In regions where solar energy is abundant, solar energy can play a vital role in attaining energy sustainability. Sizing solar energy systems requires the availability of solar radiation data on horizontal surface which can then be used to calculate solar radiation intensity on any tilted...

Technological advances in photovoltaic energy and reductions in the costs of photovoltaic (PV) cells make it likely that the roofs and faces of buildings will in the near future be clad with PV materials. These materials will act as insulation (passive efficiency), as a heat source (hot water)...

The Earth-Air Heat Exchanger (EAHE) is a device used to improve the thermal condition of built environments, allowing the reduction of electrical energy consumption of traditional air conditioner systems. Fundamentally, its operational principle is based on fluid mechanics and heat transfer,...

Desalination of water is essential to supply sufficient good quality water to remote areas to satisfy various needs. Saudi Arabia has enormous amount of deep water and the underground water in many areas of this country is so brackish that it requires extensive pre-treatment. In order to utilise...

This paper deals with the development and performance characteristics of a low-cost dish solar concentrator and its application in zeolite desorption. The dish solar concentrator consists of an old damaged satellite dish, purchased from a scrap yard, and a polymer mirror film used as reflecting...

Following the detailed study of the three modules of the Solar Multiple Condensation Evaporation Cycle (SMCEC)-based desalination unit located in Sfax, Tunisia, it was found necessary to couple the three modules, to simulate the desalination unit operation in an environment close to that of the...

The first zero-energy office building in Singapore uses building integrated photovoltaics to meet its energy target. The main electricity generator is the 142.5kWp grid-connected BIPV system on the roof of the building. This paper presents the first performance assessment of the BIPV system over...

Solar water heating systems are widely used in Brazil for domestic purposes in single-family households. The exploitation of the potential energy of the water from the upper tank and the thermosyphon phenomena for hot water circulation constitutes the absolute majority of the residential solar...

Water is a strategic commodity. Presently, scarcity of water supply in the GCC countries is overcome by desalination plants using depletable fossil fuels. The region will face major challenges to secure water supply in the next century and beyond. Coupling sea water and solar energy is the only...

A specifically designed solar desalinization system with a solar collector (about 2.01 m2 in area) has been developed and tested under practical weather conditions. In this system, a considerable fraction of the latent and sensible heat is successfully recycled and utilized for preheating the...