Technical and Economic Analysis of a 1mw Grid-Connected Solar Photovoltaic Power System at KNUST-Kumasi
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Date
2012-09-19
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Abstract
Grid-connected solar PV systems, though the fastest growing renewable energy
technology in the world, have not been fully exploited in Africa; one of the reasons
being the very high initial investment. Prices of solar PV systems have however been
on a decline for the past few years due to technological innovations which have led
to improvements in cell efficiencies and the economies of scale resulting from
increase in production.
The main purpose of this thesis is to present a technical and economic analysis of a
1MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic power system for the Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi using rooftops of
buildings on the campus. A solar resource assessment done to know the amount of
solar radiation available at KNUST showed that KNUST receives about
4.30kWh/m2/day. A roof assessment which considered parameters such as the
surface orientation and pitch of roofs, roof area and the possibility of shading of the
roof, also revealed there is about 43,697m2 of roof space available for grid-connected
solar PV installations.
In technical analysis of the 1MWp solar PV system, the three (3) commonest solar
PV module technologies were selected and their performance simulated using PVsyst
software. Amorphous silicon modules were found to perform better than
monocrystalline and polycrystalline modules over the one (1) year simulation period.
The financial analysis carried out using RETScreen revealed that at a solar PV
market price of US$4.45/Wp and a tariff of US$0.11/kWh (tariff paid for Asogli
Power Plant which happens to be the most expensive generation source in the
country), the project is not viable unless feed-in tariffs greater than US$0.43/kWh are
paid.
Description
A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University
of Science and Technology, Ghana, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
Degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, September-2012