Comparative analysis of implementation of solar PV systems using the advanced SPECA modelling tool and HOMER Software: Kenyan scenario

Abstract

Globally, attention has been focused on the pollution and exhaustion of fossil fuels allied to conventional energy sources, while non-conventional energy/renewable energy sources have always been considered clean and environmentally friendly. Of the two, the non-conventional (renewable) is being preferred because it is believed to be more environmentally friendly. Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs), especially Solar Photovoltaics, have seen many plants being constructed to either supplement the grid or as alternatives for those far from the grid. Solar Photovoltaics plants occupy large tracts of land that would have been used for other economic activities for revenue generation, such as agriculture, forestry, or tourism at archaeological sites. The negative impacts slow down the application of Solar PV, but a modelling tool that can easily and quantitively assess the impacts in monetary form would accelerate the Solar PV application. The work presents a developed modelling tool that is able to assess not only the techno-economic impacts but also the environmental impacts in monetary form, allowing one to be able to determine the viability of a plant in a given region. The results are compared with those of the HOMER software.