This is a past event.

MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker Series

proudly presents

Ana Dyreson, PhD

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering—MTU

Abstract

This talk discusses the design of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for northern climates. Due to the decline in the cost of PV, the market is driving more PV growth in all climate zones, including northern climates. In addition to the differences in sunlight hours and sun angle in high latitude climates, PV in some of these climates is also impacted by snow cover. Once snow accumulates on monofacial PV panels, the power generation goes to zero or nearly zero until the snow sheds. However technological changes including bifacial PV and tracking systems benefit snowy climate installations, as does the higher albedo of snow compared to dirt or gravel below PV systems. Dr. Dyreson will discuss recent research on optimal system designs for large-scale installations in northern climates, including work by her team to test how single-axis tracking systems can be optimally controlled to reduce snow cover. This talk will also explore the potential impact of snow losses on high-penetration PV grids in the future.

Bio

Dr. Dyreson is an assistant professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Associate Director for Research at the Center for Innovation in Sustainability and Resilience at Michigan Technological University. Her research focuses on understanding weather and climate impacts on future power systems, particularly in northern and rural climates. Dr. Dyreson’s team of graduate students in mechanical engineering and environmental engineering make up the Great Lakes Energy Group. She currently leads several projects related to energy system sustainability & resilience, including on electrification of heating and cooling services in rural, northern homes. Dyreson leads the energy resilience focus area in Michigan Tech's Climate Resilience Center, C-CHARM, which addresses climate resilience in the western upper peninsula of Michigan through an interdisciplinary and community-engaged approach. She is also a collaborator on the DOE Regional Test Center for Emerging Solar Technologies.

Invited by: Radheshyam Tewari