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In the field of aviation, solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have attracted attention owing to their high-altitude cruise and the availability of renewable energy , .
As shown in Fig. 1(a), the energy supply system, which includes photovoltaic and battery systems, provides the UAVs with energy during the cruise. The photovoltaic system contains photovoltaic arrays and a maximum power point tracker (MPPT).
Considering the actual situation in the flight process, the principle of energy distribution was used to distribute the energy inside the UAVs, and the energy distribution of solar-powered UAVs was optimized using a multi-objective genetic algorithm. A solution flow chart involving all models is shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 7. Model solving flow chart.
Fuel cells, particularly proton exchange membranes, demonstrate high energy density, enabling long flight durations for lightweight UAVs, yet face challenges such as slow response and hydrogen storage limitations.
Czechia registered strong PV capacity growth in 2023, driven by a surge in residential installations. The nation’s PV association says it expects a shift toward larger power plants in the coming year, but notes the need for more energy storage capacity.
At the end of 2021, there were over 50,000 photovoltaic power plants with an installed capacity of about 2200 MWp in the Czech Republic. There were 500 solar parks with a capacity of over 1 MWp. During 2022, the number of installations rose to almost 85,000 PV plants with a total capacity of 2,460 MWp.
Czechia built around 1 GW of new PV plants in 2023, according to data from the Czech Solar Association (Solární Asociace). In total, 82,799 solar power plants were connected to the grid, with a combined total output of 970 MW. The nation achieved a record-breaking year with 145% growth, connecting 49,000 more power plants than it did in 2022.
Bulk energy storage is currently dominated by hydroelectric dams, both conventional as well as pumped. There are six localities considered for new pumped-storage hydroelectric power plants in the Czech Republic but public acceptance presents a challenge. Front-of-meter installations in the Czech Republic are mired in regulations.
