Extended Design Investigation Based on Techno-Economic and Environmental Considerations of a Grid Connected PV System: Application to a 100 kWp PV System Installed in Eastern Macedonia Region of Greece

ABSTRACT

In recent years significant efforts have been made for the purpose of wider exploitation of RES and in particular of PV systems for power production due to their techno-economic & environmental advantages. For an actual design study of a PV system a detailed examination of a number of technical and economical issues must be first investigated thoroughly. In this work the main steps for the systematic design study of a PV system are presented in compact form and include: a) the meteorological data collection and assessment for the examined site, b) the selection of the most suitable PV panel-inverter combination, c) the cable sizing, and d) the overall economic analysis of the considered system. This proposed procedure is applied to a 100 kWp PV system being installed at Myrtofyto, Kavala in Eastern Macedonia region of Greece. The economic analysis is based on the values of the well known economic indices NPV, IRR, DPBP, BCR, and CoE. Additionally, the benefits to the environment are estimated by the computation of the relevant avoided emissions of main pollutants. The conducted sensitivity analysis is based on key technical and economical system parameters, including the consideration of using either a single or a double shaft sun tracking system.