Complex Engineering Problem (CEP) Report

Table Of Contents
Complex Engineering Problem (CEP) Report............................................................................................1

Title: Design and Layout Optimization of Solar PV System for a Commercial Building
in Pakistan......................................................................................................................1

1. INTRODUCTION:............................................................................................................................................3

2. PROBLEM CONTEXT:...........................................................................................4

3. METHODOLOGY:...................................................................................................5

3.1 Solar PV System Design..........................................................................................5

3.2 LAYOUT OPTIMIZATION........................................................................................6

OUTPUTS AND SIMULATIONS:...................................................................................6

3.3 ENERGY YIELD SIMULATION..............................................................................11

OUTPUTS AND SIMULATIONS:.................................................................................11

3.4 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.........................................................................................15

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:............................................................................17

5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS:......................................................19

6. REFERENCES:.....................................................................................................19
 1. INTRODUCTION:
Renewable energy has become the focal point of sustainable development
worldwide, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels. It
addresses critical challenges such as:

 Environmental Issues: Solar power significantly reduces greenhouse

gas emissions, curbing climate change and air pollution.
 Energy Security: By leveraging an infinite resource—solar energy—it
mitigates reliance on finite and politically sensitive fossil fuel reserves,
enhancing energy independence.
 Economic Benefits: Solar energy systems reduce operational costs and
offer a sustainable, long-term energy solution. Additionally, they drive
innovation and job creation in the renewable sector.

Solar energy stands out due to its availability, scalability, and minimal
environmental impact. Implementing grid-connected solar PV systems in
commercial settings ensures energy efficiency, reduces dependency on grid
power, and contributes to achieving global sustainability goals.

[1] fig.1
 2. PROBLEM CONTEXT:
The project involves designing a solar PV system for a commercial building in
Pakistan under specific constraints and objectives. The details include:

 Location: Urban area in Pakistan with moderate solar irradiance, suitable

for harnessing solar energy throughout the year.

 Constraints:

o Roof Area: 500 m² for panel installation.

o Budget: Initial investment limited to PkR. 20 million.

 Energy Demand:

o Peak load of 100 kW during work hours.

o Annual energy consumption of 150,000 kWh.

Challenges:

 Roof Area Limitation: Designing an efficient system within a small

installation area while avoiding shading and maximizing energy output.

 Budgetary Constraints: Balancing high-efficiency components and

technologies with economic feasibility.

 System Longevity: Ensuring a reliable system that operates optimally for

25 years.

 Technical-Economic Balance: Achieving compliance with grid

regulations while minimizing lifecycle costs.
 3. METHODOLOGY:

3.1 Solar PV System Design

The solar PV system design focuses on selecting components that optimize
energy generation within constraints.

COMPONENTS DETAILS
Panel Types - Monocrystalline: High efficiency,
compact, best for limited space.
- Polycrystalline: Cost-effective but
lower efficiency.
- Bifacial: Captures light from both
sides, ideal for open environments.
Inverter Selection - Central or string inverters chosen
based on panel count and energy
demand.
- Sizing matches output power to
avoid energy loss.
Mounting Systems - Fixed Tilt: Economical and stable
but fixed angle reduces efficiency
during off-peak sun hours.
- Tracking Systems: Higher
efficiency but increased complexity
and cost.
Battery Storage - Li-ion Batteries: High efficiency,
long lifespan.
- Lead-Acid Batteries: Economical
but less durable. Battery inclusion
depends on peak demand
management needs.
3.2 LAYOUT OPTIMIZATION
The layout optimization aims to maximize energy output while minimizing
shading effects.

 Inter-row Spacing: Calculated to prevent mutual shading between

adjacent rows of panels.

 Panel Orientation:

o Portrait: Space-efficient, allows for denser installation.

o Landscape: Provides stability, suitable for wide installations.

 Software Tools: PVsyst and SAM are used for precise shading analysis
and energy modeling.

Optimization ensures that the system complies with space constraints and
maximizes energy yield.

OUTPUTS AND SIMULATIONS:

1. We have chosen the urban area in Islamabad with longitude:73.08 and
latitude 33.41 Sector F7. The co-ordinates were achieved via Google
Earth.
Providing the co-ordinates in the PVsyst Software for creating a Meteonorm Data
File,

Following are the Geographical Parameters calculated by PVsyst Software.

2. For the Orientation Parameters, Plane Tilt is set as 23 degrees and
Azimuth as 0.0.
 3. For defining the System Size we calculated the “Estimated Daily Energy
Demand” and “Solar PV System Design” [2].

Using PVWatts calculator, we verified that 100kWp of Solar PV System will

provide us an average of 147,225 kWp annually.
Hence on basis of this, system size is defined in PVsyst.

System calculated Global Summary of Module Area as 498 m², Nominal PV

Power as 98.6 kWp.
4. For User’s need definition variant, keeping in view the specified
parameters of 150,000 kWh/annually, hand performed calculations
provided a load of 410 kWh per day while PVsyst gave us of 411 kWh/day
which indicates accuracy in calculations performed.
 5. The Horizon far shading definition at our selected geographical location:

3.3 ENERGY YIELD SIMULATION

Energy yield simulation evaluates system performance under real-world
conditions:

 Key Factors Considered:

o Shading: Influence of nearby structures and inter-row spacing.

 o Irradiance: Site-specific solar intensity throughout the year.

o Temperature: Impact of thermal efficiency loss on panels.

