Feasibility of Photovoltaic Systems for the Agrifood Industry in the New Energy and Climate Change Context

Abstract

The role of the agrifood industry is key to mitigating the impact of climate change, as it is one of the industrial sectors with the highest energy consumption. The optimisation of photovoltaic systems in agroindustries faces problems such as the fluctuation of energy prices or the evident seasonal nature of some producers. This paper provides a global view of the profitability and optimal sizing of photovoltaic (PV) systems in the new energy context. For this purpose, almost 4 million cases were analysed, including different consumption patterns, energy prices, etc. Some general conclusions can be drawn from the results. First, the adaptation to the new context requires adjustments in the sizing of PV systems in all industries analysed, which is also associated with changes in the return on investment. Second, seasonality strongly conditions the optimal size of PV installations, the return on the investment and the potential savings. Finally, in the face of future energy price variations, the ratio “Savings/payback” seems to be an appropriate reference for sizing, combining savings and profitability. In addition, they may justify special subsidies to seasonal industries. The conclusions of this paper should be considered to optimise the design of PVs.

Economic Feasibility of PV Mounting Structures on Industrial Roofs

“…In a later section, the calculation of radiation on the inclined plane using the EnergyPlus software is detailed. The equations used in the energy calculation have been previously evaluated and validated [2]. For each scenario, the energy supplied by the PV (E PV , kWh) during each 15 min interval was calculated by multiplying the peak power of the system (P PV , kW p) by the radiation on the inclined plane (G, kW m −2 ), the duration of the interval (t, h), and by an overall efficiency of the system (µ T , −) of 0.8 (Equation (1)).…”

“…The new context has significant effects on the viability and profitability of photovoltaic (PV) systems and their mounting structures, which, in many cases, are not taken into consideration. The adaptation to the new context requires adjustments in the sizing of PVs, which is also associated with changes in the return on investment [2]. In many cases, the design is carried out following established paradigms, with approximate calculations, without analyzing in detail the consumption pattern of the industry.…”

“…In residential buildings, providing electricity not only around solar noon but also in the morning and late afternoon, when demand increases, helps to maximize self-consumption/-sufficiency and reduces costs for end-users and utilities [4]. Seasonality strongly conditions the optimal size of PV installations, the return on the investment, and the potential savings [2]. Differences between demand patterns caused large variations in optimal PV orientations [5].…”