Impact of uncertainty in building operation patterns and electric energy demand on the design and techno-economic performance of solar photovoltaic systems in different climates

Abstract

The optimal design of renewable energy systems for buildings requires accurately estimating building electric energy loads. While this energy demand highly depends on how occupants and facility managers use building systems, operation-related uncertainty is rarely accounted for in the renewable energy design workflow. This paper presents a comprehensive framework to quantify the impact of uncertainty in building operation patterns and electric demand on the techno-economic performance of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems (with and without battery storage). A hybrid methodology is proposed, combining and comparing two approaches to studying building performance under uncertainty: (i) physics-based building performance simulations coupled with parametric variations of occupant behavioral profiles (e.g., austere vs. wasteful), and (ii) data-driven modeling using a large national building dataset. The approach is illustrated and validated on small, medium, and large-sized office buildings in different climate zones (hot dry, mixed marine, and cold humid). Results show that different building operational patterns could lead up to 60% increase in building electric demand, which translated to similar increases in PV energy capacity and the corresponding capital costs of the systems. The findings emphasize the urgent need to better account for uncertainty in building operational patterns in the design workflows of buildings with PV generation and energy storage capabilities.