A Comparative Analysis of the Technical and Economic Feasibility of a Grid-Connected Solar Plant

Mubarak M. Alkahtani, N. A. M. Kamari, M. A. A. M. Zainuri, Fathy A. Syam

Abstract


This study aims to find out how well a PV solar facility possessing 400 MW grid-connected designed in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia, can meet the demands of an electric load. A dispatch method that forecasts future solar production and electricity consumption was created using the HOMER program. This study investigates the optimal operation of three configurations for a solar plant with three different module sizes. The solar plant was designed using PVsyst and the results were exported to the HOMER program. The proposed system is compared to the base system, which includes load following as well as cycle charging regarding HOMER, is executed utilizing techno-economic optimization and environmental perspectives to obtain the Total Net Present Cost, the minimum Levelized Cost of Energy, and the minimum CO2 emission.  The optimization procedures were executed with zero unmet loads and excess energy. The optimization findings illustrated that the suggested system with a large PV module has better energy, economic, and environmental results with the grid purchases (2,347,286,329 kWh/year), LCOE (0.0477 $/kWh), and CO2 emission (1,480,778 ton/year). The optimization procedures were executed with different load levels, and in all cases, the results confirmed that the plant designed with large panels is more economical.

Keywords


Grid-connected; HOMER; Levelized Cost of Energy; Optimization; Photovoltaic systems

Full Text:

PDF

References


Solar Power Europe (2020): Global Market Outlook for Solar Power 2020-2024.

T. E. K. Zidane, M. R. Adzman, M. F. N. Tajuddin, S. M. Zali, A. Durusu, S. Mekhilef, C.-L. Su, Y. Terriche, and J. M. Guerrero, 2021. Identifiability evaluation of crucial parameters for grid connected photovoltaic power plants design optimization. IEEE Access, 9, 108754–108771.

Zidane TEK, Zali SM, Adzman MR, Tajuddin MFN, Durusu A. 2021. PV array and inverter optimum sizing for grid-connected photovoltaic power plants using optimization design. J Phys Conf Ser; 1878:1–12.

Gonzalez A, Riba J-R, Esteban B, Rius A. 2018. Environmental and cost optimal design of a biomass–Wind–PV electricity generation system. Renew Energy, 126: 420–30.

Vahid Hajipour, Seyed Taghi Akhavan Niaki, Madjid Tavana, Francisco J. Santos-Arteaga, Sanaz Hosseinzadeh. 2023. A comparative performance analysis of intelligence-based algorithms for optimizing competitive facility location problems, Machine Learning with Applications, 11, 100443.

Aris Kornelakis, Yannis Marinakis. 2010. Contribution for optimal sizing of grid-connected PV-systems using PSO”, Renewable Energy 35, 1333–1341.

Aris Kornelakis. 2010. Multiobjective Particle Swarm Optimization for the optimal design of photovoltaic grid-connected systems”, Solar Energy 84, 2022–2033.

Habtemariam Aberie Kefale, Elias Mandefro Getie, and Kassaye Gizaw Eshetie. 2021. Optimal Design of Grid-Connected Solar Photovoltaic System Using Selective Particle Swarm Optimization. Hindawi International Journal of Photoenergy, 2021, 1-9.

Okul S¸, Aksu D, Orman Z. 2019. Investigation of artificial intelligence-based optimization algorithms. Journal of Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Natural Sciences Institute 1,11–6.

Abdalftah Hamed Ali and Atabak Najafi. 2022. Optimization and Performance Improvement of Grid-Connected PV Plant Based on ANN-PSO and P&O Algorithms. Hindawi International Trans. on Electrical Energy Systems 2022, 1-15.

Isaac Ebi, Zulkifli Othman, Shahril Irwan Sulaiman. 2022. Optimal design of grid-connected photovoltaic system using grey wolf optimization. The 4th International Conference on Clean Energy and Electrical Systems (CEES 2022), 2–4 April, 2022, Tokyo, Japan.

Sulaiman SI, Rahman TKA, Musirin I, Shaari S, Sopian K. 2012. An intelligent method for sizing optimization in grid-connected photovoltaic system. Sol Energy 86(7): 2067–82.

Bhandari, B., K. T. Lee, G. Y. Lee, Y. M. Cho, and S. H. Ahn. 2015. Optimization of Hybrid Renewable Energy Power Systems: A Review. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology 2 (1): 99–112.

A. Mellit and S. A. Kalogirou. 2008. Artificial intelligence techniques for photovoltaic applications: A review. Prog. Energy Combustion Sci., vol. 34, no. 5, pp. 574–632.

Tekai Eddine Khalil Zidane; Ali Saleh Aziz; Younes Zahraoui; Hossam Kotb; Kareem M. AboRas; Kitmo. 2023. Grid-Connected Solar PV Power Plants Optimization: A Review. IEEE Access, 11, 79588: 79608.

Sharma H, Monnier ´E, Mandil G, Zwolinski P, Colasson S. 2019. Comparison of environmental assessment methodology in hybrid energy system simulation software. Procedia CIRP, 80:221–7.

