Photovoltaic Project Analysis

Using RETScreen software

http://www.retscreen.net/ Case study : 36 kWp installed in South of

Spain, grid connected, fix structure

Fernando Nuño
European Copper Institute
[email protected]

January 09

In cooperation with Infrysol

http://www.infrysol.com/
Index

 What a PV system consists on?

 Fix Structure vs Tracking System

 RETScreen Analysis
– Required inputs
– Computing
– Results

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What a PV system consists on?

Photovoltaic
Photovoltaiccells
cells
connected
connectedinto
into
modules
modules

Modules
Modulesgrouped
groupedintointo
panels,
panels,panels
panels
grouped
groupedinto
intoarrays
arrays

Power
Powerconditioning
conditioning
unit
unit(inverter)
(inverter)

Transformer
Transformer

Grid
GridConnection
Connection
Pictures: Fernando Nuño

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Fix Structure vs Tracking System

Easy to install and No moving parts, lower Average production in

operate maintenance, more South of Spain : 1500
reliable operation kWh/kWp

Needs higher maintenance Average production in

Needs more solid
and suffers higher risk of South of Spain : 2000
foundations and stiff
unscheduled outages kWh/kWp (+30%)
structure : +1€/Wp
Pictures: Fernando Nuño

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Analysis with RETScreen – Required inputs

 Technical characteristics
Selected
SelectedPV
PV  Nominal Power under Standard conditions Investment
Investment
panels
panels
Selected
Selected  Efficiency in operation Investment
Investment
Inverters
Inverters

Transformer  Efficiency in operation Investment

Transformer Investment

 Cabling, civil works, grid connection

Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous works, support structure / trackers Investment
Investment

 Owned : how much it cost?

Land
Land  Renting: annual fee? Investment
Investment

 Recurrent costs: monitoring and security,

Annual
Annual
Operation
Operation tracker maintenance, land renting,
insurances expenditure
expenditure

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Analysis with RETScreen – Required inputs

Selected
SelectedPV
PV
panels
panels
1.94 m2

280 Wp

Efficiency = 280 W / [1,94 m2 * 1000 W/m2] = 14.4%

Picture: Suntech

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Analysis with RETScreen – Required inputs

Selected
Selected
inverters
inverters

3.5 kW

95% eff

Picture: Fronius

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Analysis with RETScreen – Required inputs

Site
Site  Location
characteristics
characteristics

Here

Here

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Analysis with RETScreen – Required inputs

Site
Site  Building orientation related to
characteristics North/South and roof slope
characteristics

β α ε
South

Picture :

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Analysis with RETScreen – Computing
Project
Project Cle
Clean
anEne
Energy
rgyProje
ProjectctAnalys
AnalysisisSSoftware
oftware
Information
Information
Project
Projectinformation
information
S e e proje ct databas e
S e e proje ct databas e

Project name Pedro Muñoz - Fix

Project name Pedro Muñoz - Fix
Project location Pedro Muñoz - Castilla la Mancha - Spain
Project location Pedro Muñoz - Castilla la Mancha - Spain
Prepared for Leonardo Energy Webinars
Grid Prepared for
Prepared by
Leonardo Energy Webinars
Fernando Nuño
connected or Prepared by Fernando Nuño
off-grid
Project type Power
applications Project type Power
Technology Photovoltaic
Technology Photovoltaic
Grid type Central-grid
Grid type Central-grid
Analysis type Method 1
Analysis type Method 1
Two types of
analysis : Heating value reference
Heating value reference
Lower heating value (LHV)
Lower heating value (LHV)
first Show settings
Show settings
approach or Language - Langue English - Anglais
developed in Language - Langue English - Anglais
User manual English - Anglais
User manual English - Anglais
depth
Currency Euro
Currency Euro
Symbol
Symbol
Units Metric units
Units Metric units

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Climate data location
Climate data location
Analysis with RETScreen – Computing
Site
Sitereference
reference
conditions
conditions
S e le ct clim ate data location
Site
Sitereference
referenceconditions
conditions S e le ct clim ate data location

