An adjustable mounting rack or an additional PV panel? Cost and environmental analysis of a photovoltaic installation on a household: A case study in Poland
Piotr Olczak, Aleksandra Komorowska
Abstract
Since increasing electricity consumption in developing countries is observed, the measures that can reduce electricity bills are of key importance for individuals. One of them is the assemblage of PV installation of their households. The fundamental parameters that may be adjusted are the number of PV panels and the change in their orientation towards the roof plane (tilt and azimuth angles). The paper presents the first study aimed at conducting a quantitative economic and environmental analysis that allows one to compare these two choices and provide valuable findings based on the specific case of a single-family house in Poland. Results indicate that NPV is higher in the case of an additional PV panel by EUR 354 per 30 years. However, an adjustable mounting rack installation provides a higher reduction of carbon emissions (by 1.2 Mg CO2/30 years). Additionally, the study provides maps that may be used to compare the economic and environmental efficiency for various orientations of roofs and PV installations throughout the country. The outcomes are mainly relevant for the residential sector because they provide information that supports the decision-making processes in the context of changes in PV installations and selecting support mechanism for renewable sources.