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At least 1,117 records · Page 62

SolarAPP+ Pilot Analysis: Performance and Impact of Instant, Online Solar Permitting

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) led a collaborative effort to develop the Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+), a no-cost solar permitting software solution to address residential solar photovoltaic (PV) permitting resource constraints and streamline solar adoption processes among authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs). The SolarAPP+ is an online portal that automates permit plan review, enabling an instant permit approval process for code-compliant residential PV systems. Based on national model building, electrical, and fire codes, the SolarAPP+ automatically performs a compliance check of permit inputs against code requirements and produces an inspection checklist that can be used to verify installation practices, workmanship, and adherence to the approved design. NREL conducted a two-phase pilot with five participating AHJs and 16 solar contractors, spanning from November 2020 through December 2021, evaluating the ability of SolarAPP+ to deliver instant permits and its impact on four critical areas within each AHJ: permit review timelines; solar adoption timelines; AHJ time saved; and inspection results. The pilot confirmed that SolarAPP+ reduced permit review times to less than one day, reduced solar adoption timelines by an average of 12 days, saved an estimated 2,067 staff hours, and had comparable inspection results to those found in traditional permitting. The pilot further identified key lessons for improving SolarAPP+, including ways to streamline SolarAPP+ adoption, development of training resources, and expansion of supported products.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Analysis and prediction of Doppler noise during solar conjunctions

The results of a study of Doppler data noise during solar conjunctions were presented. During the first half of 1975, a sizeable data base of Doppler data noise (estimates) for the Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, and Helios 1 solar conjunctions was accumulated. To analyze this data, certain physical assumptions are made, leading to the development of a geometric parameter ("ISI") which correlates strongly with Doppler data noise under varying sun-earth-spacecraft geometries. Doppler noise models are then constructed from this parameter, resulting in the newfound ability to predict Doppler data noise during solar conjunctions, and hence to additionally be in a position to validate Doppler data acquired during solar conjunctions.

Berman, A. L.↗

Demonstration of the feasibility of automated silicon solar cell fabrication

An analysis of estimated costs indicate that for an annual output of 4,747,000 hexagonal cells (38 mm. on a side) a total factory cost of $0.866 per cell could be achieved. For cells with 14% efficiency at AMO intensity (1353 watts per square meter), this annual production rate is equivalent to 3,373 kilowatts and a manufacturing cost of $1.22 per watt of electrical output. A laboratory model of such a facility was operated to produce a series of demonstration runs, producing hexagonal cells, 2 x 2 cm cells and 2 x 4 cm cells.

Thornhill, J. W.↗

Ion sound turbulence in the solar wind

A stability analysis for ion sound is carried out in order to contribute to clarifying the mechanism of some observed fluctuations, which directly uses detailed measured particle distributions rather than model distributions. Correlation with measured wave activity is satisfactory. Valuable information about the instability mechanism, transport processes, and the accuracy of measured distributions can be obtained by this method. An illustration from Helios 1 data is presented.

Dum, C. T.↗

Solar rotation measurements at Mount Wilson. I - Analysis and instrumental effects

We examine the background velocity fields of the sun as observed at Mount Wilson. The method of velocity reduction of the full-disk Mount Wilson data is outlined. We describe a number of tests that have been carried out in order to find an instrumental origin for short-term rotation variations and a large-scale background line-shift - the ears. No instrumental cause can be found for this ear effect, although such a cause cannot yet be ruled out.

Howard, R.↗

Analysis of a high-performance tubular solar collector

This article analyzes the thermal performance of a new vacuum tube solar collector. The assumptions and mathematical modeling are presented. The problem is reduced to the formulation of two simultaneous linear differential equations characterizing the collector thermal behavior. After applying the boundary conditions, a general solution is obtained which is found similar to the general Hottel, Whillier and Bliss form, but with a complex flow factor. The details of the two-dimensional thermal model of the solar collector at steady state is also presented to include the computer simulation and the performance parameterization. Comparison of the simulated performance with the manufacturer's test data showed good agreement at wide ranges of operating conditions.