Climate data location Tomelloso

Climate data location Tomelloso
Show data
Show data
Large choice
of locations
around the
world

Provides
irradiation,
temperature
and wind
data per
month

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Analysis with RETScreen – Computing
Two types of
Type
Typeof
ofPV
PV analysis : 1) first
system
system approach or 2)
developed in
depth

Analysis Method
Method11
Analysistype
type
Method
Method22
Photovoltaic
Photovoltaic
Resource
Resourceassessment
assessment
Solar
Solar trackingmode
tracking mode Fixed
Fixed
Slope
Slope °° 35,0
35,0
Azimuth ° 32,0
Azimuth ° 32,0

Fixed, 1 axis
track, 2 axis
track

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Analysis with RETScreen – Computing

Computing
Computing slope
Analysis type slope Method 1
and
andazimut
azimut Method 2
Photovoltaic
Resource assessment
Solar tracking mode Fixed
Slope ° 35,0
Azimuth ° 32,0

 Slope = arctan [tan2(α) + tan2(β)]0,5

 Azimut = ε + arctan [tan(α) / tan(β)]

β α ε
South

Picture :

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Analysis with RETScreen – Results
Estimated
Exported
Exported Electricity Export
Electricity
Electricity to grid

Daily
Dailysolar
solarradiation
radiation- - Daily
Dailysolar
solar Electricity
Electricityexport
export Electricity
Electricity
Month
Month horizontal
horizontal radiation - tilted
radiation - tilted rate
rate exported
exportedtotogrid
grid
kWh/m²/d
kWh/m²/d kWh/m²/d
kWh/m²/d €/MWh
€/MWh MWh
MWh
January
January 2,21
2,21 3,34
3,34 455,1
455,1 3,549
3,549
February
February 3,15
3,15 4,18
4,18 455,1
455,1 3,958
3,958
March
March 4,44
4,44 5,18
5,18 455,1
455,1 5,309
5,309
April
April 5,31
5,31 5,48
5,48 455,1
455,1 5,388
5,388
May
May 6,14
6,14 5,82
5,82 455,1
455,1 5,789
5,789
June
June 7,15
7,15 6,51
6,51 455,1
455,1 6,087
6,087
July
July 7,29
7,29 6,76
6,76 455,1
455,1 6,409
6,409
August
August 6,33
6,33 6,33
6,33 455,1
455,1 6,030
6,030
September
September 4,91
4,91 5,44
5,44 455,1
455,1 5,137
5,137
October
October 3,28
3,28 4,03
4,03 455,1
455,1 4,075
4,075
November
November 2,31
2,31 3,32
3,32 455,1
455,1 3,345
3,345
December
December 1,85
1,85 2,85
2,85 455,1
455,1 3,030
3,030
Annual
Annual 4,54
4,54 4,94
4,94 455,10
455,10 58,106
58,106
Feed-in tariff
applicable in
Spain up to
Sept 2008 www.leonardo-energy.org
Analysis with RETScreen – Results

Actual
Actualvs
vs
Estimated
EstimatedExport
Export
Actual - Expected Electricity Export

20%
Estimated Actual export to Deviation %
15%
export to grid grid
MWh MWh 10%
3,549 3,216
3,958 3,747 5%
5,309 5,764
5,388 6,042 0%
January

July

August
February

March

May

June

October

November
April

September

December
5,789 4,014
6,087 6,084 -5%
6,409 5,749
-10%
6,030 6,311
5,137 5,060
-15%
4,075 4,315
3,345 3,830 -20%
3,030 2,684
58,106 56,816 -25%

-30%
May was
-2% -35% particularl
y cloudy
and rainy

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Analysis with RETScreen – Results

Number
Numberofof
panels
panels
Introduce the
power to install and
the panel efficiency

Photovoltaic
Type poly-Si
Power capacity kW 36,00
Manufacturer Suntech
Model poly-Si - STP280-24/Vb 140 unit(s)
Efficiency % 14,4%
Nominal operating cell temperature °C 45
Temperature coefficient % / °C 0,40%
Solar collector area m² 250

