Solar Rooftop PV Energy Generation for a Residential Building in India

A grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) system is one of today’s most reliable and environmentally friendly systems. PV system performance depends on many factors, such as location, solar irradiance, type, and orientation of the modules. It is, therefore, imperative that all the above parameters are considered when designing the PV system. This paper provides a theoretical analysis and simulation of a rooftop PV system based on load conditions for a residential building in Chennai, India. A 4 kW rooftop PV system was designed with ten 400 Wp Jinkosolar panels and a 4 kW Sungrow inverter. System simulation showed the plant’s annual energy generation is 6.115 MWh, and its performance ratio is 81.1%. Overall, the system will reduce CO2 emissions by 96.14 tons over its lifespan. Thus, rooftop PV systems can be a cost-effective and sustainable way of meeting residential energy needs.