Installation Of Photovoltaic Systems Research Articles

GIS-based assessment of photovoltaic solar potential on building rooftops in equatorial urban areas.

Installing photovoltaic systems (PVs) on building rooftops is a viable and sustainable alternative to meet the growing demand for electricity in cities. This work develops a methodology that uses LiDAR (laser imaging detection and ranging) technology and roof footprints to obtain a three-dimensional representation of the rooftops in the urban centre of Santa Isabel (Azuay, Ecuador). This allowed the determination of characteristics such as area, slope, orientation, and received solar radiation, making it possible to calculate the rooftop's theoretical, technical, and economic photovoltaic potential. It was found that 68.8% of the total roof surface is suitable for PV capture, with which a theoretical photovoltaic potential of 62.39GWh can be achieved. The annual technical photovoltaic potential using silicon panels was calculated at 4.85GWh, which could supply 4.97 times the demand of the analyzed neighbourhood. To determine the economic potential, the peak power of a solar project was calculated to match the electricity demand of the analysis area, with a levelized cost of energy of 12.37 c$/kWh. This project could prevent the emission of 6805 tons of CO₂ into the environment during its useful life. The methodology developed in this study can be replicated in other areas to determine their photovoltaic potential and contribute to the diversification and decentralization of electricity generation systems, as well as transform Ecuador's energy matrix.

System Design of a Customized Solar Photovoltaic Power System for a Microcontroller-based Weather Station in Minna, Nigeria

In atmospheric and meteorological studies, missing values in acquired research data possess serious challenge on the integrity of research output emanating from their use. Missing values or readings may arise due to temporal or permanent failure in power supply to the measuring weather station. In this work, effort was made to address the fundamental issue of remote power at a standalone solar powered weather stations by professionally applying solar photovoltaic power system installation technique and the requisite knowledge of local parameters of the installed location to design a customize power supply pack for the weather station. The protocol involves an elaborate electrical load assessment and analysis of the weather station, followed by an independent component wise design formulation leading to selection of suitable solar module, battery, charge controller and voltage regulator along with their outdoor installation design. It was recommended that the design be validated using solar photovoltaic software followed by physical implementation which should be done in line with the system and installation design.

Study of decision support for the installation of photovoltaic systems coupled to the electricity grid: Mali’s case study

As the world's energy shortages worsen, countries are starting to exploit renewable energies for which solar power becomes the first choice. Considering the insufficiency of hydraulic and thermal resources in Mali, the hybrid system photovoltaic coupled at the grid is necessary and natural. The present study aims to increase the contribution of renewable energy sources to the national electricity production of Mali, and to pave the way for a good supply of electricity, ensuring the sustainable development of the economy and society of Mali. A preliminary analysis defines the technical, economic and environmental conditions for the implementation of 36 MW solar power plants at four points of Mali's energy interconnection network (Fana Kayes, Kita and Ségou). It can be a first contribution to demonstrating the feasibility of an integrated and self-sufficient energy model in this country. The power of 36 MW is compatible with the capacity of the interconnected network of Mali to absorb the electrical energy produced. For the location of the sites, several criteria have been taken into account for a definitive implementation (local climate conditions, proximity to the interconnected network, source of cooling water, social and environmental impact of the project). The results of the different simulations have shown that the installation of a solar system of 36 MW will be more beneficial in the cities of Ségou and Fana, less beneficial in the city of Kita compared to the two previous cities.

TECHNO-ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF A PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM FOR INDUSTRIAL FACILITY: A CASE STUDY IN EDIRNE, TURKEY

System solutions such as the use of renewable energy are used as energy management applications to implement the necessary measures to eliminate energy waste, losses, and inefficiencies in industrial facilities, to meet the needs of heating, cooling, ventilation, electricity, hot water, and lighting energy completely or partially. In this study, it is planned to obtain some of the electrical energy consumed as an energy efficiency increasing application in the industrial facility located in Edirne, from solar energy, which is a renewable energy source. With the 910 kW Photovoltaic (PV) system planned to be installed in the industrial facility, it is aimed to obtain approximately 20% of the electricity need of the facility with solar energy. Thus, because of the use of renewable energy in electricity production, 543.7 tCO2 greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced, equivalent to 99.6 unused cars and pickup trucks per year. With the PV system installation, 1,183.0 MWh/year (101.737 TOE/year) energy savings and 318,376.66 $/year cost savings will be achieved. The payback period of the system is 2.7 years.

