Towards a Net Zero Building Using Photovoltaic Panels: A Case Study in an Educational Building

Abstract

Renewable energy production continues to accelerate as the world recognizes the negative impact of fossil fuel consumption on the environment. Among the renewable energy technologies, there has been rapid growth in the use of solar PV systems in the last two decades. This study aims to design and assess the potential of a grid-connected solar PV system on the rooftop of an educational building in Morang, Nepal. The performance of the system, which can satisfy 100 % of the energy needs of the campus, is simulated using PVsyst and the results are analysed. The result of simulations show that a 48 kWp solar PV power plant would fulfill the total annual energy demand of 66.009 MWh of the campus; the solar array can produce 75.9 MWh/year of energy. The economic analysis of the proposed system is carried out using PV*SOL software, while the environmental analysis is performed using PVsyst. The environmental analysis shows that the proposed PV electricity generation can save 76.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide production. Hence, this green campus design will be a novel significant step towards transforming academic campuses in Nepal into energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable communities.