Regresar

HVAC systems using PV technology: Economic feasibility analysis in commercial buildings of Ecuador

Abstract:

In this paper, the electricity demand for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems of an office building located in two Ecuadorian cities (Quito and Guayaquil) has been analyzed. To perform the analysis, two scenarios have been considered: in the first, energy required for HVAC is entirely supplied from the grid; in the second, the thermal equipment are coupled to a grid connected photovoltaic (PV) system installed on the building roof. The PV system has been supposed to be connected in self consumption configuration and has been sized to cover the electricity demand for HVAC. Results show that the PV system could provide annual billing savings ranging between 54% and 58% depending on the building orientation. Moreover, the profitability of the investment and the solar electricity cost have been analyzed under different scenarios. The conclusions show that the facility has a payback time between 10 and 30 years, while the levelized cost of electricity ranges between 4 and 24 cents/kWh.