FEASIBILITY OF USING VLS-PV SYSTEMS

IN FUTURE EGYPTIAN CITIES

Case Study “Suez Canal Region”
Moamen M. El-Sudany 1, Ahmed Y. Rashed 2, Sherif A. Sheta 3
1
Assistant Teacher– Faculty of Eng. – Mansoura - Egypt
[email protected]
2 3
Prof., British University in Egypt Assoc. Prof., University of Mansoura
Dept. of Architectural Engineering, Dept. of Architectural Engineering,
College of Engineering, Cairo, Egypt Faculty of Engineering, Dakahlia, Egypt
[email protected] [email protected]

Abstract⎯ The international project, Very Large Scale INTRODUCTION

Photovoltaic (VLS-PV), is considered one of the
international promising projects that discuss the potentials There are wide prospects that fossil fuel horizon is relatively
for developing the world’s desert by using large scale short, as 40 years left for oil and 65 years for gas; the fact
Photovoltaic plants. Urban-scale photovoltaic applications that calls for immediate humanity needs to move away from
have been sponsored by the International Energy Agency the use of greenhouse gas producing fossil fuels towards a
(IEA) and discussed through Photovoltaic Power System greater dependence on clean renewable energy. For instance,
Program (PVPS) through “Task 10” in 2004, in addition in industrialized countries, building sector is the biggest
studying the use of “photovoltaic services for developing single indirect source of carbon emissions generated by
countries” through “Task 9” started in 1999. The tasks aim burning fossil fuels, largely through buildings, in use or
to improve the utilization of PV systems in the urban construction, account for over 50% of total emissions.
environment, as part of the global trends for maximizing Studies have demonstrated that, reducing carbon intensity
building energy efficiency by using renewable energy (carbon per unit of energy) can occur independently of a
systems. Studying the feasibility of VLS-PV projects for reduction in energy intensity (energy per unit of economic
developing the deserts in Egypt and other Middle-East activity). In this regard, the use of energy efficiency
countries, has a wide interest in research activities through measures can contribute to reduce carbon emissions from
the last years, specially studying of the urban and houses by 60% or more, while it is possible to reach the 90%
architectural infrastructure for the proposed VLS-PV level of reductions required by using renewable energy
community and feasibility in the Egyptian desert, beside technologies. In UK, for instance, research demonstrated
studying of socio-economic, energy, and developmental that it is technically possible to meet the 60% target with a
constituents of desert communities. Through the studies, combination of energy efficiency measures and new low-
VLS-PV project has been introduced as the most promising carbon technologies there.
project that may combine the international trends regarding
renewable energy and sustainable development, with the It is noteworthy that there are international competitive
recent national developmental trends and proposed efforts to promote the use of renewable energy systems (RE)
scenarios. in built environment, to work as main source energy sooner
rather than later, and shifting away from conventional fossil
In this context, the research paper presents the ability of fuel energy systems. So, in recent years, we explored rapid
using building integrated PV systems ‘BIPV’ to improve development in grid-connected building-integrated
energy efficiency in the Egyptian’ cities, throughout photovoltaic (BIPV) systems, based on the government-
presenting case study of “El-Mostakbal city” in Suez Canal initiated renewable energy programs, aiming at the
region, as a part of studying the feasibility of implementing development of renewable energy applications and reduction
VLS-PV stages. The research findings and recommendations of greenhouse gas emissions.
are forwarded to the development of urban and architectural Here, the research studies the feasibility to attach renewable
design strategy for the recent and future Egyptian cities, to energy system into built environment in the Middle-East and
be more adapted to use renewable energy integrated North-Africa regions, to contribute achieving sustainable
systems. development of recent and future communities, studying the
feasibility of using Very Large Scale Photovoltaic project’s
Keywords: VLS-PV, Energy from the desert, Egyptian framework and strategy in future Egyptian cities.
Cities, PV System simulation.

