The impact of array orientation and inclination on the techno-economic feasibility of building-applied photovoltaic systems: Case of Norwegian power market until 2050

Abstract

This study examines the techno-economic feasibility of building-applied solar PV (BAPV) in Norway until 2050, focusing on the effect of tilt angle and azimuth. National building stock data is used to represent the heterogeneity of the technical BAPV potential in greater detail in terms of tilt angle and azimuth. A linear programming-based energy system analysis model is used to evaluate the share of the technical potential that is cost-competitive in the long-term. The present study shows that using generalised assumptions regarding tilt angle and azimuth may overestimate techno-economic feasibility of BAPV, in this case by up to 42% in short-term and 16% in long-term in Norway . This is observed to affect the deployment rate and Norwegian national target for solar PV, especially in the mid-term. The overestimation is observed to vary depending on the building category, notably in the residential and agricultural sectors, with discrepancies of 6% and 61%, respectively. The cost competitiveness is observed to remain similar across the bidding areas, although generally lower deployment rates are observed at higher latitudes due to lower energy yields. Consequently, this study proposes to use sufficient representation of the heterogeneity of the technical BAPV potential in terms of tilt angle and azimuth to avoid overly simplistic assumptions regarding the solar energy potential, which can lead to erroneous results.