School of Engineering and Technology (JA)

Demand response-fuzzy inference system controller in the multi-objective optimization design of a photovoltaic/wind turbine/battery/supercapacitor and diesel system: Case of healthcare facility

2026-04-08T08:29:24Z

Demand response-fuzzy inference system controller in the multi-objective optimization design of a photovoltaic/wind turbine/battery/supercapacitor and diesel system: Case of healthcare facility Megaptche, Christelle A.; Musau, Peter M.; Tjahè, Agnès V.; Kim, Hanki; Waita, Sebastian; Aduda, Bernard O. One of the most common causes of power outages in developing countries is a global mismatch between supply and demand. The effects of this phenomenon are especially devastating in the healthcare sector. This paper describes the management of the loads' operation using Demand Response-Fuzzy Inference System Controller (DR-FIS) for the sizing optimization of photovoltaic/wind turbine/battery/supercapacitor and photovoltaic/wind turbine/battery/diesel generator systems operating autonomously in a health center in northern Cameroon using multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) and multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) methods. The assessment criteria for this optimization are Loss of Power Supply Probability (LPSP), Net Present Cost (NPC), Cost of Energy (COE), Total Greenhouse gases Emission (TGE), Wasted Energy (WE), and Renewable Generation (REG). Implementing a Demand Response-Fuzzy Inference System controller (DR-FIS) has allowed significant energy savings (15.4130% reduction in energy demand) and increased worldwide supply–demand adequacy. This study highlights the techno-economic and environmental significance of using a supercapacitor (SC) as a backup in contrast to a diesel generator (DG), as well as the validation of its compatibility with storage batteries because of the provision of a robust energy management approach. Finally, in this study, MOGA results in better results than MOPSO after evaluating the outcomes of the various multi-objective optimization methods. This strategy enabled the determination of the ideal configuration for the studied Healthcare Center's power supply. This configuration includes the Demand Response-Fuzzy Inference System. It consists of 20 solar panels (PV), 02 wind turbines (WT), 04 batteries (BT), and 07 supercapacitors (SC) for a COE of 0.1691 $/kWh, a NPC of 1.1808e + 03 $, a TGE of 439.7901 Kg, a WE of 4.0066e + 03 Kwh, 100% REG and unfortunately 0.9858 % LPSP. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2023.117245

An interdisciplinary overview on biochar production engineering and its agronomic applications

2026-03-26T13:06:20Z

An interdisciplinary overview on biochar production engineering and its agronomic applications Muema, Faith M.; Richardson, Yohan; Keita, Amadou; Sawadogo, Marie Biochar is a porous, carbon-rich material derived from the thermochemical decomposition of biomass materials. Biochars are suitable soil amendments that enhance soil properties and improve crop productivity. Biochar agronomic impact in soils depends on its physiochemical properties. Recent research has shown that feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature are the key factors influencing biochar physiochemical properties. However, an in-depth understanding of the biochar-soil-plant co-relationship governing biochar agronomic performance still needs improvement. A comprehensive overview of the effect of biomass and pyrolysis temperature on biochar properties, mechanisms governing biochar-soil interactions impact on agronomic indices, the long-term effect of biochar, and the viability of large-scale biochar agricultural systems have been discussed. The mechanisms governing the impact of temperature and biomass properties on biochar agronomic properties are different for low temperature (<500 °C) and high temperature (>500 °C). The agronomic benefits of biochar are dependent on biochar-soil-plant interaction mechanisms. The economic and financial feasibility of large-scale production of biochar is case-specific and makes business sense when all co-pyrolysis products are recovered and sold. Understanding biochar-soil-plant-climate interaction mechanisms is key to designing biochars to address specific agronomic needs and requires an interdisciplinary and multiscale approach. Future studies should focus on long-term co-relationships among biochar physiochemical properties, soil conditions, climate, and farm management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107416

21 - Challenges and future prospects of coated fiber–reinforced polymer composites

2026-03-25T09:00:00Z

21 - Challenges and future prospects of coated fiber–reinforced polymer composites Atalie, Desalegn; Rotich, Gideon K. Coated fiber–reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have attracted attention due to their superior mechanical properties and flexibility. Advances in coating-FRP are improving performance in areas such as interfacial bonding, environmental resistance, and multifunctionality. However, there are still issues in attaining uniform coating thickness, adherence, and long-term durability. This review briefly discusses the current research on coated FRP composites, focusing on recent advancements, preparation techniques, properties, current challenges, and future prospects. DOI:10.1016/B978-0-443-22029-6.00023-X

systems for green energy growth in Garoua, Cameroon: From techno-economic and social models to policies

2026-03-11T07:17:16Z

systems for green energy growth in Garoua, Cameroon: From techno-economic and social models to policies Megaptche, Christelle A.; Waita, Sebastian; Kim, Hanki; Musau, Peter M.; Aduda, Bernard O. Access to reliable electricity is one key to a country’s economic development. However, almost 46 % of Cameroonians don’t have access to electricity. The present study employs Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) and Cuckoo Search (CS) optimization methods to investigate a thorough analysis of various hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) configurations, such as Photovoltaic – Wind turbine – Battery (PV-WT-BT), Photovoltaic –Wind turbine – Power-to-Hydrogen-to-Fuel Cell (PV-WT-P2H2FC), and Photovoltaic – Wind turbine – Battery – Power-to-Hydrogen-to-Fuel Cell (PV-WT-BT-P2H2FC) functioning as a mini-grid to supply electricity to a community in Garoua, Cameroon. Techno-economic and social assessments are covered in the analysis, highlighting each configuration’s merits and drawbacks. Key findings emphasize the critical role of visual tools like Sankey diagrams in comprehending complex energy systems and the importance of energy storage efficiency for overall system performance. The PV-WT-BT-P2H2FC configuration, optimized with MOGA, emerges as a promising option, achieving a remarkable balance between maximizing system efficiency (system efficiency = 72.91 %) and assuring system reliability (loss of power supply probability = 0.4457 %). Nonetheless, this configuration has proven to be cost-prohibitive, primarily attributable to the efficiencies of the electrolyzers and fuel cells. Economic evaluations reveal varying costs among configurations and optimization methods with battery storage as a cost driver, making PV-WT-BT with CS optimization the most economical configuration (cost of energy = 0.0727 $/kWh). Sensitivity analysis of cost highlighting the impact of improved electrolyzer and fuel cell efficiencies on the cost-effectiveness of PV-WT-P2H2FC and PV-WT-BT-P2H2FC configurations. The study also underlines the significance of HRES in improving social metrics like the Human Development Index (HDI) and Job Creation (JC), with hydrogen storage demonstrating substantial potential for green job development. Ultimately, this research offers actionable policy recommendations to promote sustainable energy adoption and creates opportunities for future developments in renewable energy technologies in Garoua, Cameroon. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2024.118804