Spatiotemporal Estimation of the Potential Adoption of Photovoltaic Systems on Urban Residential Roofs

The adoption of residential photovoltaic (PV) systems to mitigate the effects of climate change has been incentivized in recent years by government policies. Due to the impacts of these systems on the energy mix and the electrical grid, it is essential to understand how these technologies will expand in urban areas. To fulfill that need, this article presents an innovative method for modeling the diffusion of residential PV systems in urban environments that employs spatial analysis and urban characteristics to identify residences at the subarea level with the potential for installing PV systems, along with temporal analysis to project the adoption growth of these systems over time. This approach integrates urban characteristics such as population density, socioeconomic data, public environmental awareness, rooftop space availability, and population interest in new technologies. Results for the diffusion of PV systems in a Brazilian city are compared with real adoption data. The results are presented in thematic maps showing the spatiotemporal distribution of potential adopters of PV systems. This information is essential for creating efficient decarbonization plans because, while many households can afford these systems, interest in new technologies and knowledge of the benefits of clean energy are also necessary for their adoption.

A Comprehensive Overview with Planning Guidelines for the Adoption of Utility-Scale PV Systems

Growing demands for energy and global environmental concerns, along with continued advancements in sustainable energy technologies, are leading to prospects for using renewable energy resources. Solar is ubiquitous, and Photovoltaic (PV) is a promising innovation to harness the electric power from the sunlight. This paper aims to provide insight into the lifetime journey of a solar PV system. The article started with the history of solar PV systems, their expansion, and current research and development worldwide. The work is concluded with the degradation analysis and recycling methodologies. Also, this review especially concentrates on diverse standards and codes of photovoltaic system installation/integration. Various software was available to design small to large-scale PV systems. A comprehensive comparative study was made on the available software for the design of PV systems. Further, for the case study, a few rooftop PV systems of university buildings in India are considered for performance ratio analysis and life cycle cost assessment. The performance ratio of the 100 kW photovoltaic system exhibits an efficiency of 57% with a basic payback period of 5.6 years. The yearly lifespan cost of the photovoltaic system is $2947. Finally, the study’s findings and the barriers to the implementation of vast photovoltaic systems are highlighted to provide appropriate guidance to researchers working on large-scale PV system installations.

Dynamic Models of Photovoltaic System Installations and Upgrades

Dynamic Models of Photovoltaic System Installations and Upgrades

Assessment of Solar Photovoltaic Potential of Building Rooftops Based on Multicriteria Spatial Analysis

This paper presents a methodology using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to assess the photovoltaic potential of building rooftops by applying available data in North Macedonia. Applied to a case study, the method encompasses a high-resolution 3D model from LiDAR data to accurately represent rooftop surfaces and terrain. The approach includes generating a Digital Surface Model (DSM), analysing rooftop slopes and aspects, calculating solar radiation, and identifying suitable rooftops. It was concluded that out of 628 buildings, an area of 73 544 m², about 62% of the total rooftop area, is suitable for photovoltaic system installation. The potential electricity production from each building varies from 4 MWh to 1000 MWh annually and can be estimated at a total of 11 329 MWh from all suitable rooftops within the study area. The proposed method enables a large-scale valuation of suitable roof surfaces for photovoltaic system installation.