Himmat Singh Mahor, Pramod Rajput, Satish Kumar Yadav, Pushp Rai Mishra, Digvijay Singh, Rohan Sagar, P.K. Kushwaha, K.Y. Singh. 2025. Life cycle assessment of a 5 MW grid-connected solar PV plant in Andaman and Nicobar islands, Next Research, 2(4).

Mishra, P. R., & Kumar, C. H. K. 2024. Real and Simulated Performance Assessment and Tilt Optimization of 5 MW Solar PV Plant Operating Under Tropical Climate of an Indian Island. Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment, 43(04), 1007–1028.

D. Rahmot Ullah, Mahmud Hasan, Diganto Biswas, Md. Feroz Ali, Md. Galib Hasan. 2025. Techno-economic analysis of tilt angle and inter-row spacing: Optimization of a 200 MW floating solar PV plant, Energy Conversion and Management: X, Volume 28, 101245.

Rahul Chandel, Shyam Singh Chandel. 2022. Performance analysis outcome of a 19-MWp commercial solar photovoltaic plant with fixed-tilt, adjustable-tilt, and solar tracking configurations. Prog Photovolt Res Appl. 30:27–48.

Salwan Tajjour, Shyam Singh Chandel, Rahul Chandel, Rajeev Gyani. 2025. Comparative performance analysis of a 100 KWp solar Microgrid for enhanced power generation, Next Research 2 (2), 100208.

Dwipen Boruah, Shyam Singh Chandel. 2024. Techno-economic feasibility analysis of a commercial grid-connected photovoltaic plant with battery energy storage-achieving a net zero energy system, Journal of Energy Storage, Volume 77, 109984.

Ramli MAM, Hiendro A, Sedraoui K, Twaha S. 2015. Optimal sizing of grid-connected photovoltaic energy system in Saudi Arabia. Renew Energy, 75:489–95.

Adaramola MS. 2014. Viability of grid-connected solar PV energy system in Jos, Nigeria. Int J Electr Power Energy Syst, 61:64–9.

Abraham Alem Kebede, Maitane Berecibar, Thierry Coosemans, Maarten Messagie, Towfik Jemal, Henok Ayele Behabtu, and Joeri Van Mierlo. 2020. A Techno-Economic Optimization and Performance Assessment of a 10 kWP Photovoltaic Grid-Connected System”, Sustainability, 12, 7648.

Mubarak M. Alkahtani, Nor A. M. Kamari, Muhammad A. A. M. Zainuri and Fathy A. Syam. 2024. Design of Grid-Connected Solar PV Power Plant in Riyadh Using PVsyst., Energies, 17(24), 6229.

NASA Langley Research Center, Atmospheric Science Data Center. http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov.

http://www.homerenergy.com.

Makbul A.M. Ramli, Ayong Hiendro, Khaled Sedraoui, Ssennoga Twaha. 2015. Optimal sizing of grid-connected photovoltaic energy system in Saudi Arabia, Renewable Energy, 75, 489-495.

T. M. I. Riayatsyah, T. A. Geumpana, I. M. Rizwanul Fattah, Samsul Rizal and T. M. Indra Mahlia. 2022. Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimisation of Campus Grid-Connected Hybrid Renewable Energy System Using HOMER Grid. Sustainability, 14, 7735.

Amir A. Imam, Yusuf A. Al-Turki and Sreerama Kumar R. 2020. Techno-Economic Feasibility Assessment of Grid-Connected PV Systems for Residential Buildings in Saudi Arabia—A Case Study. Sustainability, 12, 262.

Muhammad Zubair. 2024. PV energy penetration in Saudi Arabia: current status, residential, and commercial users, local investment, use in modern agriculture, International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, 17(1), 39–51.

HOMERPro HOMER Help Files; HOMER Pro Version 3.14.5; HOMER Grid: Boulder, CO, USA, 2021.

Will Kessler. 2017. Comparing energy payback and simple payback period for solar photovoltaic systems. International Conference on Advances in Energy Systems and Environmental Engineering (ASEE17), Wrocław, Poland, 22, 00080.

Mohamed Dekkiche, Toufik Tahri, Mouloud Denai. 2023. Techno-economic comparative study of grid-connected PV/reformer/FC hybrid systems with distinct solar tracking systems. Energy Conversion and Management: X 18 (100360),Volume 18.

Abdulrhman Klifa Al-Hanoot, Hazlie Mokhlis, Saad Mekhilef, Mohammad Alghoul, Hussain Shareef, Obaid Alshammari, Abdullahi Mohamed Samatar. 2025. Economic feasibility assessment of optimum grid-connected PV/battery systems to meet electricity demand for industrial buildings in Saudi Arabia, Energy and Buildings, 328, 115126.

K.M. Almohammadi, A. Allouhi. 2025. Techno-economic assessment and optimization of grid-connected solar PV systems in Saudi Arabia's building sector. Utilities Policy, 93,101885.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.64289/iej.26.0206.5936800