A team of international scientists has developed a new portable photovoltaic system integrated into an aerostatic balloon for low-altitude distributed applications in mid to high latitudes.
The latest frontier of solar integration? Flying photovoltaic balloons. These would be used to deliver energy to areas where fixed systems are unsuitable or unfeasible. The idea came from a group of engineers from Southwest Jiaotong University (China), Guizhou University (China), and Mälardalen University (Sweden). In a recent publication in the scientific journal Energy, the group describes a new portable photovoltaic system based on the use of low-altitude aerostatic balloons.
To be clear: this approach is not new. In recent years, several projects and industry research have imagined taking solar panels “off the ground,” either at low or high altitudes, integrating them into kites, balloons, or airships. In some cases, the idea even goes as far as launching them into space to create massive photovoltaic power plants in orbit.
The new study follows this trend but with a more specific goal: to create a device that offers greater benefits at high latitudes compared to fixed systems.
“Climate, season, and geographical location have significant effects on solar radiation intensity and sunlight duration, especially at high latitudes like northern Europe,” the scientists write. “In these regions, the winter period can extend for several months, characterized by reduced radiation, shorter sunlight duration, minimal photovoltaic system output, and prolonged susceptibility to damage from snow and ice. As a result, fixed distributed photovoltaic systems are considered less suitable for analysis in such areas. In contrast, the flexible distributed photovoltaic system, characterized by a smaller scale and diversified applications, lends itself to integration with portable design and concentration technology, thereby expanding its potential for distribution across various applications.”
To build their “flying photovoltaic balloons,” the engineering team used CdTe solar cells, a thin, flexible, and lightweight technology. The units were attached to the underside of a transparent aerostatic balloon filled with a low-density mixture of air and eco-friendly helium to keep the system at low altitude. The system was also equipped with control and storage modules, fixed ropes, and a cable reel.
The team then studied the electrical generation potential of 10,000 photovoltaic balloons in the cities of Västerås, Vancouver, New York, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. The simulation results showed an average monthly photovoltaic production of 3.921 GWh, 4.238 GWh, 4.275 GWh, 3.337 GWh, and 3.379 GWh over the year (taking into account only the actual working months). The performance showed superior results at medium-to-high latitudes compared to low latitudes.
The research, titled A portable balloon integrated photovoltaic system deployed at low altitude, was conducted by Tingsheng Zhang, Lingfei Qi, Zutao Zhang, and Jinyue Yan and published in Energy.
