Design and techno-economic analysis of a 15 kWp grid-tied net-metering solar photovoltaic power plant utilizing half-cut monocrystalline-PERC Si modules with elevated rooftop structure

The declining cost of photovoltaic (PV) power generation makes on-grid PV plants suitable for residential and commercial applications. The elevated rooftop PV plant installation is an example of a solar plant that generates electricity without disturbing the terrace area. The paper presents the techno-economic analysis of a 15 kWp on-grid power plant placed on the rooftop of Vardhman Hospital with a net-metering scheme located at Durg, Chhattisgarh, India (21°11' N, 81°17' E). The plant rests on an elevated galvanized iron (GI) structure, using half-cut monocrystalline-passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) cell-based PV modules. The plant's performance parameter and the system losses were calculated using PVsyst simulation software using PVGIS meteorological data. The annual plane of array (POA) irradiation is approximately 2230 kWh/m² at the plant location. The PV energy generation of the plant is 27727 kWh/year, and 27271 kWh/year of energy is injected into the grid. The annual performance ratio of the plant is 81.7%. The research article also focuses on plant design, electricity consumption, and the net electricity bill of the premises for three consecutive years before and after plant installation. The installation of the plant will be equivalent to planting 738 Teak trees over the lifetime, and carbon dioxide emissions mitigated is 461 tonnes. The payback period for an elevated structured on-grid PV plant is around six years.