A Techno-Economic Study of Rooftop Grid-Connected Photovoltaic-Energy Storage Systems in Qatar

Abstract

Gulf Corporation Countries (GCC) are exposed to high levels of solar insolation throughout the majority of the year. Therefore, the use of photovoltaics (PV) is a viable, clean energy source for the GCC region. This paper presents a detailed techno-economic study for the implementation of a grid-connected rooftop photovoltaic and energy storage system (PV-ESS) in the State of Qatar. This study aims to present a detailed cost analysis as well as sizing information for a house in Qatar. A multi-objective optimization that considers generation and load profiles, cost of grid consumption, cost of materials, and house size is presented in the form of Pareto frontier curves. Load modulation is introduced as a method to lower capital expenditure and operational costs. The benefit to a developed country like Qatar is to improve the resilience of the electrical supply and reduce the carbon footprint. The benefit to a developing country is that it brings electricity to individual homes without needing an expensive utility grid. Although this paper is not intended to study energy policy, the techniques presented can be used to recommend energy policies. The results of this study are presented in the form of implementation steps to make rooftop PV-ESS systems feasible in Qatar based on factual information and detailed analysis.