Solar Photovoltaic Energy Project Development on Brownfields: Leveraging Policy Incentives and Project Financing Mechanisms

This study evaluates the practice of redeveloping Brownfields with solar photovoltaic renewable energy technology. Utilizing renewable energy as a strategy to reuse contaminated or potentially contaminated property is a relatively new convention. While the benefits of redeveloping Brownfields are well established, ongoing challenges and limited literature on the subject complicate the practice. Challenges, opportunities, and benefits related to renewable energy development on Brownfields are identified and analyzed. Strategic leveraging of federal, state, local, and utility incentives for renewable energy and Brownfield revitalization, and gap finance tools is explored and evaluated. A comparison of three photovoltaic Brownfield projects is analyzed for critical success and failure factors, and lessons learned. A recommendation of best practices is made based on findings and results.

Making it easy to do the right thing in healthcare: Advancing improvement science education through accredited pan European higher education modules

Background: Numerous international policy drivers espouse the need to improve healthcare. The application of Improvement Science has the potential to restore the balance of healthcare and transform it to a more person-centred and quality improvement focussed system. However there is currently no accredited Improvement Science education offered routinely to healthcare students. This means that there are a huge number of healthcare professionals who do not have the conceptual or experiential skills to apply Improvement Science in everyday practise. Methods: This article describes how seven European Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) worked together to develop four evidence informed accredited inter-professional Improvement Science modules for under and postgraduate healthcare students. It outlines the way in which a Policy Delphi, a narrative literature review, a review of the competency and capability requirements for healthcare professionals to practise Improvement Science, and a mapping of current Improvement Science education informed the content of the modules. Results: A contemporary consensus definition of Healthcare Improvement Science was developed. The four Improvement Science modules that have been designed are outlined. A framework to evaluate the impact modules have in practise has been developed and piloted. Conclusion: The authors argue that there is a clear need to advance healthcare Improvement Science education through incorporating evidence based accredited modules into healthcare professional education. They suggest that if Improvement Science education, that incorporates work based learning, becomes a staple part of the curricula in inter-professional education then it has real promise to improve the delivery, quality and design of healthcare.

The Modelling of Photovoltaic, Solar Thermal, and Photovoltaic/Thermal Domestic Hot Water Systems

Solar heating of potable water has traditionally been accomplished through the use of solar thermal (ST) collectors. With the recent increases in availability and lower cost of photovoltaic (PV) panels, the potential of coupling PV solar arrays to electrically heated domestic hot water (DHW) tanks has been considered. Additionally, innovations in the SDHW industry have led to the creation of photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) collectors, which heat water using both electrical and thermal energy. The current work compared the performance and cost-effectiveness of a traditional solar thermal (ST) DHW system to PV-solar-electric DHW systems and a PV/T DHW system. To accomplish this, a detailed TRNSYS model of the solar hot water systems was created and annual simulations were performed for 250 L/day and 325 L/day loads in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax, and Calgary. It was shown that when considering thermal performance, PV-DHW systems were not competitive when compared to ST-DHW and PVT-DHW systems. As an example, for Toronto the simulated annual solar fractions of PV-DHW systems were approximately 30%, while the ST-DHW and PVT-DHW systems achieved 65% and 71% respectively. With current manufacturing and system costs, the PV-DHW system was the most cost-effective system for domestic purposes. The capital cost of the PV-DHW systems were approximately $1,923-$2,178 depending on the system configuration, and the ST-DHW and PVT system were estimated to have a capital cost of $2,288 and $2,373 respectively. Although the capital cost of the PVT-DHW system was higher than the other systems, a Present Worth analysis for a 20-year period showed that for a 250 L/day load in Toronto the Present Worth of the PV/T system was approximately $4,597, with PV-DHW systems costing approximately $7,683-$7,816 and the ST-DHW system costing $5,238.

Photovoltaic mechanisms in polycrystalline thin film silicon solar cells : quarterly technical progress report no. 1, July 30-October 31, 1980 /

"Work Performed Under Contract No. AC02-77CH00178."

Photovoltaic research branch semiannual report : period covered : 1 October 1979 to 31 March 1980 /

This report covers SERI research activities on solid-state theory, high-efficiency cells, thin-film cells, silicon purification, silicon crystallization, thick-film technology, surface and interface analysis, and growth of GaAs and related compounds by metal-organic chemical vapor desposition.

Advanced photovoltaic concentrator cells : quarterly technical progress report no. 5 for period September 1 - November 30, 1980 /

"Work Performed Under Contract No. AC02-77CH00178."

Zn₃P₂ as an improved semiconductor for photovoltaic solar cells : ninth quarterly report for September 1 - November 31, 1980 /

"Work Performed Under Contract No. AC02-77CH00178."

Electrochemical photovoltaic cells : quarterly technical progress report for April 15 - July 31, 1980 /

"Work Performed Under Contract No. AC02-77CH00178."

Electrochemical photovoltaic cells/stabilization and optimization of II-VI semiconductors : first technical progress report for April 15 - June 30, 1980 /

"Work Performed Under Contract No. AC02-77CH00178."

The future of photovoltaic energy conversion in developing countries /

"Work Performed Under Contract No. EG-77-C-01-4042."