FEASIBILITY OF ROOF TOP SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) SYSTEM FOR KFUPM BUILDINGS HAITHAM FERAS SAWALHA ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT MAY 2015 © Haitham Feras Sawalha 2015 iii Dedication I would like to dedicate this humble work to my beloved parents. To my affectionate mother and father for their endless help and support. They granted me the love that made me strong enough to continue my higher education. I would also like to dedicate this thesis to my lovely brothers (Hadi and Eihab), whom I consider as my best friends. I also dedicate this work to my grandmother, who unfortunately passed away four months before the completion of this work. May Allah have mercy on her and grant her the eternal paradise. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS All praise is due to Allah, The Most Beneficent, and The Most Merciful. The Almighty, with whose gracious help it was possible to accomplish this work. I would like to express the deepest appreciation to my committee chair, Dr. Mohammad Asif. Without his guidance and persistent help, this thesis would not have been possible. I wish to thank my committee members, Dr. Mohammad Hassanain and Dr. Khondokar Nahiduzzaman, for their valuable inputs throughout the research period, and for their review and suggestions that contributed in improving the quality of this thesis. I wish to thank Dr. Salah Al-Dulaijan, the chairman of Architectural Engineering Department. Thanks are also extended to the department faculty members, staff, and colleagues. I owe a deep sense of gratitude to Dr. Sami Khaiyat, the general supervisor of services at KFUPM, and to the maintenance department for their support and help specially Eng. Ali Al-Haian. I am very thankful to King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals for giving me the opportunity to conduct my masters degree. And for providing such a rich environmental for study and research. v Special thanks are due to my friends at KFUPM, Ameer Aker, Hasan Mathar, Abdulrahman Aldeek, Khalil Al-Adham, Feras Chikh Oughali, Ahmad Bader, Mahmoud Erigat, and Sadiq Mahmoud, for being a beautiful part of my life and stay at KFUPM. It is my privilege to thank my parents and brothers, who have been always an important source of support and encouragement. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. V TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... VII LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ XI LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... XII LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................... XV ABSTRACT ..............................................................................................................................XVII XIX ............................................................................................................................... ملخص الرسالة CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 21 1.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 21 1.2 Problem statement ....................................................................................................................... 23 1.3 Aim and objectives ........................................................................................................................ 27 1.4 Significance of the research .......................................................................................................... 28 1.5 Scope and limitations .................................................................................................................... 30 1.6 Thesis organization ....................................................................................................................... 30 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................... 33 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 33 2.1.1 Definition of photovoltaic PV ................................................................................................... 35 2.1.2 Types of photovoltaic PV .......................................................................................................... 36 2.1.3 Efficiency of photovoltaic PV .................................................................................................... 38 2.1.4 Advantages of photovoltaic PV systems ................................................................................... 39 vii 2.1.5 Disadvantages of photovoltaic PV systems ............................................................................... 39 2.1.6 Comparison between PV types ................................................................................................. 40 2.1.7 Applications of photovoltaic PV systems .................................................................................. 41 2.2 Feasibility of solar photovoltaic energy in the world ..................................................................... 43 2.3 Feasibility of solar photovoltaic energy in Saudi Arabia ................................................................ 48 2.3.1 Solar irradiance and solar irradiation ....................................................................................... 48 2.3.2 Factors affecting solar radiation ............................................................................................... 49 2.3.3 Solar radiation in Saudi Arabia ................................................................................................. 49 2.3.4 Relevant studies of solar PV potential in KSA ........................................................................... 52 2.3.5 Interest in solar energy in Saudi Arabia .................................................................................... 54 2.3.6 Economic feasibility analysis .................................................................................................... 58 2.4 Obstacles ...................................................................................................................................... 62 2.5 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 63 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................ 66 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 66 3.2 Research methodology ................................................................................................................. 66 3.2.1 Literature review ...................................................................................................................... 67 3.2.2 Assessment of roof top solar potential ..................................................................................... 69 3.2.3 Power potential of solar PV ...................................................................................................... 70 3.2.4 Benefit - cost analysis ............................................................................................................... 71 3.2.5 Environmental analysis............................................................................................................. 72 CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS .................................................................. 73 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 73 4.2 Evaluation of solar energy in Dhahran, KSA .................................................................................. 74 viii 4.3 Determination of roof top utilizable areas .................................................................................... 78 4.3.1 PV panels are tilted 24˚. ........................................................................................................... 80 4.3.2 Flat or horizontal PV panels ...................................................................................................... 85 4.4 Design and optimization of roof top solar PV ................................................................................ 90 4.4.1 PV panels are tilted 24˚. ........................................................................................................... 91 4.4.2 Flat or horizontal PV panels ...................................................................................................... 95 4.5 Cost benefit analysis ................................................................................................................... 100 4.5.1 Gross initial investment calculations ...................................................................................... 100 4.5.2 Operational and maintenance cost calculations ..................................................................... 102 4.5.3 Benefit - cost calculation .......................................................................................................