What is the impact of climate change and geoengineering on photovoltaic electricity output?

Abstract

Photovoltaics (PV) is our fastest growing energy source and, in many countries, is stet to become a major source of electricity. However, PV electricity output is highly dependent on weather and climate – so will climate change affect PV output?

Pumping sulphate aerosols into our atmosphere has been propsed as a radical fix for climate change by reflecting more sunlight away from our planet – but does this mean less sunlight will reach the Earth’s surface and reduce PV output?

Biography

Dr Rolf Crook leads a small research team in the School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, working in the field of solar energy. The team has helped develop several solar resource models, tools, and analysis, capturing irradiance (sunlight) variation over timescales from seconds to decades. The output datasets are designed as inputs to grid impact simulations, with the ultimate aim of enabling the further installation of solar energy technology. Rolf Crook is the author of around 60 publications, many of which are available open access. He holds an MPhys from the University of Lancaster and a PhD from the University of Cambridge.

Location

Chemical & Process Engineering (1.06) Lecture Theatre B, Houldsworth building,  Chemical & Process Engineering (directions)