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AIMS OF THE RESEARCH Simulation Tools,

The paper aims at approaching the following issues: The Author uses the following modeling and simulation
programs to form and examine the PV system accurate
- Studying, analyzing and development of the existing performance, as follows;
urban and architectural strategies in Egypt, to contribute
to the future new sustainable settlements located in the Modeling tools;
Egyptian hinterlands and desert areas. - AutoCad (2D-3D); for calculating the effective and
- Emphasizing the role of renewable energies, (solar suitable roof area for PV panels, and modeling building
energy in particular), handling the implementation of blocks by shape type.
self-sufficient/productive housing units, and fostering the
effective role of architecture in disseminating and - ECOTECT; for determining the annual range of self-
developing sustainability strategies for desert settlements shading, and ambient shading of PV Panels installed on
and regional communities at large. different types of roofs.
- Studying the feasibility for using integrated solar energy Simulation tools;
technologies into the recent and future Egyptian cities,
- PV-SYST; for PV system specifications and
through examining the capacity for integrated PV
calculations- simulation of PV system hourly, daily,
system, to contribute the cities’ energy efficiency and
and annual performance – calculation of the seasonal
enhancing cities sustainability.
needs of electricity per dwelling.
- Promoting the recent and future strategies related to
urban and architectural design in the Egyptian VLS-PV; THE INTERNATIONAL PROJECT
governmental projects, implemented in desert and
hinterlands, by expanding the body of knowledge to a VLS-PV project, as mentioned above, is introduced as one
larger scale of sustainable photovoltaic application in of the recent international promising projects that aim at
local urban communities. contributing substantially to global energy needs by using
- Enriching urban and architectural design guidelines with very large-scale photovoltaic plants located in the world’s
the criteria of installing solar energy system in built desert. Large-scale photovoltaic applications have been
environment. sponsored by the International Energy Agency (IEA). It
discussed Photovoltaic Power System Program (PVPS)
METHODOLOGY through a research project called ‘TASKS’ which has been
divided into numerous sub-tasks. The project - started since
The research is determined to examine the major potentials 1999 to date - has introduced promising ideas aiming mainly
for integrating renewable energy technologies, using to contribute to the following sides;
electrical solar energy applications in specific, into the
- Global environmental protection, and renewable energy
Egyptian built environment in hinterlands and desert areas.
utilization in the long term;
As part of author’s research studies related to examining the
feasibility for using VLS-PV project and methodology for - Economical and technological feasibility; and
developing the Egyptian desert, using sustainable -
framework. In collaborative effort with the second author, - Socio-economic development, especially for developing
the study stems from former theoretical studies, in Suez countries with large desert areas.
Canal region, using (Mostakbal City) as a case study, as it
has an optimal and suitable infrastructure for the research, The research project (Task 7) titled “Photovoltaic power
and using examining grid-connected PV systems into the systems in the built environment”, started in 1997 and was
urban context. concluded in end 2001, is considered one of PVPs’
important tasks, as it is related to the built environment and
Through the Case study, different numbers of parameters are enhancing the architectural quality, the technical quality and
considered requested to design and installing of PV systems, the economic viability of PV, which contribute directly to
using simulation tools for estimating the average energy efficiency strategies in urban and architectural
performance of PV system in different positions in the built building context. It involves the creative contribution of
environment. The results have been complied into architects, urban planner, and building engineers.
performance graphs. The introduced graphs are mainly
focused on: In addition, the research project “Task 7” is a part of three
a. Relation of annual energy performance versus PV panel approaches considered to encourage the spread of PV
feasible angels and area for different dwelling blocks. systems, which open the door for implementing the holistic
proposal of VLS-PV stages, as shown in the following steps.
b. Energy output of PV systems based on panel’s tilt and
azimuth angles.

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 c. Establish small scale independent PV systems into which aims to enhance the opportunities for wide-scale,
two scales: solution-oriented application of photovoltaic power
- installing stand-alone, several hundred watt-class electricity production in the urban environment as part of an
PV systems for private dwellings, and installing 2 to integrated approach that maximizes building energy
10 kW-class systems on the roofs of dwellings, ‘used efficiency and solar thermal and photovoltaic usage. It
in developing countries, as the solar home system considers numerous sides such as value analysis, policy
(SHS)’, incentives, as well as system design and integration that
have proven successful in the IEA’ participating countries.
- and 10 - 100 kW-class systems on office buildings
and schools. ‘ used in industrialized countries’ The research discusses the main objects, used energy
system, and installation type of solar applications in three
d. Establish 100 to 1000 kW-class mid-scale PV
international leading urban projects; examines large scale
systems on unused land on the outskirts of urban
applications of PV system as a main source of energy; and
areas, as germinated by PVPS/Task 6-8, and their
ends with the an analysis of the most recent zero-Energy
number is expected to increase rapidly in the early 21st
project “Masdar City” initiated at Abo-Dhabi, UAE,
century to multi-megawatt size.
designed by architect Norman Foster and partners, Table 1.
e. Establish PV systems larger than 10 MW on vast
TABLE 1
barren, unused lands that enjoy extensive exposure to COMPARISON BETWEEN THREE MAIN EXAMPLES OF SOLAR CITIES.
sunlight. In such areas, a total of even more than 1 GW
of PV system aggregation can be realized. Solar  City‐ Linz  Pichling – Austria 