Multi-branch spatial pyramid dynamic graph convolutional neural networks for solar defect detection

The imperative for automating solar panel monitoring techniques has become increasingly apparent with the global expansion of photovoltaic usage and the continuous installation of large-scale photovoltaic systems. Manual or visual inspection, limited in its applicability, is insufficient to manage this growing demand. To address this, we propose a novel Multi-Branch Spatial Pyramid Dynamic Graph Convolutional Neural Network (MB SPDG-CNN) for automatic fault detection in solar photovoltaic panels. The proposed architecture utilizes two separate input branches for thermal and RGB images, effectively leveraging complementary information from both image types. This multi-branch design enables the model to extract multi-stage features through a spatial pyramid pooling layer, enhancing feature fusion and improving classification accuracy. Additionally, compared to single-branch systems, our approach prevents feature redundancy and loss of important contextual information by fusing features from different layers in a unified end-to-end manner. Extensive experiments show that the proposed MB SPDG-CNN significantly outperforms single-branch architectures and other existing methods, achieving a precision of 99.78 %, recall of 98.91 %, and F1-score of 99.78 %. The integration of both RGB and thermal features within a multi-branch setup resulted in a 10 % improvement in detection rates compared to single-branch models, demonstrating the effectiveness of our architecture in achieving robust and accurate defect detection.

Design, techno-economic evaluation, and experimental testing of grid connected rooftop solar photovoltaic systems for commercial buildings

This study aims to investigate the potential of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems for commercial buildings. Helio-Scope software is utilized to perform simulations to determine the ideal rooftop area for photovoltaic panels. The efficiency of photovoltaic systems is impacted by the shading effects of photovoltaic modules installed in parallel rows. To enhance energy output, the optimal distance between rows is determined, and it is found that 5-feet inter-row spacing provides the best results. The simulation results indicate that with 5-feet inter-row spacing, photovoltaic system has an energy generation of 371.6 MWh, specific yield of 1508.0 kWh/kWp, performance ratio of 82.1%, solar access rate of 98.9%, total solar resource fraction of 96.3% and a total irradiance of 1655.9 kWh/m2. The annual nameplate energy is 425.1 MWh, output energy at irradiance levels is 423.1 MWh, optimal DC output is 378.5 MWh, inverter output is 373.5 MWh, and total energy delivered to the national power grid is 371.6 MWh. The average daily DC inverter input power is 158881.5110 W and the average daily AC inverter output power is 152231.6311 W, showing an inverter efficiency of approximately 95.93%. Moreover, detailed testing of the installed PV system is performed on-site to make sure that equipment’s performance guarantees are achieved, the system is properly installed and its configuration is suitable for commercial operations. The maximum daily output energy generation of an installed photovoltaic (PV) system is 1.33 MWh, and its average energy generation is 1.09 MWh. The voltage of all strings is within the rated range of the inverter, with a maximum voltage of 835 V and a minimum of 698 V, as tested by PV string open-circuit voltage. The inverter efficiency test is also performed, with a maximum efficiency of 98.83% and fill factors ranging from 81.37% to 82.34%. The payback period of a photovoltaic system is 4.22 years and LCOE is 0.0229$/kWh. PV system saved 215569.818 metric tons of CO2 in the first year and a total of approximately 5068976.99 metric tons in 25 years.

Comparative Study on Ground and Roof-Mounted Solar PV Systems

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are integral to sustainable energy solutions. The choice between ground-mounted and roof-mounted systems significantly impacts efficiency, cost, and installation feasibility. This study provides a comparative analysis of these two solar PV installation types to inform stakeholders and guide decision-making. This study aims to guide stakeholders, including policymakers, investors, and energy planners, in making informed decisions regarding solar PV system installations. By highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, this review contributes to the broader understanding of solar PV deployment strategies and their implications for sustainable energy development. A systematic literature review was conducted to gather data from various sources including academic journals, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, PubMed, SpringerLink, Academia, and research gate. Key criteria for comparison included energy production efficiency, initial and ongoing costs, installation complexity, and long-term maintenance. The review revealed that ground-mounted systems generally offer higher energy production due to optimal tilt and orientation adjustments, and often result in lower maintenance costs due to easier access. Conversely, roof-mounted systems are usually less costly to install as they utilize existing infrastructure and may benefit from lower regulatory hurdles. However, they are constrained by roof space and orientation limitations and may face higher maintenance costs due to accessibility issues. Ground-mounted solar PV systems typically provide greater efficiency and easier maintenance but at higher installation costs. Roof-mounted systems are more cost-effective in terms of installation but may present limitations in energy production and maintenance. The choice between these systems should be guided by specific site conditions, budget constraints, and long-term energy goals.

