Achieving zero-bill for the grid-connected PV systems in Saudi Arabia governmental schools: a techno-economic analysis
Corresponding Author(s) : A.F Almarshoud
Future Energy,
Vol. 3 No. 3 (2024): August 2024 Issue
Abstract
Governmental schools are characterized as ideal places for installing grid-connected PV systems due to the availability of large spaces on their roofs. Schools are also characterized by their good annual load profile, in which most of the loads occur during the day, and there are no loads on nights or weekends or during summer and vacations. Moreover, in the winter, the loads drop dramatically due to the lack of air conditioning. This special annual load profile provides a relative property to government schools with regard to exporting the energy generated during off days to the general electricity grid. The main objective of this research is to attempt to design a grid-connected PV system that can balance imported and exported energy to the grid to achieve an annual zero bill based on the energy exchange tariff in Saudi Arabia. Three different schools in Buraidah City were selected for investigation. The annual energy consumption was estimated from energy bills for 3 years and compared with actual installed loads. The performance analysis was done by applying three widely used indicators: yield factor, capacity factor, and performance ratio. Also, the economic analysis was done using the life cycle analysis methodology based on the local market prices to find the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and the payback time. The results of economic and performance analysis revealed the professionality of installing grid-connected PV systems in government schools.
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- Sarkodie, S. A., & Owusu, P. A. (2020). Bibliometric analysis of water–energy–food nexus: Sustainability assessment of renewable energy. Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, 13, 29-34.
- Almomani, F. (2020). Prediction of biogas production from chemically treated co-digested agricultural waste using artificial neural network. Fuel, 280, 118573.
- Ebhota, W. S., & Jen, T. C. (2020). Fossil fuels environmental challenges and the role of solar photovoltaic technology advances in fast-tracking hybrid renewable energy systems. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology, 7, 97-117.
- Alizadeh, R., Soltanisehat, L., Lund, P. D., & Zamanisabzi, H. (2020). Improving renewable energy policy planning and decision-making through a hybrid MCDM method. Energy Policy, 137, 111174.
- Ahmad, L., Khordehgah, N., Malinauskaite, J., & Jouhara, H. (2020). Recent advances and applications of solar photovoltaics and thermal technologies. Energy, 207, 118254.
- Shah, S. A. A. (2020). Feasibility study of renewable energy sources for developing the hydrogen economy in Pakistan. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 45(32), 15841-15854.
- Mohammed, H., Al-Othman, A., Nancarrow, P., Tawalbeh, M., & Assad, M. E. H. (2019). Direct hydrocarbon fuel cells: A promising technology for improving energy efficiency. Energy, 172, 207-219.
- Alami, A. H., Aokal, K., Zhang, D., Tawalbeh, M., Alhammadi, A., & Taieb, A. (2018). Assessment of Calotropis natural dye extracts on the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells.
- Almomani, F., Bhosale, R., Khraisheh, M., Kumar, A., & Tawalbeh, M. (2019). Photocatalytic conversion of CO2 and H2O to useful fuels by nanostructured composite catalysis. Applied Surface Science, 483, 363-372.
- Tawalbeh, M., Al-Othman, A., Singh, K., Douba, I., Kabakebji, D., & Alkasrawi, M. (2020). Microbial desalination cells for water purification and power generation: A critical review. Energy, 209, 118493.
- Abdelsalam, E., Kafiah, F., Tawalbeh, M., Almomani, F., Azzam, A., Alzoubi, I., & Alkasrawi, M. (2021). Performance analysis of hybrid solar chimney–power plant for power production and seawater desalination: A sustainable approach. International Journal of Energy Research, 45(12), 17327-17341.
- Wilberforce, T., Baroutaji, A., El Hassan, Z., Thompson, J., Soudan, B., & Olabi, A. G. (2019). Prospects and challenges of concentrated solar photovoltaics and enhanced geothermal energy technologies. Science of The Total Environment, 659, 851-861.
- Osmani, K., Haddad, A., Lemenand, T., Castanier, B., & Ramadan, M. (2020). A review of maintenance strategies for PV systems. Science of the Total Environment, 746, 141753.
- Ebrahimi, M. R., & Amjady, N. (2021). Contingency‐constrained operation optimization of microgrid with wind and solar generations: A decision‐driven stochastic adaptive‐robust approach. IET Renewable Power Generation, 15(2), 326-341.
