Role of immersive visualization tools in renewable energy system development,☆☆

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109363Get rights and content

Highlights

  • One of the first multi-disciplinary review on the impact of immersive visualization tools used in renewable energy source development.

  • Overview of the key immersive visualization tools used in renewable energy source development.

  • A detailed review of the current progress in integration of immersive visualization tools in RES development.

  • Discussion on the benefits and limitations on the use of immersive visualization tools in renewable energy development.

  • A detailed review on 41 software packages and 163 research articles used in renewable energy development.

Abstract

Hybrid renewable energy systems (RESs) are being widely utilized as an alternate source of energy for mitigating the rapidly increasing energy demand. Explicit representation of the results obtained from the impact analysis made on a newly proposed or an existing hybrid RES is complex, and it requires powerful visualization tools. Over the years, various visualization techniques were developed towards addressing this problem. Therefore, the use of visualization techniques are continuously growing and have been the focus of many researchers across the world. This review article presents a comprehensive analysis of the advancements in the use of different immersive visualization (IV) tools in state-of-the-art RES development. A total of 41 software packages and a collection of recently published research articles in the field of RES development incorporated with advanced IV tools was identified and critically reviewed based on its use-case, accessibility, complexity, robustness, immersivity, and adaptability. Finally, a list of fit-for-purpose software packages that could be used at different stages of the RES development is recommended. A summary of the current advancements in the use of the IV tools in RES development is presented to highlight the broader potential of multidisciplinary applications of the advanced IV tools in RES development.

Introduction

Energy demand and consumption rates are significantly influenced by the expeditious urbanization, population growth, and technological advancements [1,2]. Energy demand caused by daily human activities, including maintenance and development of urban infrastructure, industrial manufacturing, and transportation is primarily addressed by conventional energy resources (fossil fuels). However, using conventional energy resources causes adverse environmental impact leading to global warming and climate change. Therefore, entirely relying on conventional energy resources to produce electricity is considered an ineffective solution. Renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, tidal, biomass, hydro, geothermal, etc., reduce adverse environmental, economic, and social impact, thereby making it a sustainable choice to address this issue [3]. Recent advancements in the field of battery storage and highly efficient power electronic converters prove that the vision of replacing conventional fossil fuels by 100% renewable energy is feasible. However, renewable energy systems (RESs) have a drawback in relation to the dependency of stochastic weather conditions, which has to be considered when modeling the system.

Clear visualization of the energy demand distribution pattern and impact analysis of a newly proposed or an existing hybrid RES is complex, and it requires a powerful visualization tool. Usage of advanced simulation packages integrated with computer-aided designing (CAD)/immersive visualization (IV) tools addresses this continuously growing requirement and has been the focus of many researchers across the world till date. Fig. 1 illustrates the geographical distribution of research articles published in the field relevant to the use of IV tools in RES development obtained from the web of science (WoS).

IV tools like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), augmented virtuality (or) mixed reality, basic interactive two-/three-dimensional visualization (2D/3D viz) and few more are mainly considered to be used in RES development. Inclusion of visualization tools into the existing RES development packages facilitates in better understanding of complex, multi-aspect, multidimensional data and blurs the line between physical and digital world to provide a sense of immersion to evaluate the newly proposed RES. In addition to the basic photomontages and 3D models used in standard RES development packages, advanced IV tools bring the paradigm of mixed reality, which assists in many ways with respect to the development of interactive simulations. With the increasing demand for RES development and the limitless potential of IV tools, creating a collaboration between these two domains is highly encouraged. Numerous studies and software packages have been explored in the use of IV tools in RES development, which is collectively reviewed in this article.

Drigas et al. [4] highlight the rapid development in information communication technologies revealing its potential in the RES development. Alongside technological advancements, presenting reality and establishing the communication between researchers and end-users is facilitated by the use of IV tools [5]. A summary of the existing review articles highlighting the critical observations on different software packages used in RES development is presented in Table 1. In spite of the significant numbers review articles published focusing on the software packages used in RES development, the importance of visualization techniques incorporated into these software packages is not explored. To address this gap, a critical review of the influence of IV tools in software packages and research articles used in different stages of RES development is presented in this manuscript.

A collection of 41 software packages and state-of-the-art research articles in the field of RES development incorporated with advanced IV tools was identified and critically reviewed based on its use-case, accessibility, complexity, robustness, immersivity, and adaptability in this review. The review article is organized as follows: Firstly, the different stages of RES development and the advantages of identified software packages where deliberately discussed in section 2.1 and 2.2. Section 2.3 presented a critical review on the use of IV tools in research articles based on the use of IV in RES development. Later, in section 3, the importance and advantages of the collaboration of IV tools with RES development were discussed. Finally, in section 4, the tables listed in the review are presented, and in section 5, we conclude the article.

