Role of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems in Mitigating Operational Emissions from Residential Buildings in Cooling-Dominated Climatic Zones of India

Climate change is a global concern, and countries worldwide have pledged to reduce anthropogenic carbon emission intensity to arrest global temperature rise. This paper focusses on the operational stage of residential buildings in India. It estimates the reduction in emissions caused by building operations when a grid-connected roof-mounted photovoltaic system (SPV) is used for decentralized energy production in residences. Building energy simulation and solar energy production model are employed simultaneously to assess emissions. A commercially available system is modelled for a residence with a usable floor area of ~ 70 m2. The building is modelled in three cities across India’s composite, moderate and hot-dry climatic zones. The methodology entails comparing the emissions associated with consumption in two modes, when the energy is (i) entirely sourced from the grid and (ii) primarily sourced from the SPV, the grid acting as backup. The results show that mitigating 67.8% (composite climate) to 91.3% (moderate climate) of total emissions is possible in the modelled household.