Advanced Collaborative Research Organization for Smart Society (ACROSS)Waseda University

Research Institutes

Research Institute of Photovoltaic Power Generation System

Aiming for value improvement of solar power generation

Director : Prof. Shinji WAKAO

We make full use of techniques such as optimization calculation, statistical estimation, and machine learning to develop various technologies to smartly utilize solar power, whose generation power depends on the weather. We will use these techniques to draw out the potential value of solar power, and contribute to the realization of carbon neutrality.

Research themes

The development of natural energy as a replacement for fossil fuel energy is one of the most important issues, and is essential to realize a sustainable society. In addition, it is important to examine the role of the supplier of energy in times of disaster such as the Great East Japan Earthquake. However, at present, environmental problems are becoming more serious as seen in the increased severity of disasters caused by abnormal weather conditions like the heavy winds and rain of recent years. Thus, discussions on what contribution can be made to realize photovoltaics (PV) are important.

So far the focus of technology development in photovoltaic generation has been on the solar panels themselves, in other words, the device field. The cause here has been the difficulty engendered by the need for large surface areas of solar panels to create sufficient energy, due to the low density of energy from solar radiation. Also, there is a difficulty that is characteristic of natural energy, which is that the power generation varies according to the weather conditions. When considering large-scale PV installations in the future, the impact on people downstream will be even more serious. An electrical network delivers the electrical power generated to the load, and as the proportion of solar generated electricity increases, with its variations in load over time, the output control on the network will have even more instability issues due to surpluses and an increase in power shortages. This will lead to increasing problems such as the declining quality of electrical power, and of conservation and security. Even if power can be generated from natural energy, if the power can’t be transmitted to the load in a reasonably stable and economic way, then the value of using a renewable energy source that is eco-friendly is cut in half. Given this background, the importance of R&D in the systems field to cover instability of power output from photovoltaic generation is rapidly increasing, with a general effort needed on the possible controls that link electric networks to achieve overall balance in the network systems.

We are working on development of optimal technology design for energy network systems including distributed solar power generation, development of energy management methods including forecasts of amounts of solar radiation, and research into hybrid power generation systems that combine distributed power sources using natural energy and different types of power sources. We have introduced techniques such as optimization calculation, statistical estimation, and machine learning in our effort to develop technology that uses solar power smartly, and not be affected by variations in weather.

Project members

Director

Shinji WAKAO (Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering)

Institute Members

Yoshiharu AMANO (Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Yushi KAMIYA (Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Shin-ichi TANABE (Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Yasuhiro HAYASHI (Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Noboru MURATA (Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Shinji WAKAO (Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering)

Contact

#63-6-16 Nishiwaseda Campus, Waseda University Shinji WAKAO

3-4-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 〒169-8555
【E-mail】 [email protected]
【WEB】 http://www.wakao.eb.waseda.ac.jp/wakao/

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