The conventional RES consists of energy generation sources (solar and wind) along with appropriate AC/DC or DC/AC converters, power conditioning units, battery storage system, and fluctuating load. RESs can operate either as a standalone or grid-connected, as shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 3. Solar energy is a form of the renewable energy resource which is widely utilized in different industries as an alternate source of power considering its abundant availability and carbon-free characteristics. Solar energy can be efficiently trapped by using the PV panel, solar thermal or concentrated solar systems; it provides excellent environmental benefits in comparison to non-renewable sources. Among which, solar PV is the most frequently used system which converts the abundant solar energy into electricity. In the Australian context, the utilization of solar energy in different sectors has increased drastically, mainly because of the influence on the reduction of GHG emission [6]. Fig. 4 illustrates the decline of the GHG emission due to the use of solar PV systems, and Fig. 5 highlights the relationship between the total generation capacity and peak demand of Australia.

Wind energy is widely used in countries with excessive coastal areas or high wind velocity rates [3]. Wind turbines convert the lateral wind motion into rotational kinetic energy that drives electricity generators. Highly competent, well-developed systems and virtually pollution-free characteristic of wind turbines encourage the extensive application worldwide [8]. For developing countries with high energy demand, wind energy is considered a useful alternative source considering its low maintenance characteristics and remote accessibility [3]. For example, countries like India have excellent potential for wind energy development, considering the geographical location [9]. Installing wind energy systems involves several challenges, such as extensive landscaping, noise pollution and adverse impact on wildlife biodiversity. Poor decision making while planning the wind energy system will have a significant effect on the time, effort, and public concern [5,10]. The rotation of the blades of wind turbines induces a visual and aural impact. Incorporation of IV tools can help in simulating such situations and carrying out an impact analysis of such adverse disturbances in a remote environment [10]. Research areas like acoustic impact analysis of a new blade design of wind turbine [5], the effect of partial shading in solar PV installation in smart city design, etc., can be benefited by the use of IV tools. The different stages in RES development are classified into three types, which is explained in detail in the following section.

Planning stage (PS) is the initial stage of RES development projects, and it has a significant impact on the overall success. PV systems, wind turbines, and other renewable setups have a high installation cost, which makes the PS an essential phase in RES development. Therefore, proper planning is necessary to construct a cost-effective solution that enables on-time project delivery. Complete and accurate data collection is a crucial thing to note in order to reduce the inaccuracies of the planned RES. For example, proper site inspection must be conducted before any installations to ensure that the system produces the highest level of power output. The geographic location is a vital parameter to be observed in this stage, considering its influence on the power output and noise level. Decisions related to the use of the proposed setup as an off-grid (also known as standalone) or grid-connected configuration largely depends on information obtained from the site visit. This process is critical because the location of the site dictates the performance of the RES. Several parameters are influenced by site location (e.g., amount of sunlight received at a certain point, wind speed at the selected area). Therefore, the installation location (e.g., geographical location, weather data, and user requirements) must be appropriately inspected before setting up a solar PV system [12] and a wind turbine installation [13]. In addition to site assessment, the PS involves critical components, including identification of the most suitable optimization techniques and appropriate sizing of the system. Conventional software packages, such as HOMER come in handy for such applications. In this review, the classification of software packages with additional design components is considered to be categorized as the design and integration stage (DIS) for the ease of understanding.

The design stage of RES consists of two parts, namely, hardware and software design. Software design includes mathematical modeling of system to analyze the performance, estimation of total power consumption, accurate forecasting of power generated based on the stochastic weather parameters like radiation, temperature, etc., Whereas, hardware design includes selection of an ideal system configurations, design specifications (wind turbines, solar cells, and batteries), a perfect inverter design, and suitable control systems. Considerations to be made in PV system design is explained in detail in Refs. [[14], [15], [16]]. Visualization of the site topography, layout, and other features is the primary step in designing and installing RES. One of the barriers that hinder the large-scale deployment of RES is obtaining permission from city councils [17]. All deployment decisions are made based on the recommendation of city councils [17], after extensive planning, coordination, and design work [18]. Trust and approval for system deployment cannot be obtained without proper interaction between the project managers and stakeholders. Therefore, there exists a need for an appropriate medium of interactive communication between project managers and end-users, for which we require of a proper and powerful visualization tool. During this decision-making process, advanced IV tools can be handy in communicating the impact of the proposed system through a simulated environment using IV tools such as VR and AR. Fig. 6 illustrates the use of advanced IV tools in Skelion for designing a PV-based RES. Inclusion of CAD tools like SketchUp in such software packages along with the other system design gives the RES designer the feasibility of using the advanced system for designing and analyzing the newly planned RES in DIS stage.

