Commercial Rooftop Solar PV System
July, 2022
The report details the design and development of a 294kW roof-mounted grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system for the FEDEX Express Logistics Warehouse in Botany, NSW.
Duration
18 Days
Place of Work
UNSW Postgraduate Student
Project Type
Individual
Project Overlook
The system is designed to meet internal power demands using solar energy while adhering to Clean Energy Regulator and AS/NZS standards to qualify for Large-Scale Generation Certificates (LGCs). Key highlights include:
- Site and Design Overview:
- Location: Port Air Industrial Estate, Botany, NSW.
- Roof Size: 9136.62 m² with a steel gable roof, optimized for solar installation.
- Weather Data: Solar insolation and weather conditions are analyzed to maximize performance.
- System Configuration:
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- Inverters: Two Growatt MAX 125KTL3-X-LV series inverters with high efficiency (98.4%) and smart monitoring.
- PV Modules: Trina Solar Vertex series (510W) with 21.2% efficiency and low degradation over time.
- System Design: 576 modules configured for optimal DC/AC ratio and performance.
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- Performance and Economics:
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- Estimated annual energy yield: 495,466 kWh.
- Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE): 7.07 ¢/kWh.
- Simple payback period: 6.4 years.
- Discounted payback period: 9.7 years.
- The project includes performance simulation for 25 years to ensure reliability and efficiency.
- Protection and Compliance:
- Compliance with AS/NZS standards for cable sizing, surge protection, and wind load assessment.
- Use of lightning and surge protection devices to safeguard the system.
- Financial Analysis:
- Total project cost and cost per watt are broken down with a focus on optimizing the LCOE.
- Consideration of incentives like LGCs to reduce costs and improve financial feasibility.
The report concludes with a recommendation for a 250kWac system without battery storage as the most cost-effective solution, offering a reliable energy yield and strong financial returns.
DISCLAIMER
All projects showcased on this website are academic projects completed as part of coursework, research, or personal learning. These are not commercial projects affiliated with any company or organization.
Softwares Used
PVSyst
SAM-NREL
Helioscope
AutoCAD
MS Office Suite
Excel (Advanced)
SAM-NREL
Helioscope
AutoCAD
MS Office Suite
Excel (Advanced)