Feasibility of large-scale grid connected solar PV systems for Entebbe International Airport.

Abstract

The solar photovoltaic industry has grown in the recent years, surpassing any other renewable energy sources worldwide, accelerating the need for carbon neutral electricity. In most developed countries and domestic applications, Solar PV is a proven and feasible technology. However, at African airports this technology is almost inexistent. Coincidentally, airports being big consumers of energy, this technology would form a viable alternative for green aviation. The lack of widespread adoption of large-scale solar PV at airports is the motivation for this research whose main goal is to assess the feasibility of developing a large-scale solar plant at airports using Entebbe International Airport as the case study. Entebbe International Airport is of special interest for this research owing to the ongoing expansion works that are expected to increase the airport load demands in the next 15 years. To achieve the project goal, several free sites are evaluated to select the best site for a large-scale solar PV at Entebbe International airport. A comprehensive risk assessment is performed to identify aviation risks and also propose risk mitigation strategies. The selected site is subjected to a glare analysis using FAA approved tools with Runway 17/35 and the Aerodrome Control Tower as points of reference. The optimal panel tilt angle was determined to be 30 degrees. The maximum achievable solar generation capacity at the best evaluated site was determined to be 8 MW. An 8 MW solar PV plant was designed and its performance determined. The computation for the plant generation over its lifetime uses solar maps, PV module specifications and average benchmark values of system losses. The CAPEX and OPEX of the project were determined using industry values and also results from local benchmarks and vendor prices. Ultimately an economic analysis is carried out via cash flow models using a designed tool. The key financial indicators for the evaluation of the project include the net present value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and the Payback period (PBP). The base case scenario used in the research reveals that for a WACC of 10%, the CAPEX of the project is $ 10,764,800 with a net cash flow of $23,580,236 and a net present value of $2,314,123; a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of 7.2 US cents and an internal rate of return of 12.89%. The project is estimated to save the airport about 10,103,243kg of Carbon dioxide over the entire project lifetime of 25 years.