The Maintenance stage (MS) is the final stage after DIS, where the system undergoes a scheduled condition monitoring and maintenance cycle to prevent damage and to improve the overall system performance. The purpose of maintenance is to avoid expensive failures and increase the lifespan of the system. After identifying the defect, a proper decision-making process is required to fix the system. The most critical parameters to be considered during the MS are cost and time. Hence, strategic maintenance plays a significant role in lengthening the system lifespan. For a wind turbine system, regular inspection and evaluation of health are required for proper maintenance. Maintenance activities include checking the lubrication oil, seals, and worn-out components [18]. Any defective component identified from wind turbines must be taken out of service and subjected to repair. The performance of a wind turbine is measured indirectly in a primitive manner. For protective reasons, the relationship among power, wind velocity, rotor speed, and blade angle may be used, and in case of significant deviations, an alarm is generated; detection margins help prevent false alarms in the report of Verbruggen et al. [20]. AR could be used to provide step-by-step illustration and visual guidance during the MS. Fig. 7 shows a technician using a similar application called Upskill, which is an AR-based tool that guides the assembly and maintenance of wind turbines. Along with the increase in the productivity of technicians to a great extent [21], the use of such advanced IV tools increases the accuracy of the maintenance cycle. VR could be an effective medium used for training technicians with complex systems which have accessibility issues.

In this section, a set of 41 software packages used in RES development was identified based on the influence of IV tools, and it is critically reviewed based on the stages of application, type of visualization tools used, type of software package, application and availability. Few conventional tools like CECPV calculator [22], CREST [23], ESVT [24], SMA SunnyDesign3, iHOGA, HOMER, HYBRID2, SAM, TRANSYS, RETScreen, and PVsyst considered in this review are not critically analyzed because of the lack of influence on IV tools and available knowledge in previous reviews. A summary of the benefits and drawbacks of these conventional simulation packages used in RES development is presented in Table 2. Software packages critically analyzed in this review are selected based on two factors: 1) lack of clear explanation in existing reviews and 2) influence of the use of IV tools.

Few of the applications of these conventional tools are discussed briefly in this section. Blair et al. [25] used the tool for modeling PV and concentrating solar power using CECPV calculator. Corbus et al. [26] and Gifford et al. [27] applied CREST [23] to examine the economic impact on transmitting wind power to customers in California. Zakeri et al. [28] used ESVT [24] to analyze the different energy storage systems over the life cycle analysis. An ideal application of the SMA SunnyDesign3 tool is exhibited in the feasibility study conducted by Seeman et al. evaluating PV systems [29]. iHOGA [30] was used to design a hybrid RES setup in Malaysia [31] and Portland [32]. Bahramara et al. [33] presented a collective review on different applications of the HOMER [34]. HYBRID2 [35] based versatile mathematical model is a prime feature of the system [36]as illustrated by Mills et al., in 2004 [37].

A review on applications of SAM was highlighted in Ref. [38]. Rudie et al. illustrated a case study of 100 sites using SAM [39]. Furthermore, Guzman et al. [40] and Gilman et al. [41] and Blair et al. [42] highlighted the application scope of energy management using SAM. Like SAM, the CREST cannot perform a cost estimate of multiple/hybrid systems together [43]. TRNSYS is an extremely flexible graphics-based design software environment that is used to simulate transient system behaviors [44]. TRNSYS was used to model and simulate a hybrid PV-thermal solar system in Cyprus [45] and Magnier et al. [46] illustrated the use of performing different optimization techniques. Lee et al. [47] presented the results of a case study, indicating the use of RETScreen [48] to determine the optimum size of renewable energy in a building. Alireza et al. illustrated the influence of RETScreen on financial analysis [49]. Sauer et al. [50] demonstrated the dependence of the PV modules output to irradiance and temperature using PVsyst [51]. Many profound publications show the widespread use case of PVsyst [[52], [53], [54], [55], [56]].

In addition, software packages, like CitySim [[57], [58], [59]], EnergyPlus [60,61], ESP-r [62,63], Envi-met [64,65], EnergyPRO [66,67], Neplan [68,69] and Radiance [70], used for estimating parameters like light radiance within a building, GHG estimation, etc., are considered in this review. Despite the more advanced IV tools incorporated into these software packages mentioned above, the detailed description of these packages mentioned above is not included in this review as its focuses mainly rely on RES development. Finally, Table 3 presents the analysis of the software packages based on the use-case, accessibility, and type of visualization tool incorporated. The following section deliberately discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the use of IV tools in the set of identified software packages listed below alphabetically aiming to create a knowledge base for studying the influence of IV tools in RES development.

Archelios is a powerful, easy-to-use PV installation simulation software package that allows the user to design and perform a feasibility study for developing a PV system. The software allows the user to create a geolocalized 3D mock-up of the planned setup with the help of the 3D design plugin (SketchUp) and calculates the accurate financial and technical results, which illustrate the application in DIS. The Archelios O&M version allows real-time monitoring of PV installations for its application in the MS. Axaopoulos et al. [71] emphasized the transition of preference with PV designers and engineers to use high-end visualization tools, such as Archelios. Apart from the visual add-ons, the software also delivers accurate energy generation results for a forecasted period of the year, which makes Archelios one of the advanced PV installation simulation tool incorporating IV tools. It is a commercialized desktop-based 2D/3D visualization tool used in both DIS and MS of RES development.

