Within this study, single-cable propagation facilitated by PV strings’ wiring characteristics is considered for an adapted design of PLC electronics. We propose to close the communications signal path, resulting in a ring topology where a resonance condition could be implemented. A PLC topology using the resulting circular closed-loop path of a PV series string as its physical communication support is designed and leveraged for practical use. When the path length or the number of transceivers is changed, the resonance properties that come with the circular path as the physical support are affected but are shown to be preserved with the application of automatic adjustable tuning. This automatic tuning guarantees that the resonance improves propagation parameters and reverts the system to its optimal values at the chosen carrier frequency.

The Caribbean, along with other small island developing states (SIDS), have advocated for restricting global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the current century. Solar radiation management (SRM) may be one way to achieve this goal. This paper examines the mean Caribbean climate under various scenarios of an SRM-altered versus an SRM-unaltered world for three global warming targets, namely, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. Data from the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project Phase 1 (GeoMIP1) were examined for two SRM scenarios: the G3 experiment where there is a gradual injection of sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the tropical lower stratosphere starting in 2020 and terminating after 50 years, and the G4 experiment where a fixed 5 Teragram (Tg) of SO2 per year is injected into the atmosphere starting in 2020 and ending after 50 years. The results show that SRM has the potential to delay attainment of the 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 °C global warming targets. The extent of the delay varies depending on the SRM methodology but may be beyond mid-century for the 1.5 °C goal. In comparison, however, the higher temperature thresholds are both still attained before the end of century once SRM is ceased, raising questions about the value of the initial delay. The application of SRM also significantly alters mean Caribbean climate during the global warming target years (determined for a representative concentration pathway 4.5 (RCP4.5) world without SRM). The Caribbean is generally cooler but drier during the 1.5 °C years and similarly cool but less dry for years corresponding to the higher temperature targets. Finally, the mean Caribbean climate at 1.5 °C differs if the global warming target is achieved under SRM versus RCP4.5. The same is true for the higher warming targets. The implications of all the results are discussed as a background for determining whether SRM represents a viable consideration for Caribbean SIDS to achieve their “1.5 to stay alive” goal.

Within this paper, a PLC system that takes advantage of the loop resonance of an entire DC-PV string configured as a circular signal path is developed and implemented. Low cost and extremely simple transceivers intended to be installed within each PV module of a string have been designed and successfully tested. In addition, an anti-saturation coil has been conceived to avoid saturation of the core when the entire DC current of the string flows through it. Bi-directional half-duplex communication was successfully executed with up to a 1 MHz carrier frequency (150 kbps bitrate), using a simple ASK modulation scheme. The transmission and reception performance are presented, along with the overall system cost in comparison to the previous literature.