Abstract
This paper analyzes the economics of a grid-interactive rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system and the impact of the temperature on it. The analysis related to energy metrics, lifecycle costing, and environmental economics was performed considering the PV system’s life as 30 years. The system economics is also compared at different conditions like theoretical, temperature-corrected, and real electricity generation data. The parameters like energy payback time (EPBT), energy return on energy invested (EROI), and lifecycle conversion efficiency are determined as 5.95 years, 5.04, and 0.078, respectively, based on actual generation. The unit electricity cost of the rooftop PV system was estimated as INR 5.37 at the 5% interest rate. The electricity cost varies with the interest rate variation and operation system life. The results show a reduction in overall economic performance on the increase in module temperature. The effect of temperature on the economics of the system is presented in terms of the per degree rise of module temperature. One degree increase of module temperature 8.5 days in EPBT of the PV system increases, and INR 0.021 increases in the unit cost of electricity considering a reference temperature 25 °C. A PV system has environmental benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are also affected by the rise of module temperature. The system lost INR 355.93 in carbon credits at an increase of one-degree module temperature.
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Abbreviations
- Em :
-
Embodied energy (kWh)
- EAC :
-
Annual electricity generation (kWh)
- t:
-
Time (years)
- Ein :
-
Annual solar radiation on PV array (kWh/m2/year)
- C:
-
Capital cost (INR)
- CR :
-
Replacement cost (INR)
- M :
-
Annual average maintenance and repair cost (INR)
- CMR :
-
Maintenance and repair costs (INR)
- Cs:
-
Salvage cost (INR)
- CE :
-
Unit electricity cost (INR/kWh)
- tCO2e:
-
Ton of carbon di oxide equivalent
- ȠPCU :
-
PCU efficiency (%)
- Ƞm :
-
Efficiency of module
- ȠT ,m :
-
Temperature-corrected efficiency of module
- HT :
-
Daily solar radiation on array (kWh/m2/day)
- Aa :
-
Array area (m2)
- Tm :
-
Module temperature (°C)
- CRF:
-
Capital recovery factor
- CAU :
-
Annualized uniform cost (INR)
- DCDB:
-
Direct current distribution box
- LCCE:
-
Life-cycle conversion efficiency
- EPBT:
-
Energy payback time (years)
- INR:
-
Currency symbol for Indian rupee
- kW:
-
Kilowatt
- kWh:
-
Kilowatt hour
- EROI:
-
Energy return on energy invested
- MCBs:
-
Miniature circuit brackers
- PCU:
-
Power conditioning unit
- STC:
-
Standard test condition
- SPV:
-
Solar photovoltaic
- MPP:
-
Maximum Power Point
- GPRS:
-
General Packet Radio Service
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Funding
The present study is funded by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India under the grant (Sanction letter No. 10/14/2013-P&C and letter No. 10/2(22)2013-P&C).
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Conceptualization: Satish Kumar Yadav, Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar; Methodology: Satish Kumar Yadav, Usha Bajpai; formal analysis and investigation: Satish Kumar Yadav; writing — original draft preparation: Satish Kumar Yadav; writing — review and editing: Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar, Usha Bajpai; funding acquisition: Usha Bajpai; resources: Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar, Usha Bajpai; supervision: Usha Bajpai.
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Yadav, S.K., Kumar, N.M. & Bajpai, U. Quantitative impact assessment of temperature on the economics of a rooftop solar photovoltaic system. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 21900–21913 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23592-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23592-7