Assessment and optimization of photovoltaic systems at the University Ibn Tofail according to the new law on renewable energy in Morocco using HOMER Pro

Abstract

Abstract The current study aims to investigate and optimize the photovoltaic systems currently in operation at the University of Ibn Tofail in Kenitra, Morocco. The University has started already since 2017 to integrate photovoltaic systems in the form of carports with the objective to reduce the invoices for electricity supplied from the utility grid by at least around 40%. Until then, the University avoided selling the energy surplus to the local electricity provider due to complicated bureaucratic regulations. However, due to the new law on renewable energy adopted by the Moroccan government in November 2021, it will be possible for private households and public service buildings to sell the entire excess of energy produced by renewable energy systems instead of only 20% of the surplus according to the previous law 13-09. For this purpose, this research project seeks to verify whether an expansion of the available photovoltaic installations and the sale of the energy surplus is worthwhile or not. This research work has been done with the optimization software HOMER Pro and presents the obtained optimized results and proposals of two new scenarios in comparison to already existing photovoltaic arrays.