Energy Flexibility in Aluminium Smelting: A Long-Term Feasibility Study Based on the Prospects of Electricity Load and Photovoltaic Production

This paper investigates the economic feasibility of utilising energy flexibility in aluminium production as a viable solution to leverage electricity surpluses arising from the increasing number of photovoltaic (PV) system installations. Future trends suggest that the generation capacity of PV systems will soon surpass consumption, leading to significant electricity surpluses, particularly during the summer. This surplus electricity, which is anticipated to be available at low prices, offers a unique opportunity to evaluate different investment and utilisation scenarios for aluminium production while simultaneously decreasing its environmental impact. The results demonstrate that, despite their high initial investment cost, large-scale PV power plants can potentially deliver maximum economic gains over a ten-year period. Conversely, the direct utilisation of surpluses without substantial investment can yield savings of up to EUR 17 million within the same time frame for Slovenia’s case with an aluminium smelter, which has a maximum power usage of 60 MW. The findings of this study have significant implications in terms of shaping future energy strategies and policies, emphasizing the value of integrating renewable energy sources and industrial processes for enhanced economic and environmental outcomes.

Clean energy transition in rural Bangladesh: Challenges in adoption and impact

ABSTRACT At the household level, the solar photovoltaic (PV) system is an off-grid clean energy source with significant poverty reduction potential, thereby contributing to the attainment of several sustainable development goals. Nevertheless, there has been limited adoption of renewable or clean energy technologies in Bangladesh. At present, renewable energy sources account for only 3% of the country’s electricity generation. This study thus investigates the drivers of solar PV adoption and the impact of this on household income and poverty in Bangladesh. We present an econometric analysis of data from the International Food Policy Research Institute’s Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey, 2020. Our findings indicate that only 5.51% of the sample households adopted solar PV, with the likelihood of adoption 3.8% higher in households with a mobile phone, 1.7% higher in households with internet access, and 2.8% higher among homeowners. However, the government’s programs to expand the electricity grid made the delivery of solar PV by partner organizations less competitive. Our analysis reveals that the adoption of solar PV has a positive effect on household income of between 9.31% and 13.50%. The poverty gap is likely to decrease by around 20% to 26% due to adoption. These findings are pertinent to ongoing policy development efforts targeted at increasing the adoption of renewable energy to meet the sustainable development goals. Solar PV information could be potentially disseminated through mass media and modern communication technologies that require internet access. Furthermore, increasing the installation of solar PV systems in rented houses may promote the adoption of solar PV. It is imperative to implement policies that provide incentives for the installation and utilization of solar PV.

Energy, environmental, economic, and social assessment of photovoltaic potential on expressway slopes: A case in Fujian Province, China

Expressway slopes within the boundary of expressway construction land have the potential to be transformed from conventional land use to valuable utilization through the installation of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Considering the continuous increase in expressway mileage, the PV potential could be enormous; therefore, a method to quantify such potential is urgently needed. This study proposes a potential assessment method for expressway slope photovoltaics. First, the suitable locations of expressway slopes for installing PV systems are identified on the basis of publicly available digital maps, combined with the principles of PV site selection and geographic information systems. Then, the PVsyst model is used to simulate the power generation efficiency and power output of the PV systems and to evaluate their PV potential, contribution, and economic benefits. The implementation of the proposed method in Fujian Province, China, indicates that the installed capacity of PV systems could reach 16.3 GW, with an annual power output of 17,940 GWh, contributing to the peak shaving of power grids and regional energy supply. The reductions in CO2, SOx, and NOx emissions are 16.65 Mt, 8970 t, and 3947 t per year, respectively. Considering carbon trading, the payback period is shortened to 11.7 years, with the return on investment of 65.38 % and the net present value of 52.6 billion RMB over a 25-year operational period. Additionally, this project could create 19.88 % of jobs in the energy sector in Fujian Province, providing 27,861 jobs during the construction phase and 18,248 jobs during the operation and maintenance phase. Thus, this project is economically viable and generates positive energy, environmental, and social benefits, contributing to the promotion of local energy transition and sustainable development.

