Optimizing Renewable Energy Integration: A Case Study of Standalone PV-Battery Systems in IZTECH Campus

Abstract

In this research paper the feasibility of renewable-powered, self-sufficient university campuses was explored by conducting a technoeconomic analysis of standalone PV-Battery systems for the buildings of Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH) in Izmir, Turkey. Given the high energy demand and dependence on fossil-based grids by universities, integrating renewables becomes important for minimizing carbon footprints. In this study the campus's solar potential was focused and the techno-economic feasibility of grid-independent operations provided by PV-battery systems was evaluated. Four scenarios were investigated: (i) maximum PV installation for each building (MPVB), (ii) maximum PV installation for the entire campus (MPVC), (iii) necessary PV installation for self-sufficiency of each building (NPVB), and (iv) necessary PV installation for self-sufficiency of the whole campus (NPVC). The first two scenarios considered the maximum achievable rooftop PV installation while the latter two included additional PV installation to cover all electricity needs. For all scenarios both lead-acid and Li-ion batteries were considered. Mathematical models were developed using PVSol and TRNSYS software, and technoeconomic analysis was conducted using Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) and Net Present Value (NPV) methods. It was found that the NPVC scenario with lead-acid batteries is the most favorable, as it minimizes battery utilization by enabling more PV installation and facilitating energy transfer between buildings. Additionally, the research showed that off-grid PV-battery systems are economically less feasible compared to on-grid counterparts, primarily due to the high cost of batteries.