Site selection based on thermo mechanical decay and payback period of solar PV system: Need of present scenario

Abstract Keeping in mind the ambitious target of government of India i.e. to generate 100 GW electricity form Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems it is really crucial to choose suitable locations to provide energy for all. India is a country with high population density and large range of natural parameters like radiation and temperature. The impact of these natural parameters on mechanical decay hence electrical performance drop is a key factor in choosing the location. In this paper an attempt is made to highlight these issues with the data collected from NREL source and also the conventional per unit electricity charge from various state electricity boards. Results show that mean fatigue life ranges from 10 to 30 years and mean payback period ranges from 4 to 32 years across the states of country.