Rooftop Solar Research Articles

Optimal planning and modelling of the solar roof-top PV system with different incentive policy schemes for residential prosumers: a real-time case study

Optimal planning and modelling of the solar roof-top PV system with different incentive policy schemes for residential prosumers: a real-time case study

Determinants of rooftop solar uptake: A comparative analysis of the residential and non-residential sectors in the Basque Country (Spain)

Rooftop solar, both in the residential and the non-residential sector, is emerging rapidly as a popular source of clean electricity. Together with utility-scale photovoltaics, its future growth is essential to achieve decarbonization targets. Therefore, understanding adoption determinants for firms and households is key to efficiently promoting its diffusion. There is a gap, however, in the knowledge of non-residential adoption determinants, as less attention has been given to this sector compared to the residential sector. As a result of this gap, there is an absence of comparative analysis across sectors. As determinants of adoption cannot be assumed to be the same in both sectors, the objective of this research is threefold. First, to analyze whether the residential and non-residential sectors share key determinants of rooftop solar investment; second, to compare the sectoral differences in these determinants; and third, to assess the policy implications of the results obtained to further promote distributed solar photovoltaic energy. For this purpose, a regional case study in the Basque Country (Spain) was conducted, applying key theoretical frameworks to both sectors in a way that maximized the comparability of the results obtained across them. The results showed that adoption determinants are very different across sectors and, therefore, sector-specific policy actions need to be taken in each sector to efficiently promote rooftop solar. For the residential sector, policy actions could build upon behavioral aspects; for the non-residential sector, economic incentives are expected to be more successful, especially among medium size businesses, which are identified as the most promising segment.

The new service development process of green FinTech innovation: A multi-case study

In light of increasing global challenges like climate change, carbon neutrality, and biodiversity loss, the need for sustainable solutions is essential. Green FinTech innovation, which combines financial resources, services, and technologies, has become a significant area of focus for addressing these issues. However, despite growing interest from various stakeholders, progress towards sustainable development remains slow due to fragmented academic knowledge. This study aims to bridge this gap by offering practical guidelines for those involved in green FinTech innovation. By examining the new service development process, including both the front-end and back-end stages, the study will identify key influencers such as customers, organizations, and partners. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with three green FinTech case studies in Thailand, specifically focusing on rental electric bike services, energy trading systems, and solar rooftop platforms. The research will investigate the concepts, methods, and critical success factors that drive the innovation processes of these projects through a comparative multi-case study. The findings will reveal different paths for B2B and B2C green FinTech innovation, emphasizing the importance of external factors. Successful innovation requires a thorough understanding of customer behavior, beyond just pro-environmental tendencies. These insights aim to accelerate green FinTech innovation in emerging economies and underscore the need for further quantitative research to validate these findings. This research will provide valuable insights for policymakers, financial institutions, and innovators, supporting the advancement of sustainable development through green FinTech solutions.

Harnessing rooftop solar photovoltaic potential in Islamabad, Pakistan: A remote sensing and deep learning approach

Solar energy shines as a beacon for sustainable development, with rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) installations playing a crucial role. This study proposes a novel framework to precisely assess citywide existing solar power generation and analyze future potential under various rooftop utilization scenarios (10–50 %). To illustrate the methodology, the existing solar PV yield and future potential of Islamabad are explored as a case study. Employing open-source satellite data and deep learning (DL), this study quantified the electricity generation from current solar infrastructure and projected future possibilities. DL models like Mask R–CNN and Deeplab-v3 are trained on extensive custom datasets for solar panels and rooftops extraction. The study delineated 19,000 solar arrays, covering an area of 0.8 sqkm, and extracted 75.08 sqkm of suitable rooftops for future installations. The analysis revealed, current solar infrastructure generates 141.42 GWh electricity, satisfying 6.34 % of Islamabad's annual energy demand. Utilizing 50 % rooftop area could generate 6578 GWh annually, meeting 294 % of the city's electricity needs. This research contributes to the strategic planning for solar energy infrastructure, demonstrating the substantial role rooftop solar can play in meeting urban energy needs. This can inform policy decisions and guide investment opportunities for expanding clean energy in the city.

A holistic techno-economic feasibility analysis of residential renewable energy systems: An insight into Turkish case

This study conducts a detailed techno-economic evaluation of residential renewable energy system (RRES) in Türkiye, focusing on the city of Kahramanmaras with high solar potential and utilizing real-site measured PV data in the city. To this end, a comprehensive RRES model, incorporating various system configurations are developed. In order to represent all PV-Battery energy storage system (BESS) operating configurations, six different cases are defined. Then, novel energy management strategies are proposed for the cost-efficient allocation of available energy and to improve the techno-economic performance of the RRES. To conduct a comprehensive feasibility analysis from all aspects, various economic metrics such as net present value, simple payback period (SPP), discounted payback period (DPP), internal rate of return (IRR), profitability index (PI), and levelized cost of energy (LCOE), together with energy-related performance metrics like self-sufficiency and grid-dependency rates are employed. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis is carried to observe the impacts of pricing scheme and system cost&sizing on the evaluation metrics. On the other hand, as a technical assessment, reliability index (RI) is calculated for each case to discuss the loss of load probability. MATLAB R2020b software is utilized for modelling and energy management purposes. The numerical results indicate that the most feasible system under current financial circumstances and renewable energy policy is rooftop PV system with a SPP of 8.38 years, a DPP of 7.71 years, an IRR of 11.64 %, a PI of 2.72, and a LCOE of 0.026 $/kWh, whereas the least feasible system is proven to be sun tracking PV-BESS system on PV charge mode with a SPP of 12.08 years, a DPP of 10.73 years, an IRR of 7.61 %, a PI of 1.69, and a LCOE of 0.227 $/kWh. Moreover, it is observed that charging the BESS from the grid instead of PV energy procures higher financial returns for the end-user such that SPP, DPP, IRR, PI, and LCOE improve to 10.95 years, 9.83 years, 8.40 %, 1.87, and 0.198 $/kWh, respectively for the system of configuration of sun tracking PV with BESS on grid charge mode compared to sun tracking PV with BESS on PV charge mode. Also, all PV-BESS operational configurations can meet the feasibility criteria through improved incentives and cost reductions although the cost-benefit ratio of BESSs is not yet at the desired level. The results of technical evaluation indicate that charging the BESS from the grid and smaller BESS sizes serve to reduce the loss of load probability, resulting in an improvement in the reliability index of the RRES. Overall, this study provides a holistic insight for promoting RRESs in Türkiye through a detailed techno-economic performance analysis.

Modeling the potential effects of rooftop solar on household energy burden in the United States

Policymakers at the federal and state level have begun to incorporate energy burden into equity goals and program evaluations, aiming to reduce energy burden below a high level of 6% for lower income households in the United States. Pairing an empirical household-level dataset spanning United States geographies together with modeled hourly energy demand curves, we show that rooftop solar reduces energy burden across a majority of adopters during our study period from a median of 3.3% to 2.6%. For low- and moderate-income adopters (at or below 80% and 120% of area median income, respectively), solar reduces median 2021 energy burden from 7.7% to 6.2%, and 4.1% to 3.3%, respectively. Importantly, solar reduces the rate of high or severe energy burden from 67% of all low-income households before adoption to 52% of households following adoption, and correspondingly from 21% to 13% for moderate-income households. Here, we show rooftop solar can support policy goals to reduce energy burden along with strategies such as weatherization and bill assistance.

Rooftop Solar Power System for EV Charging Station of Household Customers in Indonesia: A review and an Opportunity for Developing Countries

Rooftop Solar Power System for EV Charging Station of Household Customers in Indonesia: A review and an Opportunity for Developing Countries

Evaluation of the Impact of Rooftop Solar Power on the Power Quality of Vietnam Urban Distribution Networks according to Relevant Vietnamese and IEEE and IEC Standards

Evaluation of the Impact of Rooftop Solar Power on the Power Quality of Vietnam Urban Distribution Networks according to Relevant Vietnamese and IEEE and IEC Standards

Shared energy in renewable energy communities: The benefits of east- and west-facing rooftop photovoltaic installations

Renewable energy communities (RECs) offer a promising perspective for decarbonizing the building sector. This is accomplished by enhancing the uptake, among others, of citizen-owned rooftop photovoltaic systems. A key challenge lies in ensuring that photovoltaic generation matches the needs of community members, i.e. maximizing shared energy index. Indeed, the shared energy depends on the consumption habits of individual members and the rooftop characteristics, such as orientation and inclination of available pitches, which influence the production curve. Therefore, clear guidelines on which roof pitches are most suitable for PV generation within RECs might be helpful during the design of such communities. In this paper, we investigate the optimal orientations and tilt angles for PV systems in REC design. We conducted a robust Monte Carlo simulation of an energy community comprising 60 users, 30 of which are equipped with rooftop PV systems for a total of 150 kWp installed. Our analysis revealed that pitches with West and East offer comparable, if not better, shared energy values than those South-facing, consequently mitigating peak power dispatched to the grid. Besides, shared energy remains quite constant across various tilt angles. These findings suggest that buildings with non-South-facing roofs should not be overlooked, but embraced in the design of renewable energy communities as they can contribute significantly to shared energy.

Financial Implications of Rooftop Solar Penetration in Sri Lanka from Utility Point of View

Solar is one of the fast growing and economical renewable power generation sources. The intention of development of solar power generation is to promote clean energy while addressing the basic requirement of uninterrupted and reliable electricity supply.The Sri Lankan government decided to adopt a policy that would use subsidies to encourage the growth of solar PV-based electricity. As a result, the market developed with a large number of customers eager to install solar rooftop systems, and they received strong assistance from solar power service providers. Hence, the utility is required to absorb the solar energy produced and this study focuses on the impact of solar penetration to the utility.System dispatch data for year 2019 and rooftop solar generation data for a period of 6 months of year 2019 were considered for the analysis in this paper. The model compares the financials of two scenarios to estimate the impact to the utility. The base case scenario, which is business as usual with the already installed solar generation in the system and No solar scenario which assumes that there is no solar in the system and therefore the demand is met by other available generation capacities in the system.This paper examines the two scenarios with careful calculations of how the system can still run without solar in the system. Daily demand patterns were also analysed and then expanded to months and summarized for the year. This research focuses the financial impact of solar electricity penetration to the national grid and how everyone can still be benefitted.

A Study on the Techno-Economics Feasibility of a 19.38 KWp Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic System at Al-Abrar Mosque, Saudi Arabia

This research paper presents a comprehensive study on the implementation of photovoltaic (PV) energy systems at Al-Abrar Mosque in Saudi Arabia. The primary objective was to explore optimal regional solar power strategies. By synergistically integrating technical evaluations of the PV system with economic analyses, including the payback period and levelized cost of energy (LCOE), alongside an investigation of net metering and net billing scenarios, we delineated a pathway toward achieving net zero billing for the mosque’s energy requirements. This study examined two scenarios: Scenario I involved net metering, while Scenario II explored net billing. Our theoretical and simulation results, derived from detailed analyses conducted using PVsyst software, unequivocally demonstrated the superiority of net metering for this specific application. With net metering, the mosque’s energy needs can be efficiently met using minimal infrastructure—comprising only 34 photovoltaic modules and a single inverter. In contrast, net billing requires significantly higher resource demands, underscoring the economic and spatial advantages of net metering. Additionally, the payback period for Scenario I is 7.9 years, while for Scenario II, it extends to 87 years. Through rigorous simulations, this study reaffirmed the practicality and feasibility of the net metering approach within the context of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, our research provides actionable insights for implementing sustainable solutions at specific sites, such as the Al-Abrar Mosque, and contributes to advancing renewable energy knowledge in the region.

Who will ‘go electric’? American homeowners' perceptions of home energy sources and home electrification

In the context of the global climate crisis, the role the building sector plays in direct consumption of fossil fuels, especially natural gas, has come under increased scrutiny. Several major cities have initiated a phase out of natural gas hookups in homes and other buildings, requiring use of electric appliances. Additionally, with the passage of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, major incentives came available to help homeowners purchase and install electric appliances in their residences. Currently, over half of American homes use natural gas for heating or cooking, but research is needed to understand public opinion of household electrification. Here, we use 2021 survey data of American homeowners with electricity in the household (n = 4470) to analyze distribution of different energy sources currently used by homeowners, favorability toward gas versus electric appliances, and attitudes toward home electrification. We find that homeowners in the South, Midwest, and Intermountain West regions of the US are more likely than those in the New England area to already reside in electric-only homes, but we don't find the same geographic variation in support for home electrification. We also find that homeowners who are politically liberal, don't already use natural gas, have children at home, live in more urban areas, use rooftop solar, already use an induction stove or heat pump, and believe electricity is safer than natural gas are more supportive of electrification. These findings provide clues as to who is more and less likely to adopt electric household technologies.

A Combined Ranking and Sensitivity Analysis of Power Generation Using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making and Monte-Carlo Simulation

This research examined energy sources that can be employed in a region to assist policymakers in determining energy priorities. Three key components were analyzed in this research to rank these energy sources: Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), CO2 emissions, and power density. A combination of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, namely the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)-Entropy-the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), was used to assess these criteria, which had not been previously applied to rank energy sources. Additionally, the Monte-Carlo method was utilized to detect changes in sensitivity throughout the rankings. Results of the study indicated that gas energy topped the list, followed by Solar Photovoltaic (PV)-crystalline, geothermal, wind, nuclear, Solar PV Commercial & Industrial (C&I), Solar Thermal Tower with Storage, and residential PV rooftop solar. Moreover, nuclear energy ranked the highest when looking at the sensitivity of parameters, while utility-scale Solar PV and wind energy ranked the next highest. Thus, this research can be used to increase objectivity in the assessment and selection of power generation technology to be implemented.

Indonesiaʼs energy transition: Dependency, subsidies and renewables

AbstractIndonesiaʼs economy is highly dependent on the fossil fuel industry as evidenced in measures of non‐taxable revenue, energy subsidy, energy mix and regulatory flexibility. To cut carbon emissions by 41% in 2030, the energy system needs to transition faster than anticipated through progressive reforms and investment. Policy makers understandably are fearful of the shocks and unrests resulted from fossil fuel subsidy reform. However, the fears were shown to be an over‐reaction, especially if poorer households were supported. The state‐owned enterprise, Perusahaan Listrik Negara, is the central player in the tug of war between the fossil fuel and renewable sectors. The government should signal unwavering support for international investment in the renewables, and update the regulation on rooftop solar that boosts return on investment for domestic households. International investors will need modelling of cost competitiveness of wind farms against coal‐fired plants in more remote areas.

Evaluating Performance and Grid Impacts of On-Grid Rooftop PV System: Case Study of A Mosque

This study presents a load flow analysis of on-grid rooftop PV installed at Masjid Tablighiyah, Bukittinggi, Indonesia. The analysis was conducted using the Newton-Raphson method and simulated using ETAP software. Two scenarios was explored for the analysis: i) connecting the PV into 20 kV bus, and ii) connecting into 380 V bus. Results obtained showed that grid voltage are meeting the utility standards, with all bus voltages are within ±5% threshold. However, certain nodes have moderately low voltages, suggesting a potential need for pre-emptive measures during peak demand. The power factor performance falls within acceptable ranges (84-91%), indicating reasonable system efficiency. However, there is still needed for continuous monitoring to prevent degradation from harmonic-producing loads. In addition, substation transformers and distribution feeders show ample capacity for future expansions as electricity loads grow. The findings provide a robust baseline for additional grid integration studies, emphasizing the need for further enhancements at weaker nodes to ensure sustained stability and reliability in future demand conditions.

Mapping of Household Photovoltaic Research in Indonesia: A literature review using bibliometric analysis

This research aims to undertake a bibliometric study on household photovoltaics within the Indonesian context. The objectives include mapping the global trends in publications related to household photovoltaics, mapping the trends within the Indonesian context, analyzing the performance of authors, affiliations, sources, and papers, identifying research hot topics, and determining research themes. This study utilized 122 Scopus-indexed articles. The findings reveal an increasing trend in the number of publications on household photovoltaics both globally and within the Indonesian context. In the Indonesian context, Tarigan, E stands out as the most relevant author, the University of Indonesia emerges as the most relevant affiliation, IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science leads as the most relevant source, Renewable Energy takes the lead as the most influential source, and article title ’Energy and Economic Losses Caused by Dust on Residential Photovoltaic (PV) Systems Deployed in Different Climate Areas,’ stands out as the most influential. This study identified five themes as hot topics (Photovoltaic Quality and Performance, Economic Analysis of Photovoltaic Systems, Net Metering and Inverter of Rooftop Photovoltaic in Indonesia, Monitoring System of Residential Solar Panels, and Technical and Economics of Solar Power Plants) and four research themes (The Adoption of Household Rooftop Photovoltaics and Influencing Factors, Design and Planning for Rooftop Solar Panel Deployment, Rooftop Photovoltaics Adoption and Renewable Energy Targets, and Economic Analysis of Rooftop Photovoltaic).

Advancing toward a sustainable future in subtropical semi-arid type climatic zone: Iraq case - The progress of solar photovoltaic energy implementation

The study delves into Iraq's shift towards sustainable energy, focusing on solar photovoltaic energy adoption and expansion to meet rising energy demands and the need for cleaner energy solutions. It highlights the potential of harnessing solar energy, particularly through small-scale solar PV systems, supported by incentives like net metering programs that encourage surplus energy feed-in to the grid. Using Geographic Information System data, the paper examines the spatial distribution of solar PV installations and projects the capacities of rooftop solar PV systems by 2035 under various promising scenarios. It also demonstrates the link between increased solar PV capacity and meeting national energy demands, underscoring the importance of strategic policies, technological advancements, and the engagement of consumers and businesses in driving Iraq towards a sustainable energy future. By fostering an environment conducive to solar PV adoption, the results offers valuable insights for ongoing discussions and future studies on renewable energy strategies in Iraq.

Climate change will impact the value and optimal adoption of residential rooftop solar

Climate change will impact the value and optimal adoption of residential rooftop solar

Cost Benefits of Net Zero Energy Homes in Australia

This paper presents a systematic analysis of energy savings and cost benefits associated with several options for integrating energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. The primary goal of this study is to assess the cost-effectiveness of achieving optimal net-zero energy (NZE) designs for residential buildings in Australia. Specifically, the analysis combines a series of sensitivity analyses and multi-objective optimizations to account for a wide range of design strategies for detached homes in four cities representing different Australian climates. The results indicate that not only are NZE designs technically feasible for all the considered Australian cities, but they are also highly cost-effective. This cost-effectiveness is attributed to the lower installation costs of rooftop PV systems as well as the beneficial interactive effects of proven energy efficiency strategies. Indeed, it is found that the deployment costs of rooftop PV systems can be recovered in less than 4 years. Moreover, the addition of thermal insulation in walls and ceilings can reduce both HVAC capacities and annual energy end-use by up to 59%. Based on an optimization-based design, NZE homes in Australia can have lower construction costs and, ultimately, lower life cycle costs than dwellings built to meet current energy efficiency standards based primarily on stringent building envelope thermal performance.

How photovoltaics make energy refurbishment more affordable in apartment buildings

The costs of energy efficiency renovation of Germany’s postwar apartment buildings have sharply increased since pre-covid years, as have interest rates and hence the costs of servicing loans that finance these renovations. Despite increases in energy costs, it has become virtually impossible to recoup energy-efficiency renovation costs through energy cost savings, with many projects bringing substantial losses. The common method of third parties offering rotating finance to ease the initial costs, and being repaid after short payback periods, therefore no longer works. On the other hand, rooftop photovoltaics have decreased sharply in price, and continue to do so. This study explores the economics of installing photovoltaics, with or without heat pumps, along with energy-efficiency renovation, based on two typical case study apartment buildings in North Rhine-Westphalia. Using fine-grained energy flow modelling and net-present value cost-benefit analysis, it finds that energy-efficiency renovation brings losses of over 80% but that these can be substantially reduced by the gains from rooftop PV, especially when a heat pump is included. The larger the PV system, the larger the gains, but roof size limits this. The study recommends that shared rooftop PV systems be promoted as the norm with comprehensive energy-efficiency renovation in Germany.