Lansing, F. L.↗

Analysis of extreme-ultraviolet spectroheliograms of solar prominences

The optical depth at the head of the Lyman continuum, tau sub H, was determined at several positions in three hedgerow prominences using spectroheliograms of C III 977 A, LC 896 A, and O IV 554 A, observed with the Harvard experiment on Skylab. It is found that tau sub H varies over a wide range at positions even in a single prominence. At the central part of the prominences where the opacity is largest, tau sub H reaches a maximum value of 30 to 50 for the three prominences. In general, tau sub H decreases with height in the prominences. Most positions near the outer boundary of the prominences are optically thin in the LC (tau sub H less than 1). The determination of tau sub H for P23 is consistent with the data of the Mg X spectroheliograms

Kanno, M.↗

Analysis of magnesium XI line profiles from solar active regions

High-resolution solar spectra of the Mg XI 1s2 1S0-1s2p 1P1 resonance line at 9.169 A and the associated nearby satellite lines obtained from two rocket-borne crystal spectrometer measurements are presented. Comparisons with two independent sets of theoretical calculations for the 1s2nl-1s2pnl dielectronic satellite lines with n = 3-7 indicate electron temperatures of 4-4.5 million K. Measured line widths indicate either that the ion temperature exceeds the electron temperature by about a million K or that about 28 km/s of turbulence is present.

Blake, R. L.↗

Sensitivity analysis of high-efficiency silicon solar-cell design parameters

Silicon solar cell design parameters were investigated to determine their bearing on cell efficiency. Among the parameters reviewed were: (1) bulk resistivity, (2) minority carrier lifetime cell thickness, (3) front junction depth, (4) front surface doping concentration, (5) front surface recombination velocity, and (6) back surface contact. The following were concluded: (1) there is good agreement between experimental and simulation results; (2) sheet material quality improvement is needed for high efficiency cells; (3) 20% cell of this design is feasible with 10 ms bulk lifetime material; and (4) for achieving efficiencies higher than 20% new cell designs including thin cells with light trapping and back surface field should be considered.

Mokashi, A. R.↗

Analysis of DRIRU bearings and lubricant from solar max repair mission

The Solar Maximum Repair Mission (SMRM) by the shuttle astronauts in April 1984, returned to Earth the Delta Redundant Inertial Reference Unit 2 (DRIRU 2) from the Solar Maximum satellite. The DRIRU 2 included three gyroscopes. The gyroscope, S/N 094, in position 2 was disassembled by Teledyne Systems personnel of Northridge, California, and the bearings were returned to Goddard Space Flight Center for examination. The Solar Max Satellite was in orbit for 4 years with the bearings running continuously at 6000 rpm. The ball bearings, had sufficient remaining lubrication and had runs successfully for over the last 4 years. As a result of these findings, the bearings should have lasted their predicted life of 5 years with no problems.

Uber, J. M.↗

Analysis of micrometeorite material captured by the solar max satellite

A Solar Maximum satellite was retrieved and repaired after being subjected for four years and 55 days to impacts by micrometeorites and Earth-orbiting space debris. The chemical variety and physical condition of particles associated with two particular impact structures in the insulation blanket of the main electronics box are studied. A scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X ray analyzer was used to determine morphology and chemistry of impacted areas and associated particles. Some details are discussed.

Schramm, L. S.↗

Stratospheric profiles of heavy water vapor isotopes and CH3D from analysis of the ATMOS Spacelab 3 infrared solar spectra

The isotopic composition of stratospheric water vapor and methane was investigated. Stratospheric profiles of HDO, (H-18)2O, (H-17)2O, and CH3D were derived from solar occultation spectra recorded on April 30 - May 1, 1985 by the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy Fourier transform spectrometer aboard Spacelab 3. The profiles of the three water-vapor isotopes showed an increase in the volume mixing ratio with altitude. The measured profiles of D/H in water vapor showed a large depletion in the lower stratosphere (about 63 percent relative to standard mean ocean water, SMOW, at 20 km) and a small increase in D/H with altitude at higher altitudes, up to 34 km. The D/H ratio in stratospheric methane was close to the corresponding isotopic ratio in SMOW.

Rinsland, C. P.↗

A Statistical Analysis of Loop-Top Motion in Solar Limb Flares

Previous studies of hot, thermal solar flare loops imaged with the Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) have identified several flares for which the loop top shrinks downward early in the impulsive phase and then expands upward later in the impulsive phase (Sui & Holman 2003; Sui, Holman & Dennis 2004; Veronig et al. 2005). This early downward motion is not predicted by flare models. We study a statistical sample of RHESSI flares to assess how common this evolution is and to better characterize it. In a sample of 88 flares near the solar lin$ that show identifiable loop structure in RHESSI images, 66% (58 flares) showed downward loop-top motion followed by upward motion. We therefore conclude that the early downward motion is a frequent characteristic of flare loops. We obtain the distribution of the timing of the change from downward to upward motion relative to flare start and peak times. We also obtain the distributions of downward and upward speeds.

Holman, Gordon D.↗