• VLS-PV & BIPV: Integration in Urban Development

- To create a base for the future social residential housing project. 
- Achieving pillars of Sustainability;  (economic growth‐ ecological 
balance‐ social progress ) and Achieving the principles of sustainable 
and Architecture: Architecture. 
- GRID‐CONNECTED
installation  System 

Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) is now a part of - Energy conservation & Energy supplying  

every architect's vocabulary. Installation of PV panels on - High utilization of solar thermal systems (passive systems). 
roofs is the main practical method for distributing the - Utilizing of solar electrical systems (Active systems). 
investment cost and immediate the transition to solar - Roof Case; (BIPV) Fixing solar thermal collectors and PV cells , 
technologies in dense cities, than is likely to occur at the - Façade Case; Intelligent utilization of passive systems and high 
thermal capacity materials  
utility scale. - Passive systems; Uses of centralized servicing, in vertical cores, 
with integrated heat  
Dissemination of BIPV systems – extended with the use of
Solar Village Amersfoort‐Netherland
VLS-PV – is hypothesized to form the combined strategic
vision for developing the Egyptian cities and contributes -  Reducing of CO2 emissions and strategy for supplying 3.2% of 
electricity form RE sources. 
desert development, and as part of the proposed cooperation -  To examine the impact of using solar power at district level. 
between Euro region and North African for renewable - Demonstrating the technological and architectural potential of BIPV. 
energy links, so-called “EU-MENA renewable Energy links - GRID‐CONNECTED
installation  System 

(TREC)”. (Figure 1) - Achieving of 1MW energy generaion from: 

- Solar Photovoltaic systems 
VLS‐PV systems  - Solar / Gas combination unit has been installed in each house. 
  EUMENA Renewable  Combined  New  
Concentrated    Energy links (TREC ) 
Sustainable 
- Roof Case; (BIPV) Fixing solar thermal collectors and Photovoltaic
Solar Power  Concept,  Urban  cells , 
  The  Communities in  - Façade Case; Intelligent utilization of passive façade systems .  
Architecture  Development of 
the Desert - Other cases; installing PV panels in Urban Tools as garages and 
Rural     BIPV systems, for  Egyptian Desert,  shades.  
Development    the  Spread PV Tech. 
  Urban  
Masdar City  Abu‐Dhabi‐ UAE 
Development  - New sustainable city in abu‐Dhabi to imitate a new sample for future 
cities. And to achieve a Zero Carbon and Zero waste Community. 
FIGURE 1 - To develop the utilization of Renewable energy, especially solar energy 
DEVELOPING THE DESERT BY USEING BIPV AND VLS-PV, THE PROPOSED systems.
SCENARIO FOR EGYPTIAN DESERT DEVELOPMENT. - GRID‐CONNECTED
System 

- Using of Photovoltaics plants outside the city to generate energy
INTERNATIONAL EXAMPLES; USING RE- SYSTEMS; and Installing Photovoltaic cells on city’s roofs. 
- In combined with other renewable types like (Wind, Geothermal, 
Biofuels), to generate energy for the city and connected to grid. 
The international project and initiatives provided numerous
Install‐  

contributions to urban and architectural research and - Very large‐Scale Photovoltaic power plant. 

ation 

knowledge related to renewable energy integration in built -  BIPV; installing PV panels in building roofs. 

environment, and achieving principles of sustainability in - Using of Passive systems. 
world’s recent and future built environment. In this context,
it is noteworthy to refer to IEA PVPS Task 10, the project