EnergyPLAN [72] is a freeware energy management tool developed by the sustainable energy planning research group at Aalborg University. This tool has been established to simulate the operation of national energy systems accurately on an hourly basis. The primary purpose of the tool is to evaluate various energy strategies and determine the optimum solution with high-cost returns. Furthermore, the tool is used in the PS of the RES development. A list of case studies on the usage of EnergyPLAN along with a detailed inference of the software tools is listed on their website [73]. Connolly et al. [74] applied the tool to conduct a case study on the effect of 100% renewable energy systems in the European Union. Basic 2D graphs and charts are types of IV tools used in this software package.

GridLAB-D is a multi-agent-based power distribution simulation software tool developed by the pacific northwest national laboratory (PNNL) of the US department of energy. GridLAB-D is an open-source package that is like PVWatts; this tool consists of a cutting-edge modeling mechanism and highly efficient optimization algorithms that form a competent and reliable modeling tool [75]. The tool helps users create and validate distributed energy resource models effectively [76]. GridLAB-D is also available as a MATLAB toolbox, which enables easy access to an energy model and application of simulating RES development [77]. Schneider et al. [78] demonstrated the use of GridLAB-D tool for evaluating the conservation of voltage reduction in a distributed energy system. An interactive web-based 2D/3D visualization is available in this tool with a third-party plugin. Solar panel penetration levels are simulated for different climate patterns over a period; additional applications are listed in Ref. [79].

Helios3D is a universal solution for solar power plant layout design because this tool is equipped with advanced planning/design tools that allow energy management analysis by placing PV racks on a digitally generated 3D model of any geographical position [80]. Also, this all-round simulation package has evolved from a basic calculation model highlighted in Seong et al. work [81]. The current version of Helios3D includes a web-based VR application that allows system designers to design in a virtual environment. Visualization of simulated weather data in a virtual environment gives a better understanding. As previously mentioned, Helios3D includes a design tool (Autodesk's Civil 3D) that will allow a user to place and design a 3D rack of PV panels that correspond to the location of a generated 3D mesh [82]. This tool will enable us to conduct simulations by considering the shading effect and visualize the results obtained from the cost analysis intuitively [83]. Besides, financial analysis can also be performed using this software. The VR component of this application enhances the immersivity when conveying the plan to decision-makers.

Helioscope is a commercialized energy management software tool, which focuses on pre-screening of risk and advanced site assessment process for PV systems. Helioscope consists of PVsyst and AutoCAD packages automating the process of designing RE systems and performing a site assessment and energy analysis simultaneously with increased accuracy [84]. In addition, the helioscope has a simple, powerful, and user-friendly interface, thereby enhancing the 3D designing of the RES development. The helioscope also aims to output financial and energy simulation results with a maximum capacity of 5 MW [85]. TMY3 weather data is used for energy assessment analysis, thus enhancing the accuracy of the system. In an educational case study conducted by Ciriminna et al. [86], the performance of a helioscope is compared with HOMER by making students perform various energy management analysis, which indicated the helioscope provides students with an intuitive and more detailed inference of the results.

INSEL is a MATLAB toolkit which works on the concept of block diagram-based simulation used for programming applications of distributed RES. INSEL is mainly designed to work on complex energy projects. The underlying block diagram architecture of the tool provides the designers with a fundamental understanding of the system. Besides, adding advanced AI-based optimization techniques to increase the accuracy of the forecasting results is feasible. The visualization front of this tool is moderate because it is integrated with MATLAB, thereby providing us with the scope of working with advanced 2D and 3D tools based on the requirement for the type of result [87].

Nearmap solar uses PhotoMapsTM high-resolution aerial imagery of any selected location to provide users with an option of adding virtual roof-top solar panels and obtain a detailed solar report for calculating the average energy output based on the geographical conditions [88]. Nearmap solar package uses weather data with respect to the location to calculate accurate forecasted output in the form of an auto-generated solar report consisting of 2D visualization of data. Nearmap is planning to integrate the new feature called Nearmap Oblique into Nearmap solar, thereby presenting a 3D view of the panoramic, oblique aerial imagery to visualize the 3D planning during installation. This feature has capabilities of integrating IV tools like VR, which can benefit the end-user to understand the advantages of the newly set up RES. Kyle et al. [89] applied machine learning algorithms to identify the distributed solar PV location from the aerial imagery and estimated the total energy consumption influencing the fellow researchers to explore the extended use case of advanced IV tools with AI and ML algorithms in RES development.

OpenPV aims to create a collaborative database of PV installation data of the United States of America. The data is obtained by the combined efforts of the government, industry, and public through an open-source web portal [90]. This project allows users to download data sets for conducting their research for estimating the total cost and energy production within the United States. OpenPV consists of web-based visualizations of graphs, charts, and geo-localized maps that illustrate the distribution of PVs in the country. A few quantitative analyses for deriving policies and interactions using OpenPV are conducted by Doris and Krasko et al. [91,92] in 2012. Many other researchers worldwide use data from OpenPV to perform the study on the distribution of market share [93] and the influence on local policy development of the distributed PV market [92].

