A review of the value of solar methodology with a case study of the U.S. VOS

Hayibo, Koami Soulemane; Pearce, Joshua M.

doi:10.1016/j.rser.2020.110599

Cited by 29 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 82 publications

(111 reference statements)

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“…horizon shading and latitude changes throughout Ontario), but also economic ones that would vary with for example the year, the penetration rate of solar, the value of offsetting GHG emissions, etc. Overall the value of solar (VOS) is a complex topic [86], which needs to be calculated for each specific case and is left for future work. In addition, the values shown here also do not include the second order effects (e.g.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agrivoltaics in Ontario Canada: Promise and Policy

Pearce¹

2021

Preprint

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Well-intentioned regulations to protect Canada’s most productive farmland restrict large-scale so-lar photovoltaic (PV) development. The recent innovation of agrivoltaics, which is the co-development of land for both PV and agriculture, makes these regulations obsolete. Burgeoning agrivoltaics research has shown agricultural benefits including increased yield for a wide range of crops, plant protection from excess solar energy and hail, improved water conservation while maintaining agricultural employment and local food supplies. In addition, the renewable electricity generation decreases greenhouse gas emissions while increasing farm revenue. As Canada in general, and Ontario in particular, is at a strategic disadvantage in agricultural without agrivoltaics, this study investigates the policy changes necessary to capitalize on the benefits of using agrivoltaics in Ontario. Land use policies in Ontario are reviewed. Then, three case studies (peppers, sweet corn and winter wheat) are analyzed for agrivoltaic potential in Ontario. These results are analyzed in conjunction with potential policies that would continue to protect the green-belt of the Golden Horseshoe, while enabling agrivoltaics in Ontario. Four agrivoltaic policy areas are discussed: increased research and development, enhanced education/public awareness, mechanisms to support Canada’s farmers converting to agrivoltaics and using agrivoltaics as a potential source of trade surplus with the U.S.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agrivoltaics in Ontario Canada: Promise and Policy

Pearce¹

2021

Preprint

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“…Not only do foam-based FPV appear to be the greenest crystalline silicon-based PV to date, when the lifetime of the modules is at least 26.6 years, as shown by the results of this study, but a recent study has also determined that using foam-based racking could reduce the cost of racking by $0.37–$0.61 per W as compared to pontoon-based racking or land-based PV racking. 48 Consequently, future work is needed to experimentally scale up foam-based FPV to investigate the real economic costs and viability of the system to find out the return-on-investment period of a foam-based FPV plant, as well as to compare the value of solar (VOS) 111 of the system to that of conventional PV systems.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The greenest solar power? Life cycle assessment of foam-based flexible floatovoltaics

Hayibo

Mayville

Pearce

2022

Sustainable Energy Fuels

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“…For residential PV systems, more generation is usually fed into the grid than self-consumed [84], and this effect is heightened with heat pumps in northern climates; for example, in this case where 67% of generation occurs in the sunniest six months and 79% of heat demand occurs in the darkest six months (October through March). On the other hand, net metering can be critiqued as too stingy, as the VOS is greater than net metering rates in the U.S. [11] and more than likely higher in Canada as well (although future work is needed to verify this).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…PV prices are expected to continue to decrease another 60% in the short term [7]. Already at scales from residential to industrial, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is lower than the net metered cost of grid electricity [8][9][10] and the value of solar (VOS) is even greater than net metering rates in the U.S. [11]. Simultaneously the PV technical community continues to drive improved performance [12] with black silicon [13,14] and bifacial PV modules [15,16] that will reduce solar electricity further [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economics of Grid-Tied Solar Photovoltaic Systems Coupled to Heat Pumps: The Case of Northern Climates of the U.S. and Canada

Pearce

Sommerfeldt

2021

Energies

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Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is now a profitable method to decarbonize the grid, but if catastrophic climate change is to be avoided, emissions from transportation and heating must also decarbonize. One approach to renewable heating is leveraging improvements in PV with heat pumps (HPs). To determine the potential for PV+HP systems in northern areas of North America, this study performs numerical simulations and economic analysis using the same loads and climate, but with local electricity and natural gas rates for Sault Ste. Marie, in both Canada and U.S. Ground-mounted, fixed-tilt, grid-tied PV systems are sized to match 100% of electric loads considering cases both with and without air source HPs for residences with natural gas-based heating. For the first time the results show North American residents can profitably install residential PV+HP systems, earning up to 1.9% return in the U.S. and 2.7% in Canada, to provide for all of their electric and heating needs. Returns on PV-only systems are higher, up to 4.3%; however, the PV capacities are less than half. These results suggest northern homeowners have a clear and simple method to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by making an investment that offers a higher internal rate of return than savings accounts, CDs and GICs in both countries. Residential PV and solar-powered heat pumps can be considered 25-year investments in financial security and environmental sustainability.

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A review of the value of solar methodology with a case study of the U.S. VOS

Cited by 29 publications

References 82 publications

Agrivoltaics in Ontario Canada: Promise and Policy

Agrivoltaics in Ontario Canada: Promise and Policy

The greenest solar power? Life cycle assessment of foam-based flexible floatovoltaics

Economics of Grid-Tied Solar Photovoltaic Systems Coupled to Heat Pumps: The Case of Northern Climates of the U.S. and Canada

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