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REGION OF
O STUDY
Y; Ismailia Governoraate,  (Figure 3), illuustrates the sitte componentts and the am
mbient
annd main circullation routes connected to the site. The new
Ismailia is thhe middle of three
t governoorates locatedd by the mplementation provided ann extension to
im t the dense city
Suez Canal strip, (Lattitude: 30.6053 - Longitude: cennter of Ismaillia City to serrve the new industrial
i andd free
32.2772). Thee importance of o Ismailia is built upon its central zones located arround the site..
location and significant inncrease of diffferent activitiees such
as; social stru
ucture, industrrial, and agriccultural develoopment, Sitte’ Advantagees:
such case thhat gives it remarkable potentials to sit an Thhe city considered a suitablle site for studdying solar ennergy
integrated teechnological industrial zone, z based on the appplication as new urban com
mmunity, and an a example foor the
former infrasstructure locatted in Ismailiia eastern bannk. The goovernmental housing
h modells of the indusstrial commun nities
project’s firsst stage starrted in 19944 by the Egyptian in Egypt.
government to t develop hiigh technologgical and elecctronics Fiield Trip;
industry, simiilar to the techhnology valleey “Silicon valley” in
USA, China, and India. Fieeld trip to sitee provides cleear understandd to the urbann and
arcchitectural conntext of the ciity, and surveying on sociaal and
In this conteext, added too other educaational and physical
p ecoonomical, annd technical sides and the econom mical
infrastructuree, Ismailia hass been select as
a one of the optimal
o inffrastructure allso.
locations to study the futurre of renewable energy inteegration
into built envvironment, esspecially the western
w bankk of the Abo‐ H
Hamad 
governorate where num merous industtrial developpmental  Ro
oad 
activities are located. As a recent devvelopment, thhe new Industrial 
expansion of Ismailia city called “El-M Moastakbal citty”, has Zone 1 
been establishhed as a new residential coomplex for youuth and
employments in the industrrial zone. (Figgure 2)
F
Free‐ Industrial 
Zone 
Port Said  
P
Road 

El‐ Mosta’bal Ciity 
Recent Stagee 

Induustrial 
Zone 2 

Cairo –Ismailia Road
d 

FIGU
URE 3
EL-MOSTA’BA
AL CITY BORDER
RS.

Soocial Context
11- The neww community cconsists of eduucated inhabittants,
between good and meedium educattion levels.
FIIGURE 2 22- There is a technical ggroup from thhe communityy that
SUEZ CANA
AL REGION MAIN
N PROJECTS AND
D TRANSPORTAT
TION will be responsible
r foor maintenances processess and
NETWORK. checkingg the system pperformance. (Figure 4)

Th
he city contain
ns the followin
ng Componen
nts:
CASE STU
UDY; (El M
Mostakbal City)
C
11- Economiic Housing – level (2) - Zone A
The objectivee of this studyy is to examine the ability of
o using
PV cells to fuulfill the electtricity needs in
i the near fuuture — 22- Housing – level (2) - Zone A””
20-50 year—— when most oof the world citiesc are expeected to 33- Economiic Housing – llevel (3) - Zone B
use solar eneergy as a maiin or secondaary source of energy 44- Housing – level (2) - Zone B””
after the deplletionof fossill fuels, and when
w cost anallysis of
55- Housing – High level (1) - Zone C
PV system wiill be far moree competitive..
66- Economiic Housing – llevel (3) - Zone E
77- The Mainn wholesale C
Center - Zone D

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 • Effective Ro
oof Areas by the Block Sh
hape,
Stuudying the efffective roof aarea for installling PV systeem is
mportant to determine tthe availablee net areas for
im
Leve
el (1)  determining thee structural syystem, as welll as predicting g the
efffective distribution of PV ppanels on rooff, while subtraacting
maaintenance paaths and paneels’ self and physical shad dows
yearly range to emphasis morre accuracy of the study, Figure
Level (3)  6, analyzed thro ough Table 2.
Level ((2)  URE 6
FIGU
BUILDING SIMULLATION FOR ANN
NUAL SHADOW, AND
A PV POSITIO
ONS.