Polysun is a simulation software package used for designing, dimensioning, and optimizing PV and solar thermal systems, heat pumps, cogeneration units, and combined systems [94]. Polysun consists of an intuitive, user-friendly UI, which allows the user to understand a clear representation of results through interactive tables and graphs. Bornatico et al. [95] applied Polysun to perform a multi-objective optimization for sizing of a solar thermal installation using particle swarm optimization. DDS CAD-PV is an extended tool of Polysun that integrates 3D designing functionalities, which allows the user to design the RES and perform feasibility analysis similar Solarius PV and skelion. Abanda et al. [96] and Gupta et al. [97] illustrated the application of the DDS CAD-PV tool used in solar PV simulations for modeling and designing advanced BIM systems.

The PV designer software is a PV simulation tool that is ideally suited for residential and small-scale energy systems. The PV designer package is recently incorporated into the SunEye tool, which uses a shadow-based energy prediction allowing us to perform partial shading analysis [98] more accurately. The PV designer consists of worldwide inverter module databases and historical weather data, which is used to simulate different scenarios with improved accuracy. The incorporation of tools, such as SunEye, makes PV designer stand out from the other software packages used in RES development.

PV-Designpro is a PV system design suite for simulating PV systems on the basis of the configured weather and system information provided by the user as an input to the simulation [99]. PV-Designpro consists of a conventional 2D/3D UI embedded with capabilities of replicating the results in the form of intuitive but non-interactive graphs and charts. Deshmukh et al. [100] used the PV-DesignPro tool for designing a 14 kW grid-tied PV system to power a hydrogen refueling system situated at Las Vegas valley water district, thereby illustrating the application scope of the PV-Designpro software suite clearly.

PVscout is a web-based PV-sizing simulation software used for planning and calculating grid-connected PV systems output, regardless of the manufacturer specifications. PVscout consists of a cloud-based architecture which allows easy access to different databases for obtaining specifications about electrical components, such as inverters, batteries, and PV modules for accurate simulation results. Mohd Khairy, in his PhD thesis, highlighted the key advantages of using PVscout, by exploring the key opportunities that exist in PV generation simulation [101].

PV*sol is an advanced PV simulation tool that considers the effect of shading from the surrounding environment to forecast the power output of the proposed PV system with increased precision and accuracy. This tool is integrated with a user-friendly 3D design tools consisting of menus that allow a designer to place the PV system in the roof-integrated systems, thereby enabling the features of simulating energy yields under different climatic patterns [102]. Advancements in IV tools aid in the integration of an energy model simulation into 3D modeling platform. This feature enables the possibilities of exploring the effect of partial shading in PV panels located on the roof-top [103].

PVWatts is a freeware software tool used for estimating the financial returns of a newly proposed PV system over the grid-connected system [104]. PVWatts is a simple, robust, and easy-to-use software, which can be used by users worldwide to estimate the potential benefit of the proposed PV system. PVWatts is a hybrid software package incorporating popular tools like SAM and REopt [105]. PVWatts is used in the PS of RES development. Historical weather data, estimations on the cost returns are calculated using PVWatts with moderate accuracy. The main advantage of PVWatts is its use of an environmental dataset of over 30 years to estimate the solar insolation, which is used for predicting the total power of the PV system. Liu et al. highlighted the impact of climate on the economic influence of the PV system, which showcases the application of PVWatts, and this package uses essential IV tools [106].

ReEDS is a long-term regional-level capacity-expansion energy model simulator used by policymakers [107]. The ReEDS is a US-based nationwide simulator used for detailed representations of energy systems, addressing various issues. 2D visualizations, such as graphs and charts, are used to illustrate the annual generation capacity, expansion analysis, and mitigation cost of the system. Ibanez et al. [108] modeled the Canadian and US power models using the ReEDS to analyze the integrated expansions that illustrate the application of the ReEDS tool. The recent version of ReEDS includes IV tools like interactive maps and graphs, which help in providing high spatial resolution and high-fidelity modeling to understand the pattern of demand and supply of energy.

REopt is an energy modeling tool developed to evaluate the integration and optimization of cost-saving schemes [109], the effect of GHG emission, and influence of the energy performance of the designed energy system (renewable sources, conventional distributed energy sources, utility grid, energy storage elements, and dispatchable loads) [110]. REopt provides information about the options for simulating different RES type and size that is suitable for the selected location [111]. REopt is a useful visualization tool used in the initial screening process of the RES development, which incorporates basic 2D visualizations to exhibit the results of the impact analysis on the energy market addressing the energy and financial demand. Simpkins et al. [112] conducted a remote study of energy systems in Alaskan villages and showed 75% of fuel reduction when using REopt to schedule the energy dispatch of the grid-connected system. LEAP system is a cost analysis tool that is similar to REopt, which performs long-range simulations and optimizations of energy consumption and production [113], along with the influence on carbon emissions. Heaps et al. [114] used LEAP software tool for conducting a feasibility study of the impact of RE on Co2 reduction by 2050.

