Publications related to Facade Integration of Solar Thermal Collectors: Present and Future

Modeling, design and economics of PEC devices

Photo-electrochemical (PEC) devices allow for converting solar energy into chemical energy and for the production of energetically dense solar fuels. Light absorption, charge separation and transport, electrochemical reactions, and ionic transport are requ ...

EPFL2024

Tuning the Solar Performance of Building Facades through Polymer 3D Printing: Toward Bespoke Thermo-Optical Properties

Arno Schlueter, Stephen William Wasilewski

Facades are the primary interface controlling the flow of solar energy in buildings and affecting their energy balance and environmental impact. Recently, large-scale 3D printing (3DP) of translucent polymers has been explored as a technique for fabricatin ...

Wiley2023

Photoelectrochemical Cell Engineering for Solar Energy Conversion

Dan Zhang

Solar energy is the most abundant energy source, harnessing solar energy holds the solution to the challenge of increasing global energy demand and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Photovoltaics which directly convert solar energy into electricity ...

EPFL2023

Transparent structured conductive coating for applications in smart windows

Jérémy Jacques Antonin Fleury

Solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth for a period of one hour contains more energy than that consumed by mankind over an entire year. Some of this solar energy is already collected by photovoltaic cells to cover the electricity needs of buildi ...

EPFL2023

Molecular Tailoring of Pyridine Core-Based Hole Selective Layer for Lead Free Double Perovskite Solar Cells Fabrication

Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin, Peng Huang

To solve the toxicity issues related to lead-based halide perovskitesolar cells, the lead-free double halide perovskite Cs2AgBiBr6 is proposed. However, reduced rate of charge transferin double perovskites affects optoelectronic performance. We designeda s ...

AMER CHEMICAL SOC2023

Efficient and Accurate Peer-to-Peer Training of Machine Learning Based Home Thermal Models

Rachid Guerraoui, Omid Ardakanian, Alexandre David Olivier Maurer

The integration of smart thermostats in home automation systems has created an opportunity to optimize space heating and cooling through the use of machine learning, for example for thermal model identification. Nonetheless, its full potential remains unta ...

Assoc Computing Machinery2023

Assessment of the technological viability of photoelectrochemical devices for oxygen and fuel production on Moon and Mars

Sophia Haussener, Byron Stuart Ross

Human deep space exploration is presented with multiple challenges, such as the reliable, efficient and sustainable operation of life support systems. The production and recycling of oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO2) and fuels are hereby key, as a resource resu ...

Nature Research2023

Dissecting the photoacidity of spiropyran/merocyanine molecular switches in water

Cesare Berton

Photochemistry is a discipline that studies the interaction between light and matter with the scope to induce chemical transformations. The first conjugation between light and chemistry can be dated back to the lifespan of Giacomo Luigi Ciamician, who is c ...

EPFL2023

Beam radiation penetration in particle b e ds for heat transfer modeling of a centrifugal solar particle receiver

Serdar Hiçdurmaz, Evan Fair Johnson

This article describes a study of beam radiation striking particle beds of randomly packed, spherical par-ticles. The current study is focused on concentrating solar power receivers which use solid particles as a heat transfer medium, but results are appli ...

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD2023

Renewable Energy Integration and Waste Heat Recovery for the Production of Sustainable Jet Fuel and Decarbonization of Industrial Heating Applications

François Maréchal, Daniel Alexander Florez Orrego, Meire Ellen Gorete Ribeiro Domingos, Réginald Germanier

The process synthesis and optimization methods used in this work include simulation of biomass gasification, hydrogen and synthetic natural gas production, and jet fuel production via a Fisher Tropsch unit. An energy integration approach, carried out by th ...

American Institute of Chemical Engineering2023

Kilowatt-scale solar hydrogen production system using a concentrated integrated photoelectrochemical device

Sophia Haussener, Saurabh Yuvraj Tembhurne, Clemens Gregor Suter, Isaac Thomas Holmes-Gentle

The production of synthetic fuels and chemicals from solar energy and abundant reagents offers a promising pathway to a sustainable fuel economy and chemical industry. For the production of hydrogen, photoelectrochemical or integrated photovoltaic and elec ...

2023

Selection and Optimal Use of Nanoporous Materials for Adsorption Energy Technologies

Emanuele Piccoli

Due to the large waste of heat in the power and industrial sectors, our use of energy is inefficient. Moreover, it relies on rapidly depleting and greenhouse-gas-emitting sources such as fossil fuels. While the scarcity of energy resources is a relevant so ...

EPFL2023

What is the net PV energy production in Switzerland and how can we maximize it?

Gloria Serra Coch, Pablo Francisco Martinez Alcaraz

Maximizing solar energy production in Switzerland is key to meet energy transition goals. Understanding in detail the current situation, and the potential for expansion is important to develop effective strategies. With this study, we want to contribute to ...

2023

Recognizing the life and scientific contributions of a pioneer in solar thermochemistry: Prof. Aldo Steinfeld

Sophia Haussener

Professor Aldo Steinfeld's contributions to the fields of solar thermochemistry and energy conversion are extensive and impressive. His work has greatly contributed to the ongoing transition from fossil to renewable fuels. We, his former doctoral students ...

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD2023

Spatio-Temporal Estimation of Renewable Energy Potential in Built Environments using Big Data

Alina Ursula Rosa Walch

To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change, governments around the world must shift to renewable energy (RE) to drastically reduce their CO2 emissions within the next 10-30 years. The development of effective strategies for RE integratio ...

EPFL2022

Photo‐Electrochemical Conversion of CO 2 Under Concentrated Sunlight Enables Combination of High Reaction Rate and Efficiency

Sophia Haussener, Silvan Suter, Mahendra Patel, Etienne Boutin

Photo-electrochemical production of solar fuels from carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight is an appealing approach. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to scale despite encouraging demonstrations at low power input. Higher current densities require notable ...

Wiley2022

Integrated solar-driven high-temperature electrolysis operating with concentrated irradiation

Stefan Diethelm, Jan Van Herle, Sophia Haussener, Meng Lin, Clemens Gregor Suter

High-temperature electrolysis for reducing H2O (and CO2) to H2 (and CO) converts concentrated solar energy into fuels and chemical feedstock. We invented an integrated reactor concept comprising a solar cavity receiver for reactant heating, a solid oxide e ...

2022

VO2:Ge based thermochromic solar absorber coatings

Josef Andreas Schuler, Anna Krammer

Flat plate solar collectors face the problem of overheating and the ensuing high thermal stresses and general collector damage lead to high maintenance costs. To address this challenge, absorber coatings with a passive optical switch at critically high ope ...

ELSEVIER2022

2.4-angstrom structure of the double-ring Gemmatimonas phototrophica photosystem

Henning Paul-Julius Stahlberg

Phototrophic Gemmatimonadetes evolved the ability to use solar energy following horizontal transfer of photosynthesis-related genes from an ancient phototrophic proteobacterium. The electron cryo-microscopy structure of the Gemmatimonas phototrophica photo ...

AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE2022

Electronic properties and ion migration of “in vacuo” lithiated nanoporous WO3:Mo thin films

Andreas Schueler, Josef Andreas Schuler, Luc Burnier, Jérémy Jacques Antonin Fleury

Electrochromic (EC) glazing helps manage daylight and solar heat gains in building, thereby allowing a reduction in energy consumption caused by heating, cooling, and artificial lighting. This study relates the optical and electronic properties of nanoporo ...

2022