A comprehensive evaluation of PV electricity production methods and life cycle energy-cost assessment of a particular system

ABSTRACT This paper presents the study about electricity generation from solar photovoltaic technology based on four different methodologies with some performance indicators, namely performance ratio, system efficiency, fill and capacity utilization factors, respectively. In this regard, not only theoretical approach and simulation programs (PVSOL and TRNSYS) were used to determine annual production, but also experimental studies were carried out for the validation. While annual sum of electricity generation was evaluated between 3,913.84 and 4,323.94 kWh, the PVSOL program was determined to be the method that best reflected the experimental studies with a rate of 94.33%. Moreover, while fill and capacity utilization factors were annually obtained to be almost similar, annual values for the performance ratio and system efficiency were evaluated to be partially close to each other based on the theoretical approach and PVSOL program. Besides evaluation of the power production and performance indicators, a life cycle energy analysis was also made for a particular system with a capacity of 2.55 kWp and energy payback periods were obtained to be between 1.99 and 2.54 years considering four different methodologies. Moreover, the life cycle cost analysis was performed with or without battery option and some improvement proposals were presented for the energy market to become investable.