Skelion is a SketchUp plugin that allows designing of solar PV installations with the help of a synchronized 3D models to the geographic location to estimate the output power generated in a year. Moreover, this plugin provides options for comparing the results of different models and configurations of the PV that can be installed in the designed building. The Pro version of skelion is licensed and has added features of shading loss estimation and curved roof PV panel installations [115]. Besides, skelion uses third-party plugins, such as the PVsyst and PVWatts, to estimate power output accurately based on the weather information. Soucase et al. [19] applied the SKELION software tool used in designing a solar power system installation in Marrakesch.

Solar Pro is a PV system simulation software that can simulate electricity generation under different conditions with high precision [116]. Recent releases of Solar Pro consists of 3D CAD design features used for simulating the influence of partial shading from the surrounding environment. Illustrative I–V curves are calculated internally using the data obtained from the manufacturers of each electrical component and weather data of the installation site. Solar Pro visualizes results obtained from the financial and power analyses using 2D/3D tools used in DIS stage of RES development.

Solarius PV is a complete, reliable tool used for calculating the output of a solar PV system [117]. Solarius PV helps in DIS stage of PV system development and performing precise financial and technical feasibility analyses to determine the advantages and disadvantages of the system. Solarius PV consists of an intuitive user interface which allows users to understand the effect of shading and perform user-assisted PV sizing in a 2D/3D environment. Kask et al. [118] conducted a feasibility study for installing PV systems in Sri Lanka, thus illustrating a broad scope of application of Solarius PV.

Upskill's skylight on GLASSTM is one of the state-of-the-art augmented reality application used by technicians at GE during the DIS and MS of wind turbine production line. The app overlays an augmented view with instruction for wiring up the wind turbines. The tool helps in quickly identifying the appropriate wire and correct location for connection. The time required to refer to paper-based manuals is saved by the augmented instructions overlaid in the augmented interface. According to a business review conducted by Harvard, the use of Upskill in GE's renewables and other divisions increased the performance of employees by 32% [119]. The integration of such advanced IV tools helps companies to solve the skill gap by improving worker efficiency, workflow, and increases the productivity of system development rapidly agility in manufacturing, warehousing, and fieldwork services.

Windographer is a commercialized software tool widely used in the wind industry to perform feasibility analysis and quality control of all commonly used wind flow models [120]. Windographer is a data analyzer that imports data in any format and automatically detects the data structure so that the user can rapidly visualize the data in a highly efficient manner during the PS [121]. Windographer helps in the detection and flagging of issues, such as over-shading, the icing on blades, sensor malfunctions, low signal-to-noise ratio, and in the investigation of the problems involving wind shear, turbulence intensity, tower distortion, vertical temperature profile, and long-term trends. Aldeman et al. and Aksas et al. explored the use of Windographer to determine the potential of wind power integration in Illinios, USA [122] and Batna, Algeria [123].

WindPro is another commercialized software used in the wind power industry. Compared with Windographer, Windpro allows users to simulate a group of wind generators on a farm altogether, which is not feasible with Windographer. Windpro is a module-based software used for designing and planning of energy outputs, financial outcomes, air density, turbulence intensity, wind speed shear, and wind direction shear of an individual wind turbine or a group of turbines in a wind farm [124]. Geographical information, along with wind data, is given as inputs, allowing the statistical solver to estimate the output of the system [125]. Ozerdem et al. [126] highlighted the use of Windpro to determine the total power generated within a campus area of Izmir Institute of Technology.

The use of highly advanced IV tools and integration of game engine-based simulation into software packages used in RES development provide the benefits of adding adverse climatic pattern simulations and visualizing the advantages and drawbacks of a newly planned RES. From the software packages that are critically reviewed in this review article software packages like Helios3D, Skelion, SolariusPV, and Upskill standout with relevance to the influence of IV tools used in RES development. Also, it is significantly vital to integrate the financial and mathematical models into the highly advanced software packages like Skelion, which will come in handy as a complete software suite for end-to-end RES development simulation. Authors would like to highlight the gap and would recommend the readers to focus on undertaking further studies which extensively use IV tools to build an end-to-end software suite which will help in simulating the complete cycle of RES development.

The installation cost of RES is very high, and this demotivates users from extending or modifying the existing setup. Integration of IV tools into RES software packages will help in simulating and visualizing the impact of a newly proposed system. One of the reasons for integrating IV tools is its high level of accuracy in monitoring and controlling systems along with increased immersivity of the virtual environment [127,128]. AR and VR technologies enable users to visualize and understand complex data-sets, along with the advantage of foreseeing the visual aesthetics of the proposed system. Accurate prediction of system outputs can be simulated in a virtual environment replicating the stochastic weather patterns using soft computing techniques [128]. IV tools are the new means of interfacing and controlling a built environment in real-time [[127], [128], [129]]. Integration of IoT-based condition monitoring systems can also be implemented to obtain real-time feedback of a system, and this information can be interfaced with advanced IV tools like AR/VR to facilitate the understanding of the system health. In this section, an overview of the role of IV tools used in the RES in context of state-of-the-art research articles is critically reviewed.

