Utility Scale Ground Mounted Photovoltaic Plants with Gable Structure and Inverter Oversizing for Land-Use Optimization

Silvestro Cossu, Roberto Baccoli and Emilio Ghiani
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Silvestro Cossu: Essei Servizi Engineering and Consulting, SS 131 Km 100.2 10, 09070 Siamaggiore (OR), Italy
Roberto Baccoli: Department of Environmental Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Emilio Ghiani: Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: The paper proposes an effective layout for ground-mounted photovoltaic systems with a gable structure and inverter oversizing, which allows an optimized use of the land and, at the same time, guarantees a valuable return on investment. A case study is presented to show the technical, economic, and environmental advantages compared with conventional “fixed-tilt” and “sun-tracking” ground-mounted photovoltaic installations. The main advantage of this solution is that it maximizes the energy produced per unit of land area used; but, also considering the economic metrics, the net present value of the proposed PV arrangement solution results in a greater annual volume of energy produced and therefore of net revenues and cash flows, and greater than the compared conventional solution with modules exposed in an optimal fixed position or which make use of sun-tracking systems.

Keywords: solar photovoltaics; ground mounted photovoltaic; sun tracking systems; optimization; photovoltaic array configurations; land use; ecological footprint; inverter sizing; renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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