Techno-economic analysis of fixed versus sun-tracking solar panels

IF 2.4 Q3 ENERGY & FUELS
Akram Elahi Gol, Milan Ščasný
{"title":"Techno-economic analysis of fixed versus sun-tracking solar panels","authors":"Akram Elahi Gol, Milan Ščasný","doi":"10.14710/ijred.2023.50165","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The potential output of photovoltaic (PV) panels is influenced by several factors, including the direction of solar radiation from the sun toward the panel’s surface. The maximum output of the panels is obtained when the panels are vertical to the sun's rays. In this study, a techno-economic analysis is conducted to examine whether an automatic one-axis sun tracker system is an economically feasible option for installing a large-scale PV park in the Nicosia district in the central part of Cyprus. The performance of a one-axis sun tracker with an installed capacity of 781 kWp is compared to a PV system with a fixed flat structure having the same capacity and larger capacity at 1034 kWp. Output generated by the three PV system options is simulated by three alternative simulation software (SolarGIS, PVSyst, and PVGIS). Financial analysis is performed utilizing simulated PV power output, accounting for electricity feed-in tariff and overall cost of the project. The cash-flow model is run for several scenarios defined by different leverage ratios, including no leverage. Considering the technical parameters of a PV system and solar panel characteristics, such as the degradation effect on solar panel efficiency and solar radiation, we estimate the solar tracking system produces about 20%–30% more energy compared to a fixed structure. We find both technologies are economically viable options, however, a one-axis tracker system performs better financially. LCOE in all scenarios is below the highest acceptable level for solar PV projects in Cyprus which is 103 EUR per MWh. LCOE for a solar tracker PV is 39 EUR per MWh with a 30% leverage ratio and up to 79 EUR per MWh with 85% leverage. LCOE for a sun-tracker is ~20% lower than LCOE for a PV with a fixed axis of comparable size. Despite higher investment costs, the solar tracking PV system performs with a 12% higher equity internal rate of return, and a 9% shorter loan payback period compared to the same installed power of a fixed structure. The Financial analysis is complemented by quantified benefits due to avoided carbon emissions. Accounting for carbon benefits makes a sun-tracker PV system economically a better option over the fixed tracker PV system, resulting in 228,000 EUR more benefits. Overall, the present value of net benefits of a solar-tracker PV amounts to 1.39 mil. EUR and due to high irradiation in Cyprus, the carbon footprint of PV power output represents only 6% of the footprint of generating electricity in thermal power plants. When these benefits are accounted for the sum of NPV and social benefits will turn out to be higher for a one-axis tracker compared to the total social benefits of a fixed tracker of the same size.","PeriodicalId":44938,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Renewable Energy Development-IJRED","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2023-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Renewable Energy Development-IJRED","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.14710/ijred.2023.50165","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENERGY & FUELS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

The potential output of photovoltaic (PV) panels is influenced by several factors, including the direction of solar radiation from the sun toward the panel’s surface. The maximum output of the panels is obtained when the panels are vertical to the sun's rays. In this study, a techno-economic analysis is conducted to examine whether an automatic one-axis sun tracker system is an economically feasible option for installing a large-scale PV park in the Nicosia district in the central part of Cyprus. The performance of a one-axis sun tracker with an installed capacity of 781 kWp is compared to a PV system with a fixed flat structure having the same capacity and larger capacity at 1034 kWp. Output generated by the three PV system options is simulated by three alternative simulation software (SolarGIS, PVSyst, and PVGIS). Financial analysis is performed utilizing simulated PV power output, accounting for electricity feed-in tariff and overall cost of the project. The cash-flow model is run for several scenarios defined by different leverage ratios, including no leverage. Considering the technical parameters of a PV system and solar panel characteristics, such as the degradation effect on solar panel efficiency and solar radiation, we estimate the solar tracking system produces about 20%–30% more energy compared to a fixed structure. We find both technologies are economically viable options, however, a one-axis tracker system performs better financially. LCOE in all scenarios is below the highest acceptable level for solar PV projects in Cyprus which is 103 EUR per MWh. LCOE for a solar tracker PV is 39 EUR per MWh with a 30% leverage ratio and up to 79 EUR per MWh with 85% leverage. LCOE for a sun-tracker is ~20% lower than LCOE for a PV with a fixed axis of comparable size. Despite higher investment costs, the solar tracking PV system performs with a 12% higher equity internal rate of return, and a 9% shorter loan payback period compared to the same installed power of a fixed structure. The Financial analysis is complemented by quantified benefits due to avoided carbon emissions. Accounting for carbon benefits makes a sun-tracker PV system economically a better option over the fixed tracker PV system, resulting in 228,000 EUR more benefits. Overall, the present value of net benefits of a solar-tracker PV amounts to 1.39 mil. EUR and due to high irradiation in Cyprus, the carbon footprint of PV power output represents only 6% of the footprint of generating electricity in thermal power plants. When these benefits are accounted for the sum of NPV and social benefits will turn out to be higher for a one-axis tracker compared to the total social benefits of a fixed tracker of the same size.
固定太阳能电池板与太阳跟踪太阳能电池板的技术经济分析
光伏(PV)面板的潜在输出受到几个因素的影响,包括太阳向面板表面的太阳辐射方向。当面板垂直于太阳光线时,面板的最大输出是获得的。在这项研究中,进行了技术经济分析,以检查自动单轴太阳跟踪器系统是否是在塞浦路斯中部尼科西亚地区安装大型光伏公园的经济可行选择。将装机容量为781 kWp的单轴太阳跟踪器的性能与容量相同且容量更大的1034 kWp的固定平面结构光伏系统进行比较。三种光伏系统的输出通过三种备选的仿真软件(SolarGIS、PVSyst和PVGIS)进行模拟。财务分析是利用模拟的光伏发电输出,考虑上网电价和项目的总成本。现金流模型在由不同杠杆率定义的几种情况下运行,包括无杠杆。考虑到光伏系统的技术参数和太阳能电池板的特性,如对太阳能电池板效率和太阳辐射的退化效应,我们估计太阳能跟踪系统比固定结构产生约20%-30%的能量。我们发现这两种技术在经济上都是可行的选择,然而,单轴跟踪系统在经济上表现更好。所有情况下的LCOE都低于塞浦路斯太阳能光伏项目可接受的最高水平,即每兆瓦时103欧元。太阳能跟踪器PV的LCOE为每兆瓦时39欧元,杠杆率为30%,杠杆率高达每兆瓦时79欧元,杠杆率为85%。太阳跟踪器的LCOE比同等尺寸的固定轴光伏的LCOE低20%。尽管投资成本较高,但与固定结构的相同装机容量相比,太阳能跟踪光伏系统的股权内部回报率高出12%,贷款回收期缩短9%。避免碳排放带来的量化效益补充了财务分析。考虑到碳效益,太阳能跟踪器光伏系统在经济上比固定跟踪器光伏系统更好,产生22.8万欧元的效益。总体而言,太阳能跟踪光伏发电的净效益现值为139万欧元,由于塞浦路斯的高辐射,光伏发电的碳足迹仅占火力发电厂发电足迹的6%。当这些效益被考虑到NPV和社会效益的总和时,与相同大小的固定跟踪器的总社会效益相比,单轴跟踪器的社会效益更高。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
CiteScore
4.50
自引率
16.00%
发文量
83
审稿时长
8 weeks
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:481959085
Book学术官方微信