Researchers have already discovered the potential of integrating existing IV tools with solar energy applications. Wong et al. [130] investigated the use of 3D geographic information (GI) to improve the positioning of rooftop PV panels. 3D GI is partially driven by the data obtained from Google Earth [131]. Wong et al. also identified several advantages of using 3D GI, which include increment in realism and immersive capabilities [130]. Fig. 8 illustrates an example of using 3D GI for simulating a house covered with roof-top solar panels.

Sheppard et al. investigated the use of 3D modeling tools in visualizing the role of RES in climate change mitigation. The use of simple 2D realistic tools integrated into a 4D visualization medium increases the level of accurate data acquisition [132]. The process of building an interactive medium which can bridge the gap between scientific and social realities in the community is essential. Integration if IV tools into RES development aids in addressing this gap and brings in the potential of increasing educational awareness. Fig. 9 highlights the use case of a 4D visualization medium.

The integration of IV tools into RES development increases the reliability, efficiency of RES simulations, and it is considered as a cost-effective approach that increases the accuracy of the simulations [128]. These IV tools can ensure effective communication between researchers and respondents regarding their perception of the acceptability by evaluating social and ecological conditions in a virtual or simulated environment [5,133]. Moreover, the use of 3D tools for the validation of performance before the integration stage can considerably reduce expenses. Use of animated models solve two possible problematic aspects, namely, movement of turbines and movement of individuals within the landscape. These aspects help in evaluating the impact of a newly proposed system in a virtual environment [134]. The conventional method requires considerable time and effort to analyze the landscape and select the most efficient approach. Higgs et al. conducted a study which aimed at investigating the use of IV tools that let users experience the visual impact of wind farms in a virtual environment illustrating the use of IV tools in RES development [135]. Map-based software, such as Google Earth, enables users to obtain a satellite view of a landscape and produces a real image of the location on top of which the planned system can be integrated for proper visualization of the proposed system. Fig. 10 highlights the use case of the SketchUp's Google Earth plugin for evaluating the wind turbine instalation. The user can also zoom in or out on a site and have different views of the site. Therefore, it is evident from the available resources that the use of simple 2D/3D visualization plays a vital role in PS and DIS of RES development.

Augmented reality (AR) is one of the IV tools that combines a virtual 3D object into an existing real environment. Camba et al. [129] conducted a study on the integration of AR into a solar radiation-harnessing system to support an effective and efficient decision-making process. Mobile devices with high processing power, advanced cameras, and sensors (e.g., accelerometers and gyroscopes), geolocation capability, and web connectivity along with dedicated AR kits like Microsoft hololens can support AR applications [136]. AR applications allows the user to increase the awareness on the use of renewable energy systems. AR can be used as a useful tool in training and providing visual assistance when installing or performing maintenance tasks in RES development. Camba et al. [129] concluded that AR is a practical approach for presenting data and mimicking PV module installation on walls in a real-world scenario. Fig. 11, Fig. 12 show examples of AR applications in buildings, illustrating the scope of using AR as a tool to perform a site evaluation and impact study with the help of AI and ML techniques.

According to Bishop et al., a virtual environment that is used to simulate and visualize wind farm installation provides good visual and aural experiences for users. The researchers employed the spatial information exploration and visualization environment (SIEVE) platform with AR functionality. They concluded that using AR technology in real-world environments provides users with realistic views of the proposed changes and assists them in understanding the economic, environmental, and social consequences of the changes [5]. Simulating the visual effect of the wind turbine during DIS would not be an ideal visualization with AR considering the size of wind turbines, in which case VR comes in handy. However, when it comes to evaluating the impact of solar PV system AR could play a significant role in illustrating the widespread application of AR-based systems in the MS and DIS of RES development.

The use of virtual reality (VR) comes in handy when addressing the challenges in development and adaptability of RES. VR gives a virtual experience by the use of stereoscopic projections in a head-mounted displays (HMDs) (e.g., HTC Vive or Oculus). For example, detailed system information, site assessment, and the effect of shadows on the output of PV systems can be evaluated with higher precision using a VR based simulation. VR enables users to walk through or into objects, which could be highly beneficial in terms of maintenance support for electrical wires in wind turbine design [127]. The conventional method of installing solar PV systems requires experienced experts who understand the system design; however, employing a professional is costly and time-consuming [15], which could be avoided by the use of VR. A.J. Veldhius conducted a study on how to overcome the slow computation of conventional ray-tracing methods and found that rasterization can address this issue by obtaining real-time data. This research focused on simulating irradiance for PV products and building-integrated PV in a VR environment. The study concluded that performing annual simulations is a practical approach for accurately calculating the annual solar irradiation received by building surfaces [137]. The study also showed that VR for PV (VR4PV) system development considers the shadowing effect of the surrounding buildings, trees, and birds on the solar system [137,138].

Fig. 13, Fig. 14 illustrate the simulation of VR4PV to compute the irradiance received by each panel in the simulation environment. This software is also used to determine the location of shadows and PV output in the built environment.

