Files and links (1)
CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Net energy–cost optimization of STPV–PDRC integrated greenhouses: Balancing energy production and cooling demand under crop-specific DLI constraints
Energy conversion and management, Vol.345, 120414
2025
Abstract
Optimizing greenhouse envelopes to balance energy efficiency, economic feasibility, and crop lighting requirements is a growing priority for sustainable agriculture. This study developed a multi-objective optimization framework integrating passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) materials and semi-transparent photovoltaics (STPV) to enhance greenhouse performance under varying daily light integral (DLI) constraints. Using coupled energy simulation, daylight analysis, and cost modeling, we evaluated material configurations across various representative DLI thresholds, reflecting different crop requirements. Also, the study presents quantitative assessment of PDRC’s contribution to cooling demand reduction (CDR). An improved equilibrium optimizer (IEO) algorithm was employed to solve the multi-objective problem. Results revealed two distinct energy benefit modes. In passive-dominant regimes (DLI = 10), PDRC coatings accounted for over 97 % of total net energy savings (7649 kWh), enabling the lowest-cost configuration ($6,800). In contrast, active-dominant regimes (DLI = 30) favored STPV deployment, achieving up to 16,290 kWh net energy with higher transparency and electrical efficiency. The results reveal that increased PDRC’s reflectivity from 0.75 to 0.89 resulted in CDR gains of over 640 kWh annually in a representative configuration. This study provides a decision-support framework for designing climate-responsive, energy-efficient greenhouses, emphasizing the critical role of material selection and spatial allocation in achieving sustainability goals.
[Display omitted]
Details
- Title
- Net energy–cost optimization of STPV–PDRC integrated greenhouses: Balancing energy production and cooling demand under crop-specific DLI constraints
- Authors/Creators
- Mohammadreza Gholam - Qatar UniversityMohammad Habib Reza - Department of Architecture, BRAC University, Dhaka 1212. BangladeshMeh Chowdhury - Department of Electrical Engineering, Qatar University, Doha 2713, QatarAli Arefi - Murdoch University, Centre for Water, Energy and WasteS M Muyeen - Qatar University
- Publication Details
- Energy conversion and management, Vol.345, 120414
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd.
- Identifiers
- 991005807945207891
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Engineering and Energy; Centre for Water, Energy and Waste
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Metrics
1 File views/ downloads
10 Record Views