiency of more than 99.69% can be achieved for TM-polarized incidence, or 97.81% for TE-polarized incidence.

Photonic and Device Design Principles for Ultrahigh-Efficiency (>50%), Spectrum-Splitting Photovoltaics

The sun has the potential to power the Earth's total energy needs, but electricity from solar power still constitutes an extremely small fraction of our power generation because of its high cost relative to traditional energy sources. Therefore, the cost of solar must be reduced to realize a more sustainable future. This can be achieved by significantly increasing the efficiency of modules that convert solar radiation to electricity. In this thesis, we consider several strategies to improve the device and photonic design of solar modules to achieve record, ultrahigh (> 50%) solar module efficiencies. First, we investigate the potential of a new passivation treatment, trioctylphosphine sulfide, to increase the performance of small GaAs solar cells for cheaper and more durable modules. We show that small cells (mm2), which currently have a significant efficiency decrease (~ 5%) compared to larger cells (cm2) because small cells have a higher fraction of recombination-active surface from the sidewalls, can achieve significantly higher efficiencies with effective passivation of the sidewalls. We experimentally validate the passivation qualities of treatment by trioctylphosphine sulfide (TOP:S) through four independent studies and show that this facile treatment can enable efficient small devices. Then, we discuss our efforts toward the design and prototyping of a spectrum-splitting module that employs optical elements to divide the incident spectrum into different color bands, which allows for higher efficiencies than traditional methods. We present a design, the polyhedral specular reflector, that has the potential for > 50% module efficiencies even with realistic losses from combined optics, cell, and electrical models. Prototyping efforts of one of these designs using glass concentrators yields an optical module whose combined spectrum-splitting and concentration should correspond to a record module efficiency of 42%. Finally, we consider how the manipulation of radiatively emitted photons from subcells in multijunction architectures can be used to achieve even higher efficiencies than previously thought, inspiring both optimization of incident and radiatively emitted photons for future high efficiency designs. In this thesis work, we explore novel device and photonic designs that represent a significant departure from current solar cell manufacturing techniques and ultimately show the potential for much higher solar cell efficiencies.