DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF A GRID-CONNECTED ROOFTOP SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM

Abstract

In this study, the design and performance evaluation of a grid-connected rooftop solar photovoltaic system, which aims to decrease dependency on the conventional electricity grid and enhance the use of renewable energy in domestic and commercial buildings, are presented. The system configuration has been designed keeping in mind the available size of the rooftop, solar irradiation available in the region, electrical load available, electrical load power rating of PV module, rating of inverter, configuration of PV array, system losses and electrical condition of grid-interconnection. The performance system was evaluated based on the significant technical parameters such as monthly energy production, PV panel efficiency, inverter efficiency, performance ratio, capacity factor, PV system energy yield, grid energy export, and reduction of carbon emissions. The amount of energy generated from solar resources has been found to change with the varying solar resources, with peak energy generation being achieved in months in which the solar resources are available the greatest. There was no instability in the PV array and the inverter under various environmental conditions, and also when the PV power was not adequate, the connection of the solar system to the grid was maintained. The PV system played a major role in meeting the building load, and the surplus energy was exported to the electricity grid. The system also had very positive environmental effects, including energy savings from conventional energy sources and related greenhouse gas emissions. In conclusion, the results presented here show that a well-designed PV set on a roof can provide a reliable energy source, provide energy sustainability for a building, reduce electricity costs, and achieve a transition to a cleaner distributed energy production system.