Our Research Topics

Solar farm yield

We numerically and experimentally analyze next generation bifacial solar farms. We collaborate with Alam CEED group (Purdue) to continuously develop the bifacial solar farm model to calculate yield and cost, and optimize the system. Our miniature testbed experimentally evaluates the farm yield and benchmarks our numerical models.

Panel soiling

High dust/soiling de-rates the expected output and can reduce the profits by more than 5% -- the loss can be higher with some of the current practices of delayed cleaning. Although Asia has the highest solar farm installed capacity, it is highly prone to dust and soiling. Europe is observed to have one of the lowest soiling loss rates. Interestingly, the revenue lost is approximately 2-5% for most locations over the globe, even after optimal cleaning cycles.

Our experimental setups collect soiling rate data to aid the development of a physics-based model for cleaning-cycle prediction. A software making cleaning decisions for solar parks will help recoup significant revenue otherwise lost due to unoptimized cleaning. Besides the global interest of the study, this will be particularly important to our solar-energy industry as Bangladesh expands on its PV-renewables.

Food-energy nexus

Earth’s ever-growing population is expected to increase from 7 billion to 10 billion in the next century reaching “Full Earth” condition in terms of resources. One of our greatest challenges would be to divert our habits to sustainable production and consumption of food, energy, and water (FEW). One possible way could be to develop a wide scale agro-photovoltaics (agro-PV) system which uses the same land for crop production as well as solar energy generation. Finally, recycling and conservative usage of water completes the full cycle of the FEW sustainability.

The agro-PV system promises the farmers better combined production and open new job opportunities. Optimized nexus of Food, Energy production and Water usage (FEW) will help us leap towards “sustainability” in terms of productivity and economy.

Biosensors

TBD.

Collaborators

  1. Prof. A. Haque, East West University

  2. Prof. M. A. Alam, Purdue University (USA)

  3. Dr. R. N. Sajjad, BUET

  4. Prof. Khondaker Abdullah Al Mamun, United International University

  5. Prof. M. Rezwan Khan, United International University

  6. Prof. Roshidul Hasan, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU)