Implementing of a grid-connected PV energy system in building with medium consumption: A techno- economic case study

Abstract

Renewable energy sources facilitate decentralized electricity production, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and contributing to a sustainable energy era. Algeria is one of the countries implementing a policy aimed at energy transition, with buildings playing a major role in this process. They consume more energy than any other sector and therefore significantly contribute to climate change. While various projects related to energy efficiency are being carried out, they are mostly limited to rural and Saharan areas or low-consumption residential buildings. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating a grid-connected photovoltaic system into a medium-consumption building located in one of Algeria’s major cities, Constantine, to meet the building’s electrical energy demand. This paper presents a methodology for optimally sizing a grid-connected photovoltaic system to supply power to the Institute of Nutrition, Food, and Agro-Food Technologies (INATAA) in Constantine, Algeria. The technical and economic aspects of the system’s components were considered to determine the most feasible configuration, using real data from the institute and the HOMER Pro simulation software. The simulation results show that the grid-connected PV system, without storage, can meet the institute’s energy demand (with 671,061 kWh/year of energy produced, of which 81.3 % is photovoltaic energy). This configuration offers the lowest costs, with a Net Present Cost (NPC) of $748,413 and a Cost of Energy (COE) of $0.0894/kWh. Therefore, integration of a grid-connected photovoltaic system in medium-consumption buildings can effectively meet energy needs while reducing costs. Thus, this study demonstrates the technical and economic feasibility of such system to support the energy transition in urban areas in Algeria.