Carbon Removal from Green Roofs in Urban Communities: A Case Study in the City of Chania, Crete, Greece

Construction of green roofs on rooftop of buildings in urban areas has multiple environmental, economic and social benefits including the atmospheric carbon removal. Rooftops of buildings can be also used for the installation of solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems generating green energy. The use of green roofs in buildings in Crete, Greece is very limited. The impact of green roofs and of solar-PV systems installed on rooftop of buildings located in the municipal unit of Chania, Crete, Greece has been examined. It has been estimated that green roofs remove atmospheric carbon through plants’ photosynthesis and contribute in carbon emission savings due to lower energy consumption in buildings. Additionally, installation of solar-PV panels on rooftop of buildings contributes to green energy generation and to climate change mitigation. Apart from climate change mitigation green roofs have multiple external environmental, economic and social benefits. It has been indicated that the impacts of green roofs to climate change mitigation are lower than the impacts of solar photovoltaics’ installation on rooftop of buildings. The multiple external benefits of green roofs indicate that their construction should be financially subsidized in Greece like in other EU countries. The findings could be useful to municipal authorities who should promote the construction of green roofs in urban buildings in their municipalities.

Long-term power forecasting of photovoltaic plants using artificial neural networks

Increasing the robustness of forecasting energy production models from a photovoltaic plant is crucial in investment decisions, while profitability is closely linked to its location since its energy production depends on the local climate conditions. This study aimed to mitigate uncertainty regarding the installation of photovoltaic systems by addressing the challenge of forecasting electrical energy production over the long term. Artificial Neural Network models were used for this purpose, predicting the power output of a photovoltaic plant based on the ambient temperature, cell temperature, and solar irradiance. Data recorded every minute over one year at an experimental photovoltaic plant revealed a strong correlation between energy production and the input variables. This research compared the performance of multilayer perceptron, feedforward, long short-term memory, and modular artificial neural networks architectures. Validation was carried out using mean squared error, mean absolute error, mean absolute percentage error, root mean squared error, and coefficient of determination as key metrics. Notably, the long short-term memory network demonstrated the highest accuracy in energy forecasting achieving a mean squared error of 0.0089 p.u, a mean absolute error of 0.0527 p.u, a root mean squared error of 0.0944 p.u, and a mean absolute percentage error of 49.0124 %. Nonetheless, the modular model came close to long short-term memory accuracy but with lower computational cost.

A Review of Factors Affecting the Efficiency and Output of PV Systems Applied in the Tropical Climate of South-South Nigeria

The increasing adoption of renewable energy for electricity generation has led to a growing application of photovoltaic (PV) systems in residential and commercial settings across Nigeria. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the factors affecting the efficiency and output of PV systems applied in the tropical climate of South-South Nigeria. The environmental benefits of PV systems further enhance their appeal as a direct method of converting solar energy into electricity. For remote communities in South-South Nigeria, often disconnected from the national grid, PV systems offer a viable alternative electricity source. However, the efficiency and output of PV systems are significantly influenced by various environmental conditions prevalent in the tropical climate of South-South Nigeria. The methodology employed in this study includes an extensive literature review and analysis of PV system installations in the region. Data was collected from various sources, including journal articles, conference proceedings, and reports, to identify the key factors impacting PV system performance in South-South Nigeria. The findings highlight that high temperatures, humidity levels, frequent dust accumulation, and potential sea salt effects due to coastal proximity are among the critical environmental factors affecting PV system efficiency in this tropical zone. The study concludes that while the region's climate provides advantages for solar energy harvesting, it also presents unique challenges that need to be addressed when implementing PV systems in South-South Nigeria. The authors recommend strategies to mitigate the environmental challenges faced by PV systems in this tropical climate, contributing to the optimization of solar energy utilization in the region.