Zone D 
Central SServices Buildin
ngs 

Level (2) 

Level ((3) 

FIIGURE 4
CLASSIFIC
CATION OF EL-M
MOSTA’BAL ZON
NES BY LIFE-LEV
VEL.
TAB
BLE 2
ANALYTICAL STU
UDY FOR PV SYS REA.
STEM AREA PER BLOCK ROOF AR

Evaluation 
Un‐Covered 
Orientation 

Covered U. 
El‐Mostakb bal

Net Roof  
Numbers 

Area‐ PV 

PV Area 
Area‐ PV
Study Assum
mptions Total  

Total  

units 
units
City Units 
The examinattion of site foor installation of photovoltaaic cells
depends on th
he following assumptions
a an
nd requiremen nts: Units Shapes

• System Assumptions
Shape U 0
A 60 block  55  /axis 
51 
Zone E  N‐S  206
6   12375  8  8
m2  m2  % 
a. Using Grrid-Connected system; ass the city is already
connectedd to grid, annd to avoid the extra costs of Shape  I
Batteries. (Figure 5) 45 block  24 0 /axis 
Zone A”  N‐S  8   16088  12 
248 4
2  2 77  
b. Using of high or med dium efficienccy (Mono cryystalline m m 
0
% 
24 %- or o - poly cryystalline 13%) %) of Solar ceells for 20 block  24   axis 
producingg maximum electrical po ower, and in njecting Zone B”  N‐S 
Shape Z
surplus eleectricity into national grid.. 30 block    24 0 /axis 
Zone E  N‐S  248
8   46035  12  4  
c. Subtractiing (25%) off the roof total area —sp pecified m2  m2  62 
into the Egyptian
E Buiilding standard Code— fo or other 156 block 24 0 /axis  % 
Zone B”  N‐S 
inhabitantts’ uses and equipment
e (ee.g. antennas, water
Shape  H
tanks…etcc). 97 Block    12 
0             

Zone A  axis N‐S  6   26194  10 

206 6 77  
0 m2  m2 +  % 
30 block    12   /axis  5400
Zone A”  N‐S 
Shape  II 0
75 block  24   /axis  64  
Zone B/ 30
0
N‐S/ 55    203
3   21263  8  8
Unit Zone E Axis N‐S  m2  m2  % 

Shape  E
84  24 0 /axis  3   14490  7 
173 9 51  
block  N‐S  m2  m2 
Zone C 
% 

Shape  O
28  24 0 /axis  356
6   9975  18  6
block  N‐S  m2  m2  41.5 
FIIGURE 5 Zone B”  % 
GRID CONNEC
CTED; SYSTEM SC
CHEMA

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PV System Specifications
S s, • PV System Performancee, Based Azim
muth Angles.
• Energy co
onsumption, based dwellin
ng types, Tillt angles of the three caases are fixeed as an opttimal
oriientation for the system oover the yeaar, while Azim muth
In Egypt, thee difference bbetween seaso onal consumpttions is
an
ngles of threee residentiaal groups arre considered d in
significant, especially
e in terms of ussing ceiling fans f in
callculations forr installing PVV system. Taable 13, illusttrates
summer. Con nsequently, S Seasonal moddulation and hourly
thee predicted loss
l of energgy generationns of PV panels
energy distribbution are esssentially used d for determinning the
thrrough the different
d pannel positions. The first case
specific energ gy consumptiion of occupaants is based mainly
em
mphasizes thee optimal orrientation off PV panels and
on life standaards. In this seense, the calcu
ulations are claassified
miinimum energ gy losses, while the second and third inddicate
into types reelated to socci-economic dwelling
d cateegories.
graadual increaasing losses with respeect to optim mum
(Table 3)
oriientation. (Tabble 4)
Increasing of
o daily eneergy fraction to the peak are Noote: Though the optimal orientation of o the Whollesale
considered allso into calcullations, throug
gh 4h at nightt times, cennter is considdered, the caase is neglectted as the rooof is
1.5h in morn ning times, annd 1h in eveening times, as a they follded from the center point of shape, a caase which reqquires
represent thee main criticall times for dwwelling activitties and insstalling speciific structure to fix PV panels and thus
consequently,, for the direcct energy usedd form PV modules’
m conflicts with th
he building foorm and functiion.
production du
uration.
T
TABLE 3 TAB
BLE 4
ELECTRICAL TOOLS
T & ENERGY
Y CONSUMPTION
N PER DWELLING
G LEVEL STUDYING THR
REE AZIMUTH AN F THE PV PANEL
NGLES CASES OF LS

INSTALLED TO
OOLS  No.  Power  Use  Ene
ergy  PREDICTED PERFFORMANCE OF P
PV  Simulation variaant 
- Transposiion faactor FT = 1.08 
Fluorescent lamps  5  30 W/lamp  2 h//day  300 Wh/day  - Loss by respect to opimum =  0.0 % %  Tilt 25° azimuth
h 0° 
TV / Video‐tap
pe. / PC  1  75 W/app  3 h//day  225 Wh/day  - Global on Collecctor Plane = 2284  kkwh/m2 

