The simulation constituted to design a 3-kWp PV system, calculated based on the load profile of the selected study area (Table 3). For this, a PVsyst was used to analyse technical and economic analysis. PVsyst software (Ashok et al., 2020) is a tool that lets its user to analyse different configurations. Various inputs have been used to operationalise the Solar PV model received from an SPC supplier for a stand-alone PV system and grid-connected PV system. A Meteonorm 7.3 software is used to obtain the relevant solar radiation data for the selected study area.
Can a 3-kilowatt-peak photovoltaic system be installed in Kathmandu?
Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative This study investigates the techno-economic feasibility of installing a 3-kilowatt-peak (kWp) photovoltaic (PV) system in Kathmandu, Nepal. The study also analyses the importance of scaling up the share of solar energy to contribute to the country's overall energy generation mix.
Does Kathmandu have a solar power plant?
The weather data analysis demonstrated that the PV power plant is promising in the Kathmandu valley, generating electricity for public consumption. Similarly, the simulation result in PVsyst proved an enormous potential for solar PV systems in Kathmandu. Solar energy deployment has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years.
How much does a PV system cost in Kathmandu?
The block diagram of the proposed PV system for Kathmandu The detailed economic results show that the total yearly cost, including 9.90 inflation per year, is $250.59/year, with a produced energy of 5695 kWh/year, and the cost of the production is $0.060 per kWh.
Is 3 kWp PV system a viable solution in Kathmandu?
Overall, the PV systems with 3 kWp capacity appear to be a viable solution to secure a sufficient amount of electricity for most households in Kathmandu city. The proposed PV system achieves the levelised cost of energy by 0.06 $/kWh, and its investment rate is 87%. The efficiency of the proposed PV system is 17%, and its performance ratio is 84%.
Is solar energy available in Nepal?
Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has issued licenses to various PV installers to produce more than 500 megawatts of solar energy. NEA plans to have an energy mix, constituting 85% from hydropower and 15% from solar power. Nepal has abundant availability of solar energy throughout the year (Fig. 2).
Why should Nepal invest in solar energy?
For this, India has been aggressively investing in solar PV systems with a target of 100 GW of installed solar capacity by 2022, and likewise, China has a similar target within 2020. This is the biggest inspiration for Nepal. Nepal should follow its footstep to enhance its energy system by adapting the solar PV system to its energy mix.