Optimal Sizing of a PV System in Golpayegan, Iran Using Thermal Modeling-based Load Demand

Abstract

This paper introduces the design and analysis of a Photovoltaic (PV) system to supply the residential load of a house in Golpayegan, Iran. The paper’s procedure is the house's thermal modeling employing BEopt software to estimate the load data and then collect the primary meteorological data such as solar irradiance and temperature for the selected site. After these preliminary steps, system optimization for PV/grid and PV/diesel/battery models are developed using the HOMER software. The optimization found that the PV array required capacities are 5.17 kW and 6.19 kW, producing 9,346 kWh/yr and 11,196 kWh/yr for standalone and grid-connected PV systems, respectively. The results indicate that solar energy utilization is an attractive option for grid-connected and standalone PV systems, of which the net present costs (NPC) of each system are 12,180 US$, 40,618 US$, respectively. The system analyses show that adopting either a PV/grid or PV/diesel/battery system causes a reduction in not only dependency on fossil fuel but also in CO2 emission.