Technical and Economic Analysis of a Newly Designed PV System Powering a University Building

Miroslaw Zukowski () and Robert Adam Sobolewski
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Miroslaw Zukowski: Department of HVAC Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45E, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Robert Adam Sobolewski: Department of Electrotechnics, Power Electronics and Electric Power Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45D, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 14, 1-22

Abstract: The use of renewable energy sources on university campuses is crucial for sustainable development, environmental protection by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy security, and public education. This study addresses technical and economic aspects of the newly designed photovoltaic system on the campus of the Bialystok University of Technology. The first part of the article presents the results of 9 years of research on an experimental photovoltaic system that is part of a hybrid wind and PV small system. The article proposes five variants of the arrangement of photovoltaic panels on the pergola. A new method was used to determine the energy efficiency of individual options selected for analysis. This method combines energy simulations using DesignBuilder software and regression analysis. The basic economic indicators NPV and IRR were applied to select the most appropriate arrangement of PV panels. In the recommended solution, the panels are arranged in three rows, oriented vertically, and tilted at 37°. The photovoltaic system, consisting of 438 modules, has a peak power of 210 kWp and is able to produce 166,392 kWh of electricity annually. The NPV is 679,506 EUR, and the IRR is over 38% within 30 years of operation.

Keywords: photovoltaic system; renewable energy sources; solar radiation; net present value; internal rate of return (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: 2025
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