Domestic app.. (Fans)  3  45 W/app  8 h//day  1080 W

Wh/day 
Fridge / Deep‐‐freeze  1  3000 Wh/d.  300
00 Wh/d.  3000 W
Wh/day 
Dish /Cloth‐wa
asher  1    860
0 h/day  860 Wh/day 
Other uses  1  1500 W tot  0 h//day  450 Wh/day 
Stand‐by consumers  ‐  6 W tot  24 h
h/day  144 Wh/day 
- Transposiion faactor FT = 1.08 
Total daily ene
ergy  6059 W
Wh/day  - Loss by respect to optimum =  ‐ 1.22 %  ‐24°
Tilt 25° azimuth ‐
T
Average per ye
ear  onal modulation global   2120 kW
Seaso Wh/year - Global on Collecctor Plane = 2257 kw
wh/m2 

LEVEL (3) Blockks  Without (Heater/ Dishw
washer)  6066 W
W/h/day
LEVEL (2) Blockks  With  ( Heater)  7478 W
W/h/day
High LEVEL (1))   All Utilities (Dishwassher)  7935 W
W/h/day

• Azimuth angles, by Bllocks Zone.  

By studying the
t urban con ntext for the city
c in generall, it has - Transposiion faactor FT = 1.07
- Loss by respect to optimum =  ‐ 2.55 %  Tilt 25° azimuth 35°
been observedd that four maain groups of residential
r blo
ocks are - Global on Collecctor Plane = 2228 kw
wh/m2 
arranged in three
t main anngles: first grroup, with deeviation
angle approxx. (zeroo fromm axis E-W), second grou up with
gle (-24o form
deviation ang m axis E-W), anda third grou up with
deviation anggle (35 o froom axis E-W W), and finallly, the
nter (zeroo from axis E-W), Figure 7.
wholesale cen

Wholesale  • PV system analysis

a and sspecificationss.
Center 
Zone 1  Zone 4  Taable 13, illusstrates the exxamined adap pted tools off PV
paanels and inverrters used, andd classifies th
he specificatio
ons of
0
PVV‘s modules’ type,
t number,, and area per dwelling’s neeeded
A
Angle   35   
Zone 3  en
nergy in wo orse cases w where stand-A Alone system m is
0
Angle   0    acttivated. Inverrters’ specificaations are also
o studied to in
nvert
Z
Zone 2  DC C current into AC. PV moddules area is ap pp. 23 m2 (to cover
c
0
2.33 kWp, the annual
a average of energy used),
u the nummber
Angle   ‐24   
Grid‐ Conne
ected Complex  whhich will plaay an imporrtant role in determining g the
FIG
GURE 7 sto
ockholder of each dwelling g with the av vailable roof area.
ANALYTICALL STUDY OF BLO
OCK ORIENTATIO
ON PER URBAN ZONE (Table 5)

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 T
TABLE 5 T ‐24° 
Tilt 25° azimuth ‐  
NS OF PV MODUL
SPECIFICATION LES AND INVERT
TERS USED FOR SYSTEM
S

Near Shadings  ‐  Average H
Height      1.4 C 
PV Array Characteristics 
PV module  Si‐poly  Model  PQ40K   
Number of PV  In series  In parallel   P
Produced Energy   3768   kWh/year
modules  2 modu ules  23 strings SSpecific production  1638   kWh/kWp//year 
Total number         of  Nb. Modules  46  Unit Nom.  50 Wp Performance Ratio  
PV modules  Power  P 72.7 % 

Array global po
ower  Nominaal‐  2.30 kWp
p  At operating  2.10kW EEffective energy at the output of the aarray (E‐Array)  3975.0  kWh/yearr 
(STC)  conditions p (45°C)
EEnergy injected into
o grid (E‐Grid)  3767.9  kWh/yearr 
Array operatin ng 
U mpp  33V  I mpp  63 A 
chart. (50°C) 
Total   Module area  22.9 m2  Cell area 18.4m2
Inverter Charaacteristics 
Inverter Mode el  M 190772 208 Manufaccturer >>           En
nphase EEnergy Distribution 
Operatiing  Unit Nom.  0.19  C
Collection Loss (PV‐array 
 