 Panel Comparison:

Panel Type Efficiency Cost Suitability

Monocrystalline High Expensive Best for limited
space and high
yield
Polycrystalline Medium Affordable Suitable for
budget-
constrained
setups
Thin-Film Low Economical Requires more
area for similar
yield

OUTPUTS AND SIMULATIONS:

1. For System Shading, we have 10 No. of X modules and 2 No. of Y
modules. The modules X and Y spacing is taken as 0.2 m respectively.
The shading scene construction is as follows:
 2. Following are the Shading parameters with compatibility and System
orientations:

By this we got a table of Shading Factor with the following parameters:

The Graph for Shading factor at Islamabad is:

At this point, running the simulation provided the following results:

The Daily Input/Output, Performance Ratio PR, System Output Power Distribution and
Array Temperature vs. Effective Irradiance Diagrams are as follows:
3.4 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
Lifecycle cost analysis (LCOE) considers:

1. Initial Investment: Panels, inverters, installation costs.

This includes the cost of panels, inverters, and installation.

PV Modules

 Quantity: 224 panels (440 Wp each).

 Unit Price: 140 USD/panel (to meet budget).

 Total Cost:

224panels×140USD/panel=31,360USD=31,360×300=9,408,000PKR.

Supports for Modules

 Typically, 10% of panel cost:

31,360×0.10=3,136USD=3,136×300=940,800PKR.

Inverters

 Quantity: 11 inverters (9 kW each).

 Unit Price: 900 USD/inverter.

 Total Cost:

11×900=9,900USD=9,900×300=2,970,000PKR.

Installation Costs

 Estimated as 10% of total PV modules + supports:

(31,360+3,136)×0.10=3,449.6USD=3,449.6×300=1,034,880PKR.

2. O&M Costs: Maintenance and periodic repairs.

Annual Maintenance

 Annual Cost: 450 USD (estimated based on system size and general
maintenance).

450×300=135,000PKR/year.
Insurance & Taxes

 These can vary, but we assume a minimal tax burden.

 Annual Insurance & Taxes: 450 USD.

450×300=135,000PKR/year.

Total O&M Costs

 Yearly Total: Maintenance + Taxes + Insurance:

135,000+135,000=270,000PKR/year.

3. Panel Degradation: Average annual performance loss over 25 years.

 Over 25 years, panels lose an average of 0.5% efficiency per year

(industry standard).
 Annual Degradation: The efficiency of the system will reduce by 0.5%
each year. This affects energy production and overall output.

Energy Production Reduction

 Year 1: 100% output.

 Year 25: 87.5% output (considering cumulative degradation of 0.5%

annually).

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Based on the system overview and the main results derived from the PVsyst
simulation, here are the key observations:

1. System Production:
 o The system is projected to produce 150 MWh/year, which is the
total energy generated annually by the solar power system. This is
good for an urban area with moderate solar irradiance. The
production level aligns with the energy demand of the building,
considering that the peak demand is 100 kW during work hours,
and the annual consumption is 150,000 kWh.

2. Specific Production:

o The specific production of 1524 kWh/kWp/year reflects the amount

of energy generated per kilowatt peak (kWp) of installed capacity.
Given that the system is designed for 98.6 kWp (based on your
design specifications), this level of production indicates an efficient
use of the available roof space and system design, ensuring that
energy needs are met.

3. Performance Ratio (PR):

o A Performance Ratio of 0.784 indicates that the system performs at

78.4% of its theoretical maximum. While this is a good value, it
suggests that there are some energy losses due to factors such as
shading, inefficiencies in equipment, and suboptimal weather
conditions. However, this is typical for most real-world solar PV
systems.

4. Normalized Production:

o The normalized production of 4.18 kWh/kWp/day represents the

daily energy output per kWp of installed capacity, adjusted for local
irradiance. This value helps in understanding the daily performance
of the system in real-time conditions.

5. Array Losses:
 o The array losses of 1.06 kWh/kWp/day indicate the energy loss
occurring within the array, which could be due to factors like partial
shading, dirt on panels, or system inefficiencies. These losses are
common and are accounted for in the system design to ensure
reliable energy delivery.

6. System Losses:

o The system losses of 0.08 kWh/kWp/day refer to the energy lost

during the process of converting the DC electricity produced by the
panels to AC electricity by the inverters. A lower loss in the system
indicates that the conversion process is efficient, contributing to the
overall performance of the PV system.

Discussion:

 The overall system performance is well within the expected ranges for a
moderate solar irradiance location. The system production aligns with the
energy consumption requirements, meaning it is well-sized for the
building's energy demand.

 The Performance Ratio of 0.784 suggests that although the system is

efficient, there are areas that could be optimized, such as improving panel
orientation, reducing shading, or using higher-efficiency inverters and
panels.

 The array losses and system losses are also typical for solar PV
systems, but further optimization in these areas could further improve
system efficiency. For example, cleaning the panels regularly or
enhancing the installation layout could reduce shading and dirt-related
losses.

5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

Conclusion:
The proposed system effectively meets energy demands within defined
constraints, offering a sustainable and economically viable solution.

Recommendations:

 Integrate advanced battery storage for enhanced grid independence.

 Regularly monitor panel performance to ensure sustained efficiency.

 Explore government subsidies or incentives to further improve financial

feasibility.

6. REFERENCES:
[1] A. VR, "What Are The Basic Components Of The Photovoltaic System?,"
ARKA360, 2024.

[2]