Transition towards a sustainable campus: Design, implementation, and performance of a 16 MWp solar photovoltaic system

Abstract

University campuses resemble small cities in terms of their high energy use intensity. In transitioning toward sustainability, many universities have set ambitious targets to cover their electricity needs through solar energy. This has substantial environmental and economic advantages. Such initiatives bridge the gap between research and practice and extend sustainability to other universities. This paper outlines the design, implementation, and performance of a 16 MWp Photovoltaic (PV) grid-connected system installed on 69 rooftop and 24 car park PV systems at The University of Jordan. The system performance indicators, including generated energy, performance ratio, capacity factor, specific production, and total loss, were simulated using PVsyst and compared with the actual performance of the system using the data of 2023. During this year, the plant generated 25.41 GWh and achieved a performance ratio, capacity factor, and specific production of 77.17 %, 20.18 %, and 1603.24 kWh/kWp, respectively. Further analysis revealed that PV installations in car parks outperformed the rooftop PV systems using the evaluated metrics. The simple payback period was found to be 1.53 years, which is financially attractive. The successful implementation of this project demonstrates the techno-economic benefits of this plant, providing a case study that can be replicated on other campuses.