Hadjiefstathiou, A; (2008) Opportunities for PV on public buildings in Cyprus: Case study proposed design for Paphos City Hall. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

The increasing demands for energy and the high dependence on fossil fuels impose high risks to humanity, due to the natural resource depletion and the obvious climate change. The transition towards renewable sustainable sources of energy is continuously attracting attention around the world. There is a growing interest towards the direction of stimulation of renewable technologies, with photovoltaics constituting a key technology especially in countries with high solar radiation such as Cyprus. Using the proposed design for Paphos City Hall with a PV installation on the roof of the building, as a case study, this project examines the viability of grid- connected systems in the building sector. The following parameters were considered in order to determine whether the installation of a PV system in Paphos can be viable. First of all, the energy consumption of the building is calculated. TAS software is used to define cooling and heating loads. The energy concerning lighting and small power is also calculated. The annual output energy of the photovoltaic system has been modeled using Retscreen software. The embodied energy, the installation cost and the annual savings of the system were calculated in order for the carbon and economic payback periods of the system to be determined. The analysis showed that the economic payback period of the system is 17.5 years, which is shorter than its lifetime. It is worth noting that the payback period reduces to 7 years, if grants are included. The carbon payback period was estimated to 6.3 years. A sensitivity analysis on the effect of various factors affecting the viability of the PV installation was carried out. The economic payback period reduces as the capital cost of the photovoltaic installation decreases. The payback period is also reduced, as the electricity rates increase. The project concludes by defining the benefits of the exploitation of PV technology in Cyprus. The analysis makes evidence that PV technology must become the cornerstone of the design philosophy in Cyprus. The application of a relative Merton Rule in Cyprus is regarded as a major step towards this implementation.

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