- Dahlioui, D., Laarabi, B., & Barhdadi, A. (2022). Review on dew water effect on the soiling of solar panels: Towards its enhancement or mitigation. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 49, 101774.
- Almasoud, A. H., & Gandayh, H. M. (2015). Future of solar energy in Saudi Arabia. Journal of King Saud University-Engineering Sciences, 27(2), 153-157.
- Alsantali, M. H., & Almarshoud, A. F. (2023). The economic feasibility of utilizing small-scale solar PV systems in the residential sector based on Saudi regulations. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 25(3), 889-907.
- Rashwan, S. S., Shaaban, A. M., & Al-Suliman, F. (2017). A comparative study of a small-scale solar PV power plant in Saudi Arabia. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 80, 313-318.
- Mubaarak, S., Zhang, D., Chen, Y., Liu, J., Wang, L., Yuan, R., ... & Li, M. (2020). Techno-economic analysis of grid-connected pv and fuel cell hybrid system using different pv tracking techniques. Applied Sciences, 10(23), 8515.
- Flood, E., McDonnell, K., Murphy, F., & Devlin, G. (2011). A feasibility analysis of photovoltaic solar power for small communities in Ireland. The Open Renewable Energy Journal, 4(1).
- Emmanuel, M., Akinyele, D., & Rayudu, R. (2017). Techno-economic analysis of a 10ákWp utility interactive photovoltaic system at Maungaraki School, Wellington, New Zealand. Energy, 120, 573-583.
- Allouhi, A., Saadani, R., Kousksou, T., Saidur, R., Jamil, A., & Rahmoune, M. (2016). Grid-connected PV systems installed on institutional buildings: Technology comparison, energy analysis, and economic performance. Energy and Buildings, 130, 188-201.
- Johnson, D. O., & Ogunseye, A. A. (2017). Grid-connected photovoltaic system design for local government offices in Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Technology, 36(2), 571-581.
- Bilir, L., & Yildirim, N. (2017). Photovoltaic system assessment for a school building. international journal of hydrogen energy, 42(28), 17856-17868.
- Almarshoud, A. F. (2017). Technical and economic performance of 1MW grid-connected PV system in Saudi Arabia. Int. J. Eng. Res. Appl, 7, 9-17.
- Evans, D. L. (1981). Simplified method for predicting photovoltaic array output. Solar energy, 27(6), 555-560.
- Kymakis, E., Kalykakis, S., & Papazoglou, T. M. (2009). Performance analysis of a grid connected photovoltaic park on the island of Crete. Energy conversion and management, 50(3), 433-438.
- Almarshoud, A. F. (2016). Performance of solar resources in Saudi Arabia. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 66, 694-701.
- Kalogirou, S. A Solar Energy Engineering Processes and Systems Second Edition. 2014. [Online]. Available: http://store.elsevier.com/
References
Sarkodie, S. A., & Owusu, P. A. (2020). Bibliometric analysis of water–energy–food nexus: Sustainability assessment of renewable energy. Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, 13, 29-34.
Almomani, F. (2020). Prediction of biogas production from chemically treated co-digested agricultural waste using artificial neural network. Fuel, 280, 118573.
Ebhota, W. S., & Jen, T. C. (2020). Fossil fuels environmental challenges and the role of solar photovoltaic technology advances in fast-tracking hybrid renewable energy systems. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology, 7, 97-117.
Alizadeh, R., Soltanisehat, L., Lund, P. D., & Zamanisabzi, H. (2020). Improving renewable energy policy planning and decision-making through a hybrid MCDM method. Energy Policy, 137, 111174.
Ahmad, L., Khordehgah, N., Malinauskaite, J., & Jouhara, H. (2020). Recent advances and applications of solar photovoltaics and thermal technologies. Energy, 207, 118254.
Shah, S. A. A. (2020). Feasibility study of renewable energy sources for developing the hydrogen economy in Pakistan. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 45(32), 15841-15854.
Mohammed, H., Al-Othman, A., Nancarrow, P., Tawalbeh, M., & Assad, M. E. H. (2019). Direct hydrocarbon fuel cells: A promising technology for improving energy efficiency. Energy, 172, 207-219.
Alami, A. H., Aokal, K., Zhang, D., Tawalbeh, M., Alhammadi, A., & Taieb, A. (2018). Assessment of Calotropis natural dye extracts on the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells.
Almomani, F., Bhosale, R., Khraisheh, M., Kumar, A., & Tawalbeh, M. (2019). Photocatalytic conversion of CO2 and H2O to useful fuels by nanostructured composite catalysis. Applied Surface Science, 483, 363-372.
Tawalbeh, M., Al-Othman, A., Singh, K., Douba, I., Kabakebji, D., & Alkasrawi, M. (2020). Microbial desalination cells for water purification and power generation: A critical review. Energy, 209, 118493.
Abdelsalam, E., Kafiah, F., Tawalbeh, M., Almomani, F., Azzam, A., Alzoubi, I., & Alkasrawi, M. (2021). Performance analysis of hybrid solar chimney–power plant for power production and seawater desalination: A sustainable approach. International Journal of Energy Research, 45(12), 17327-17341.
Wilberforce, T., Baroutaji, A., El Hassan, Z., Thompson, J., Soudan, B., & Olabi, A. G. (2019). Prospects and challenges of concentrated solar photovoltaics and enhanced geothermal energy technologies. Science of The Total Environment, 659, 851-861.
Osmani, K., Haddad, A., Lemenand, T., Castanier, B., & Ramadan, M. (2020). A review of maintenance strategies for PV systems. Science of the Total Environment, 746, 141753.
Ebrahimi, M. R., & Amjady, N. (2021). Contingency‐constrained operation optimization of microgrid with wind and solar generations: A decision‐driven stochastic adaptive‐robust approach. IET Renewable Power Generation, 15(2), 326-341.
Dahlioui, D., Laarabi, B., & Barhdadi, A. (2022). Review on dew water effect on the soiling of solar panels: Towards its enhancement or mitigation. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 49, 101774.
Almasoud, A. H., & Gandayh, H. M. (2015). Future of solar energy in Saudi Arabia. Journal of King Saud University-Engineering Sciences, 27(2), 153-157.
Alsantali, M. H., & Almarshoud, A. F. (2023). The economic feasibility of utilizing small-scale solar PV systems in the residential sector based on Saudi regulations. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 25(3), 889-907.
Rashwan, S. S., Shaaban, A. M., & Al-Suliman, F. (2017). A comparative study of a small-scale solar PV power plant in Saudi Arabia. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 80, 313-318.
Mubaarak, S., Zhang, D., Chen, Y., Liu, J., Wang, L., Yuan, R., ... & Li, M. (2020). Techno-economic analysis of grid-connected pv and fuel cell hybrid system using different pv tracking techniques. Applied Sciences, 10(23), 8515.
Flood, E., McDonnell, K., Murphy, F., & Devlin, G. (2011). A feasibility analysis of photovoltaic solar power for small communities in Ireland. The Open Renewable Energy Journal, 4(1).
Emmanuel, M., Akinyele, D., & Rayudu, R. (2017). Techno-economic analysis of a 10ákWp utility interactive photovoltaic system at Maungaraki School, Wellington, New Zealand. Energy, 120, 573-583.
Allouhi, A., Saadani, R., Kousksou, T., Saidur, R., Jamil, A., & Rahmoune, M. (2016). Grid-connected PV systems installed on institutional buildings: Technology comparison, energy analysis, and economic performance. Energy and Buildings, 130, 188-201.
Johnson, D. O., & Ogunseye, A. A. (2017). Grid-connected photovoltaic system design for local government offices in Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Technology, 36(2), 571-581.
Bilir, L., & Yildirim, N. (2017). Photovoltaic system assessment for a school building. international journal of hydrogen energy, 42(28), 17856-17868.
Almarshoud, A. F. (2017). Technical and economic performance of 1MW grid-connected PV system in Saudi Arabia. Int. J. Eng. Res. Appl, 7, 9-17.
Evans, D. L. (1981). Simplified method for predicting photovoltaic array output. Solar energy, 27(6), 555-560.
Kymakis, E., Kalykakis, S., & Papazoglou, T. M. (2009). Performance analysis of a grid connected photovoltaic park on the island of Crete. Energy conversion and management, 50(3), 433-438.
Almarshoud, A. F. (2016). Performance of solar resources in Saudi Arabia. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 66, 694-701.
Kalogirou, S. A Solar Energy Engineering Processes and Systems Second Edition. 2014. [Online]. Available: http://store.elsevier.com/