Characteristicss   Voltagee  22‐40 V  Power  lo
osses) 
kWAC
System Loss (inverter)   
Number of  2.09 
Inverter pack  Inverterr  11 units  Total Power P
Produced useful energy 
 
kW AC (iinverter output) 

• Energy Output.
O
N
Normalized produ uctions (per instaalled kWp): Nominal power 2.30 kkWp 
For Analyzin ng and comparring of PV sy ystem perform mance in
TTilt 25° azimuth 35°   
the three plannned cases, P PV-SYST simu ulation progrram has
been used, based
b on com mparing four sides, first, azimuth
a
angle and parrameters effeccts on horizon n line, Secondd, PV’s
produced and d specific enerrgy, and systemm performancce ratio,
third, yearly energy
e averagge, and normaalized producttion per
month, and finally,
fi the energy distributtion to user grid
g and P
Produced Energy   3691  
3 kWh/year 
from grid. Table
T 6 illustrates the ressults of PV system SSpecific production  1605
1   kWh/kWp/yeear 
performance ini the three caases of study.
Performance Ratio  
P 7  % 
72.0
T
TABLE 6 EEffective energy at the output of the aarray (E‐Array)  3893
3 .9  kWh/year
COMPARISON
O OF P
PV SYSTEM PERFFORMANCE EEnergy injected into
o grid (E‐Grid)  3690
3 .7  kWh/year
MAIN DATA  PV system P
Performance 
Tilt 25° azimu
uth 0°   

EEnergy Distribution
C
Collection Loss (PV‐array 
lo
osses) 
  System Loss (inverter) 

Produced Energyy   3801  kWh/yeaar  P
Produced useful energy 
(iinverter output) 
Specific producttion  1653  kWh/kWp/year 
Performance Raatio   72.5 % 
Effective energyy at the output of th
he array (E‐Array)  4009.1   kWh/yyear  N
Normalized produ
ucions (per instaalled kWp): Nominal power 2.30 kkWp 
Energy injected into grid (E‐Grid)  3801.2  kWh/year 

• Accumulatiion of Energyy:
Thhe difference of energy ouutput of singlee dwelling fo or the
Energy Distributtion  thrree cases off PV installation was somewhat small.
Collection Loss (PV‐arraay 
losses) 
  Hoowever, by ussing simple ccalculation, an nd multiply yearly
y
 
System Loss (inverter) 
Produced useful energyy 
en
nergy output ofo block (shappe U) with th he total numb
ber of
(inverter output) 
 
bloocks in (zone 2) for the different cases, it will be, (zzeroo-
Azzimuth- 104,5 5275 kWh/year), (-24o –A Azimuth- 103,6200
kWWh/year), andd (35o –Azim muth- 101,502 25 kWh/year); the
nuumbers that demonstrate
d a wide gap of energy produ uction
Normalized prroducions (per in
nstalled kWp): No
ominal power 2.3
30 kWp  between the firsst and final casse of PV instaallation.

