Performance evaluation of grid-connected photovoltaic with pumped hydro storage system in high-rise building

Abstract

Integrating renewable energy systems into the built environment is an ecological solution to meet the growing energy demand of densely populated cities. This paper presents a numerical study on the performance of a photovoltaic-pumped hydro storage (PV–PHS) system in a high-rise residential building context. The designed system operates in the Mediterranean climate of the city of Oran, Algeria. Real data on the building's electricity demand and the region's actual climatic conditions are used for system sizing and simulation. A Fortran programming code is developed based on an energy management strategy and a realistic mathematical model that considers all system losses. The performance analysis demonstrates that the PV fully meets the residence's daily load demand for 7 h, reducing reliance on the public grid. Furthermore, approximately 50 % of peak evening consumption is supported by the storage capacity. Accordingly, the PV–PHS coverage rate is around 46 % throughout the year, with an overall PHS efficiency of 60 %. Parametric analysis indicates that enlarging the discharge pipe reduces system losses and that increasing the storage volume improves the coverage rate. Other results reveal that the coverage rate is more sensitive to variations in load demand than to building height, and remains limited by installed PV capacity. The economic study was carried out for three different scenarios based on electricity price and feed-in tariff. In the most favorable scenario, the system achieves a payback period of 8.5 years and a net present value of 94,904 euros, making it economically viable and profitable. These results highlight the performance of a PV–PHS system in a high-rise residential context while providing the necessary information for the design and optimization of such systems. They can also guide policy-makers in adjusting tariff policies to enable private investors to achieve economic profitability.