Performance investigation of grid-connected PV systems for family farms: case study of North-West of Algeria. (October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maammeur, H.; Hamidat, A.; Loukarfi, L.; Missoum, M.; Abdeladim, K.; Nacer, T.
• Is Part Of: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews. Volume 78(2017)
• Page Start: 1208
• Page End: 1220
• Publication Date: 2017-10
• Subjects: Family farm -- Grid-connected PV system -- Energy performance, Net Present Cost, sellback price -- Pollutants emissions; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1364-0321

Abstract

Abstract: Generating electricity from renewable energy rather than fossil fuels offers significant benefits for the environment and the sustainable development. Solar energy is tremendously more abundant than any other renewable energy source on the planet and locally available. The present paper provides an extensive literature review of grid-connected PV systems supplying agricultural family farms and assesses their energy performance. The case study was cattle farms in the Chlef district (North-West of Algeria). A typical farm was chosen for this region in order to establish load profile according to monthly electrical bills. The results showed that 49% of the total on-farm electricity consumption was from renewable energy. Furthermore, an economic and environmental analysis was performed in order to investigate the performance of the on-farm PV system introduction. A sensitivity analysis was realized by changing some economic parameters such as the electricity sellback price and the project lifetime. The study demonstrates the economic viability and the environmental sustainability of the proposed system. The generalization of the proposed systems to all the Algerian farms will play an important role in the national electricity generation and greenhouse gas mitigation. Graphical abstract: fx1 Highlights: State-of-art review of on-farm grid-connected PV systems is presented. Overview of the modeling of farm's electrical equipment consumption. Techno-economic and environmental impacts of the system introduction are assessed. A case study is conducted in Chlef district cattle farm.