Harnessing Solar Power: Designing and Optimizing Architectures for Sustainable Energy Systems

Shrikaant Kulkarni (Editor), Susanta Das (Editor)

ISBN: 9783527355969

Published: July 2026

Format: Hardcover

Language: English

Publisher: Wiley

Description

Harnessing Solar Power is a comprehensive, case-study-driven resource for designing and optimizing solar power system architectures across residential, commercial and utility-scale applications. Across 22 chapters it moves from the fundamentals of photovoltaic and solar-thermal technology through system design principles, building integration and site assessment, to the emerging role of artificial intelligence and IoT in monitoring, forecasting and optimizing solar-powered systems. The book keeps sustainability goals and workflow efficiency in view throughout, addressing corporate social responsibility, smart-city integration, rural electrification and lifecycle management alongside the technical material, so that readers can move from design principles to deployable systems.

Key Features

• Step-by-step design and optimization guidance for integrating photovoltaic arrays into building architecture (BIPV) for architects and engineering teams

• Site-assessment frameworks for evaluating solar resource potential and system sizing before installation

• AI- and IoT-based monitoring and predictive-maintenance approaches for utility-scale and rooftop solar plants

• Case studies on rural electrification and off-grid solar deployment for development and policy planning

Coverage

Solar energy fundamentals and sustainability; photovoltaic and solar-thermal principles; environmental impact assessment; corporate social responsibility in solar deployment; AI and IoT applications for solar systems; smart-city and building integration; rural electrification; site assessment and system design; lifecycle management; future innovations in solar technology.

About the Authors

Shrikaant Kulkarni, PhD, is an Adjunct Professor at the Victorian Institute of Technology, Melbourne, with over four decades of academic and industry experience. He has published more than 100 research papers and edited numerous books in fields including green chemistry and nanotechnology.

Susanta Das, PhD, is a lecturer and researcher at Ajeenkya DY Patil University, Pune. He earned his doctorate from Western Michigan University and has received numerous fellowships and awards throughout his academic career.

Table of Contents

22 chapters spanning: solar energy basics and sustainability goals; photovoltaic principles and technologies; solar-thermal systems; environmental impact of solar power; corporate social responsibility in solar projects; foundations of solar power system design; building-integrated solar architecture; site assessment and resource evaluation; artificial intelligence and IoT applications in solar monitoring; smart-city integration; rural electrification case studies; lifecycle management; and future innovations in solar technology.

Why buy this book?

Most solar energy titles cover either the physics or the policy — this one is built for the people who have to design and deliver working systems. Its architecture-and-optimization focus, backed by real case studies and a dedicated look at AI/IoT monitoring, makes it a practical addition for engineering and architecture collections as well as sustainability and energy policy libraries.

Keywords

solar power system design, photovoltaic architecture, building-integrated photovoltaics, solar site assessment, AI in solar monitoring, IoT solar systems, rural electrification, sustainable energy systems, solar thermal systems

Target Audience

Engineers, Industry practitioners, solar energy professionals, architects, urban planners, energy policy advocates, graduate students

Genre

Renewable Energy, Solar Power Engineering, Sustainable Architecture

Q&A

What does "Harnessing Solar Power" by Kulkarni and Das cover?
It covers the design and optimization of solar power system architectures, from photovoltaic and solar-thermal fundamentals through building integration, site assessment, AI/IoT-based monitoring, and lifecycle management, illustrated with case studies.

Does the book address building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)?
Yes. It provides design principles and case studies for integrating photovoltaic arrays into building architecture, alongside site-assessment methods for sizing systems correctly.

How does the book use artificial intelligence and IoT in solar power systems?
It examines how AI and IoT technologies support monitoring, forecasting and predictive maintenance for solar installations, from rooftop systems to utility-scale plants.

Who is this book written for?
It is aimed at solar energy professionals, architects, urban planners, engineers, policy advocates and graduate students working on solar system design and deployment.

Where can I buy Harnessing Solar Power?
Harnessing Solar Power by Shrikaant Kulkarni and Susanta Das is available now from CLNZ Books, with pricing that includes worldwide shipping and secure payment by card or PayPal.

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