One of the challenges in installing a solar PV system is the partial shading effect, which can be adequately addressed by high-accuracy simulation with tools like VR. Mainly because the simulation of different weather patterns and shadowing effects can be easily simulated in the gaming environment used for VR development. Moreover, VR can be used as a rich knowledge sharing toolkit for educating and training people about the effect of partial shading, risk evaluating and impact analysis. Partial shading is inevitable and exerts a significant influence on PV output performance. With a visualization method, such as VR, designers can select the ideal system location for installation and evaluate the performance with the weather data set. It can also be handy, during the design phase of a newly proposed suburb where the designer will have the flexibility of planning high rise buildings considering the effect of partial shading of the PV systems planned in the neighbourhood. This approach reduces cost and requires minimal effort. VR simulations help in identifying the shadowing effects on PV module surfaces and in computing the efficiency of a PV system with high precision [139]. In a previous study, VR simulation was tested in three cities in Turkey. The study concluded that using VR enables users to include all the factors that create shadows, contributes to improved understanding of PV system behaviour, and leads to high accuracy in power output estimation [139].

Anggoro et al. developed a tool called SunTool by integrating VR into solar energy system development. This application is designed to animate how the sun works, including producing shadows from animated sunlight inside an immersive virtual environment. Producing high-quality designs under real conditions in nature is required and possible by visualizing the scene in the immersive virtual environment. Furthermore, development of VR applications use game engines, such as Unity and Unreal, which opens the possibility of performing multiple adverse simulations and robustly testing the performance of the proposed system, thus making VR an excellent platform to observe the influence in real-time. An example of such case is the study conducted by Anggoro which calculated the desired output of the system in relation to the sun position by using the Meeus algorithm [140].

Fig. 15 shows where the researchers inserted SunTool's prototype into an immersive virtual environment that was created by Tan and Hii (2007) for testing purposes. After inserting SunTool's prototype for observing real-time sunlight, a comparison between Mahaweli IVE with baked texture and SunTool was performed. The results obtained and screen shots of the SunTool's GUI are shown in Fig. 16 [140].

Jallouli et al. [10] compared participants’ understanding of immersed and normal environments by using VR. The virtual simulation revealed that motion provides rich information on the perception of users. The immenseness of the environment originates from the visual space, acoustics, shapes, and motion. Jallouli et al. [10] also concluded that two main features, namely, sunlight and wind, influence the immenseness of a virtual environment in RES development. They recommended applying possible VR techniques in the PS/DIS to increase the level of public acceptance of wind turbine installation [10].

Furthermore, VR provides users with full control of the surrounding environment, such that users can manipulate the environment visually and examine different sound scenarios after wind turbine installation. The location of wind turbines is selected based on tests conducted on the consequent noise pollution simulation. Research that used SIEVE viewer discovered that VR also allows for the exploration of visual and noise pollution at different distances [5]. SIEVE Builder enables the automatic building of a complete 3D environment, including wind turbines, from data obtained from a 2D map. Once the virtual environment has been created, users can add, remove, or move the objects inside the virtual environment [5]. The virtual environment provides realistic sounds simulating the actual environment, which significantly helps in evaluating the acceptance level for wind turbine installation. VR also assists designers in obtaining real-time feedback from users, which in turn helps them in selecting the ideal location for wind turbine installation. Fig. 17 shows the creation of a virtual environment to obtain feedback from users and select the ideal location for wind turbine installation. SIEVE Viewer increases the flexibility of the community and planners in creating an environment that mimics the natural environment [5] (see Fig. 18).

In conclusion, VR is beneficial in the DIS of wind farm/solar PV installation because it plays a vital role in simulating the impact of noise, visual pollution, simulating partial shading and weather patterns [141]. Moreover, VR provides a high level of realism, reduces uncertainties, and allows users to have a wide range of choices [140]. VR is computationally expensive, but the flexibility it provides for simulating different environmental behaviours in a gaming engine makes it stand out for the application of RES development in PS/DIS. The use of VR in MS is not yet thoroughly explored, and authors would like to highlight this gap to recommend future researchers to work in this area. Table 3 highlights the collection of research articles reviewed in this section based on the type of visualization tool, application and the stage of RES in which it is used.

Section snippets

Discussion

Different visualization tools bring different perceptions and immersive feelings to users and contribute to improving the conventional method of RES development. Integrating IV tools, such as 2D/3D dimensional models, AR, and VR, into RES development, provides numerous benefits to users and developers. The PS/DIS includes site assessment, which requires an extensive site inspection before system installation. 2D/3D visualization and VR are considered to be useful IV tool that simulates the

Conclusion

This paper explains the need for incorporating IV tools in RES development by presenting a critical review of the state-of-the-art research articles and software packages used in different stages of RES development. The review also highlights the benefits and drawbacks of collaboration between IV tools in existing software packages used in RES development with an interdisciplinary perspective. Based on the different stages of RES development and the type of IV tools incorporated the identified

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