Technoeconomic analysis of solar PV electrification to remote areas of Dera Ghazi Khan: A case study

With the increase in population at an immense rate, electricity demand is growing exponentially. Researchers and policymakers are seeking alternating means of power generation to meet the load demand. These resources should be cost-effective, environmentally friendly and least carbon emissions. To mitigate the load demand Renewable Energy Sources (RES) are integrated into electrical networks. In this work, an off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) system is designed for rural areas of Dera Ghazi Khan (DG Khan), Pakistan. These areas often lack access to reliable grid power. Installing PV systems in these areas can help provide a reliable source of electricity, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and improve living conditions. This case study is simulated using PVsyst 7.2. of Roonghan village such as hospitals, shops, and residential houses for techno-economic analysis of off-grid solar PV. The economic viability shows that installing off-grid solar PV in DG Khan is much cheaper. The electricity taken from the grid that's almost 80.01%is expensive. This case study helps other researchers and policymakers to mitigate the electricity requirement of remote areas located far away from the national grid. To install a transmission line, having cost $26.98 corer but using an off-grid to provide electricity to the same area is $2.16 corer. Additionally, it integrates Battery Energy Storage (BES) with Renewable Energy Sources (RES) to achieve a 5 % annual energy cost reduction and enhanced self-sufficiency, filling a gap in existing literature.

Assessing the Performance, Reliability, Economic, and Environmental Impact of Photovoltaic Systems Installation Parameters in Harsh Climates: Case Study Iraq

This study examines how photovoltaic (PV) installation parameters—such as tilt angle, azimuth angle, row pitch, height above ground, and albedo impact PV module operating conditions in harsh climates, focusing on irradiance levels and module temperature. It evaluates how these parameters influence degradation rates and the overall lifetime of PV modules. The study correlates variations in module lifetime to lifetime energy generation, economic factors, and environmental impacts. A novel PV optimization strategy is proposed, incorporating lifetime energy yield, levelized cost of electricity, and greenhouse gas emissions, rather than focusing solely on economic metrics. Findings show that installation parameters significantly affect climate stressors and PV module lifetime, making their consideration crucial. For instance, higher tilt angles are recommended to reduce stressor levels and extend the module's lifetime, optimizing energy yield while mitigating losses due to soiling. Height and albedo are identified as particularly sensitive, especially for bifacial modules, where small changes lead to significant differences in lifetime and energy yield. The study highlights an optimal albedo of ≈0.5, aligned with desert sand, suggesting that albedo boosters may not be necessary in desert climates. This approach offers valuable insights for balancing long‐term performance, environmental impact, and economic factors in PV system design.

Commercial application in solar PV

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has been widely used in the past decades due to its potential for sustainability and energy supply. With the continuous strengthening of peoples awareness of environmental protection, solar PV energy has become an important renewable energy technology recognized in the world after years of development. However, the use of solar PV technology has presented several detrimental flaws, including high startup costs, inefficient material usage, and inconsistency. This paper is going to introduce the application of this technology, including electric vehicles, off-grid and grid-tied solar PV systems used in homes. We will also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using solar PV panels in residential buildings. The results suggest that the implementation of off-gridic Solar PV systems for power generation at residential buildings being highly significant. In addition, a Grid-Tied Solar PV system also allows the household to sell electricity back to the grid in surpluses, which may bring a monumental leap toward more sustainable and energy-efficient living. In addition, the installation and maintenance of grid-Tied Solar PV systems are also important. In this context, solar PV energy stands out as one of the most promising solutions as a renewable energy.