Optimal Grid-Connected PV System with Varying Renewable Fraction

This paper This paper explores the optimal sizing of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems for residential loads with varying renewable energy fractions. This metric is critical for assessing the sustainability and effectiveness of PV systems, as it represents the proportion of the load's energy supplied by renewable sources. The performance of a PV system is evaluated from three perspectives: technical, economic, and environmental. The analysis demonstrates that the renewable fraction significantly influences the system performance. Specifically, increasing the renewable fraction leads to higher PV production, greater grid sales, and increased net present costs, while grid purchases and CO2 emissions decrease. The study reveals that the most cost-effective system is achieved with a 10 % renewable fraction, though this option is linked to higher CO2 emissions. In contrast, a system with a 90 % renewable fraction, while resulting in the lowest CO2 emissions, incurs the highest costs. These results underscore the trade-offs between cost and environmental impact in the optimization of grid-connected PV systems.