10th Internation
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2 2010, KUWA
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7
STUDY FIINDINGS differencee of energy ooutput for sin ngle dwelling
g was
somewhatt small,
The study caarried out onn El-Mostakb bal City in Ismailia
I
bb. The distrib
bution of enerrgy (User - frrom Grid- injeected
Governorate helped underrstand the pottentials for in
nstalling
to Grid), was optimaal for the first f Zeroo-
case (Z
PV system on roof in meedium and lon ng-term periods, and
Azimuth), and highly suuitable to hourrly energy useed by
the capacity to cover dw welling’s need ds of electriccity. In
occupants,, to utilize direect PV’ clear energy,
e
addition, it helped deterrmining the available areeas for
V panels on ro
installing PV oof per block,, and calculatting the cc. Planned PV P system (Panels typee- inverters) was
number of dw wellings coverred by system
m in case of utilizing
u optimal forr all cases, as the energy loss was minim
mum,
PV Cells as a main source of energy (Staand Alone sysstem). • Significant Notes
N
The fieldtrip
p and simulaation processses, numerou us data, Th
he following notes
n discuss other issues that
t may havee not
charts, and caalculations haave helped co onstitute the research
r been highly tacckled in the sstudy, but stiill of consideerable
findings, whicch can be classsified in the following
f (Fig
gure 8): im
mportance:
• Urban an
nd Architectu
ural Design aa. The exten nded battery core of buiilding will cause c
numerous problems for PV system orrientation.
Urban and arrchitectural ddesign has sig
gnificant impacts on
PV system’s orientation, area for instaallation, desig
gn, and bb. Orientation n angles of m more than (-224o -Azimuth)) will
energy outputt as follows: cause desig gn problems ffor PV area annd distributionn.
cc. PV Cellss will conttribute in providing p y
yearly
a. Urban design
d and oriientation effeccts on the orieentation
maintenance for the roof fabrication.
on PV sy ystem in geneeral.
dd. The goverrnmental dweelling blocks of El-Mosta akbal
b. Differen
nt urban orrientation afffects directlly the
city will provide
p a goodd opportunity
y for installing
g PV
distributtion of PV ppanels on roo of as a result of the
cells in thee future.
shortagee of panels’ nuumber.
FIGUURE 7
c. The arch hitectural desiign of roofs has
h negative efffect on
N OF STUDY FIND
ILLUSTRATION DINGS AND NO
OTES ON THE CITY.
panels’ number.
n
d. In casess where shado ow range wass large, the ex xtended Using High efficient system, as dwellin
U ngs 
u
uses (Air conditionin
ng) tools. 
battery core of build ding exceedin ng roof levelss would
have a laarge effect on the number ofo panels. (ZZero‐Azimuth) new
w extension, will 
e. In otherr cases, the arrchitectural deesign of rooff caused contribute energy p
production also. 
failure of
o selected PV V panels and structure. Such h a case
Wholesale;
W
requires alternative so olutions of PVV type that might
m be Unsuitable roof for 
U
unavailaable, expensiive, or resullting in inad dequate in
nstalling used PV syystem  
efficienccy.
• Orientatiion;
The orientatiion of PV panels
p has diirect effects on the
following parrameters:
f. The efficciency of yeaarly PV cells production,
p
Zone D
D 
2
(‐‐24‐Azimuth) provide  Area= 267242 m  
g. Shadow range of paneels, casted on each other paanels, y
yearly high perform
mance 
h. Effective capacity of rroof’s area forr installing paanels, e
energy production.

i. Althouggh the optimaal orientation of (Zeroo-Azzimuth) (Zero‐Azimuth)

with peerformance raatio (72.5%) has been geenerally 104,5275 kWh/yeear) 
concludeed, the perfoormance ratio of (-24o -Azzimuth)
was highher (72.7 %).
• Energy Output
CONCLUSION
O N AND RECO
OMMENDAT
TIONS
O
Simmulation resu ults on the perrformance of the
t proposed grid-
The orientatio
on of PV paneels consequenttly affects the energy
connected BIP PV system have been n reported. The
output of pannels. The mainn findings aree summarized d in the
performance rattio of the opptimal case (Z Zeroo-Azimuth h) of
following;
thiis system waas found as 772.5%. The studys results have
a. The acccumulated eneergy output off the city com mplex in shoown that the production
p off PV system produces
p suffiicient
generall will be highlly different an
nd effective fo
or every eleectricity for th
he 50- 60% of dwellings per
p block unit.. The
azimuthh angle (Zeeroo- 24o- 35 3 o), althouggh the opptimal case was w (Zeroo-AAzimuth) ang gle, which panels

10th Internation
nal Conference ffor Enhanced Bu
uilding Operatio
ons (ICEBO 20100) October 26 - 28,
2 2010, KUWA
AIT

8
produce more power compared with the same surface area of computerized based model, which will contribute to the
PV panels with angle (-24o -Azimuth), while the angle (35o - decision making process of such project in the future.
Azimuth) is not recommended.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The project VLS-PV is considered a promising project for
the developing countries, although the recent evidence of the The authors wish to thank the teamwork of the International
economical issues. Technology however should be promoted Energy Agency (IEA), Photovoltaic Power System Program
due to its potentials in terms of environmental protection and (PVPS), University of Geneva (PV-SYST program‘s
contributed to the future sustainable development. Solar developer), and the national institutions and governmental
energy application for electricity generation using CSP organizations for providing valuable database and programs
technology is also considered a promising application in that helped in the research processes and outcomes.
Egypt. It is anticipated that renewable energy, especially REFERENCE
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10th International Conference for Enhanced Building Operations (ICEBO 2010) October 26 - 28, 2010, KUWAIT