Obtain the number

of panels and the
solar collector area

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Cost breakdown
4,5 €/W
Prices in Euros Units Price per unit Total price
PV Panels 140x280 W 140 1157 162000
Inverters 10x3500 W 10 2700 27000
Fix Structure 1 12000 12000
Low Voltage Material 1 5200 5200
Civil Works 1 1500 1500
Manforce 1 3000 3000
Project / Design 1 6000 6000
Safety Program 1 700 700
Insurance works + 1st year 1 1000 1000
Grid Connexion 1 1000 1000

Environmental
Fence
Security equipment (anti-theft)
Transformer 6,1 €/W

TOTAL 219400

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Cost breakdown
COST BREAKDOWN 2007 - SPAIN
36 kW fixed - roof installed
PV Panels 140x280 W

Inverters 6x5500 W

Fix Structure

Low Voltage Material

Civil Works

Manforce

Project / Design

Safety Program

Insurance works + 1st year

Grid Connexion

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 Analysis with RETScreen – Results
al parameters
Financial parameters Financial parameters
rate Financial
Financial
Inflation rate Inflation rate
% % 4,0% %
4,0%
Input
ife Projectanalysis
life
analysis
Project life
yr yr 25 yr 25
s80%
io Debt ratio Debt ratio% % 80% %
erest rate Debt interest rate Debt interest
% rate % 6,00% 6,00%
%
m Debt term Debt termyr yr 10 yr 10

osts Initial costs Initial costs

ystem Power system Power system
€ € 0 € 0
Other 0,0% Other € € 219.400 219.400
€
itial costs Total initial costs Total initial
€ costs € 219.400 219.400
€
Outupts 800.000

700.000

600.000
Cumulative cash flows (€)

Financial
Financialviability
viability Output:
500.000
Pre-tax 20,0%
Pre-tax IRR- -equity
IRR equity 27,2%
27,2% %%
Cumulative 27,2%
27,2%
Pre-tax IRR - assets 7,4%
9,9% 400.000 Cash%%
Flow 9,9%
Pre-tax IRR - assets 9,9% 9,9%
Simple
Simplepayback
payback 9,6
7,9
7,9 300.000 yryr 7,9
7,9
Equity payback
Equity payback 9,8
5,6
5,6 200.000
yryr 5,6
5,6
100.000

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
-100.000

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Analysis with RETScreen – Results
Reference
CO2
CO2emission
emission power
generation
analysis
analysis technology
Emission Analysis

GHG emission
factor T&D GHG emission
Base case electricity system (Baseline) (excl. T&D) losses factor
Country - region Fuel type tCO2/MWh % tCO2/MWh
Spain Natural gas 0,325 10,0% 0,361

Electricity exported to grid MWh 58 T&D losses 5,0%

GHG emission
Base case tCO2 21,0
Proposed case tCO2 1,0
Gross annual GHG emission reduction tCO2 20,0
GHG credits transaction fee %
Net annual GHG emission reduction tCO2 20,0 is equivalent to 8.132

GHG reduction income

GHG reduction credit rate €/tCO2 15,00
GHG reduction credit duration yr 20 Obtain Net
GHG reduction credit escalation rate % 5,0% annual
emission
reduction

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Analysis with RETScreen – Two axis track

Two
Twoaxis
axistrack
track

33.6 kW

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 Thank you!

SOFTWARE CASE STUDIES by:

http://www.retscreen.net/ http://www.infrysol.com/

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Anex – Slope and Azimut calculations

Find γ such that

δγ/δε = 0
(maximum
slope)

β
ε
α

η=90º-ε

β α ε

South

Picture :

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Anex – Slope and Azimut calculations

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Anex – Slope and Azimut calculations

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Anex – Slope and Azimut calculations

Find γ such that

δγ/δε = 0
(maximum
slope)

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Anex – Slope and Azimut calculations

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Annex – Available surface on roof

Where α is the
lowest sun
height (21
december in
North
hemisphere)

Where β is the
slope

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