Conference Paper
Proceedings of BSA Conference 2024: Sixth Conference of IBPSA-Italy
Integration of Rooftop Photovoltaics and Roof Retrofitting Strategies for Enhanced Energy Efficiency in Warm Climates
Integration of Rooftop Photovoltaics and Roof Retrofitting Strategies for Enhanced Energy Efficiency in Warm Climates
Krithika Panicker, Prashant Anand, Abraham George, Ardeshir MahdaviDOI: https://doi.org/10.13124/9788860462022_39Abstract: To forward renewable energy as a self-reliant option of energy production, the Government of India is promoting the extensive adoption of Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic (PV) in domestic buildings. Rooftop solar PV systems offer the dual benefit of being a clean energy source and serving as shading devices for roofs, reducing the impact of incident solar radiation. However, the effectiveness of PV shading in minimizing incident solar radiation on mounting surfaces depends on the urban context such as neighbouring building heights and distances between buildings, as well as on the mounting angle and geometry of the PV panels. This study investigates the potential of a roof-mounted PV as a shading element for a typical and retrofitted roof of a low-rise building in a warm and humid climate in Kharagpur, West Bengal. To identify the geometry of PV panels, a grid-connected PV system was first designed for the selected residential unit using PVSyst. The identified PV structure (with dimensions 5.5 m (l) X 4 m (w)) has been considered, mounted over the building at a height of 1.9 m with a tilt of 22° facing south (true azimuth). DesignBuilder, integrated with the EnergyPlus building energy simulation engine, is used to simulate the model to predict the heat transfer through the roofing structure and evaluate the change in the cooling demand associated with it. Three types of roofing structures were studied: an uninsulated roof, a cool roof retrofit, and a roof with mounted PV structure. The results show that the PV structure can provide additional shade to the roof, decreasing the conductive heat gained by incident solar radiation through the roofing assembly by 13.7 % and 9 % for the uninsulated and cool roof cases, respectively. Considering this study observes the Solar PV as a detached and mounted structure, focussing solely on its shading, the reduction in heat gain also resulted in a decrease in the annual cooling demand of the building, demonstrating the effectiveness of PV panels not only as an energy generation solution but also as a thermal management strategy for buildings in warm and humid climates. Pages: 305 - 316 Paper: